Helen Ghosh | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Master of Balliol College, Oxford | |
| Assumed office 3 April 2018 | |
| Preceded by | Drummond Bone |
| Director general of theNational Trust | |
| In office 12 November 2012 – 2 April 2018 | |
| Chairman | Simon Jenkins Tim Parker |
| Preceded by | Fiona Reynolds |
| Succeeded by | Hilary McGrady |
| Permanent Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department | |
| In office 1 January 2011 – November 2012 | |
| Secretary of State | Theresa May |
| Preceded by | David Normington |
| Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | |
| In office 7 November 2005 – 31 December 2010 | |
| Secretary of State | Margaret Beckett David Miliband Hilary Benn Caroline Spelman |
| Preceded by | Brian Bender |
| Succeeded by | Bronwyn Hill |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Helen Frances Kirkby (1956-02-21)21 February 1956 (age 69)[1] Farnborough, Hampshire, England |
| Spouse | Peter Ghosh (m. 1979) |
| Relations | William Taylor Kirkby (father) Eileen Marguerite Winifred Howe (mother), librarian |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence(s) | King's Mound and the Master's Lodgings, Balliol College, Oxford (official residences of the Master of Balliol) |
| Alma mater | St Hugh's College, Oxford Hertford College, Oxford |
| Occupation | University college administrator |
| Profession | Civil servant, charity administrator, university administrator |
Dame Helen Frances GhoshDCB (/ɡəʊʃ/;gauche;[2]néeKirkby; born 21 February 1956[1]) is a former British civil servant who has beenMaster of Balliol College, Oxford, since 2018.[3] She was previously director-general of theNational Trust from November 2012 to April 2018.
From 1979 to 2012 she was a British civil servant. She wasPermanent Secretary at the Home Office from January 2011 to November 2012, and prior to that was permanent secretary at theDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) from November 2005 to the end of 2010. On appointment at DEFRA, she was the only female permanent secretary to head a major department of theBritish Government.[4]
Ghosh was born Helen Frances Kirkby inFarnborough, Hampshire, in 1956, daughter of William Kirkby, a civil service scientist, and his wife, Eileen (née Howe), a librarian.[5][6][7] She was educated atFarnborough Hill, an all-girlsprivateCatholic school.[8]
She studied modern history atSt Hugh's College, Oxford, graduating with aBachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1976.[9] She then undertookpostgraduate study atHertford College, Oxford, graduating with aMaster of Letters (MLitt) in 1980; herthesis concerned thehistory of Italy in the 6th century.[10]
Ghosh joined theDepartment of the Environment in 1979 as an administration trainee.[8] From 1981 to 1983 she was assistant private secretary toMichael Heseltine, theSecretary of State for the Environment.[11] She was private secretary to the Minister for Environment and Housing from 1986 to 1988,[8] and was head of the Housing Policy and Home Ownership Team from 1992 to 1995.[11]
In July 1995 she joined theCabinet Office on loan, as deputy director of the Efficiency Unit.[12] She left the post in May 1997 to become director of the London East and European Programmes at theGovernment Office for London.[8]
Between May 1999 and November 1999, she was head of theNew Deal for Communities Programme at theDepartment of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.[8] She then joined theDepartment for Work and Pensions as director of the Children's Group.[11][8]
She rejoined the Cabinet Office in October 2001, as head of Central Secretariat,[8] and, in 2003, became director general for Corporate Services atHM Revenue & Customs (HMRC),[13] where she played an important part in the transformation programme merging theInland Revenue andCustoms & Excise to form the new department.[14] She was appointed permanent secretary at theDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in November 2005.[15][16] She replacedDavid Normington as permanent secretary at theHome Office in January 2011.[17]
In November 2012, she stepped down from her role at the Home Office to become director general at theNational Trust.[18][19][20] In April 2018, Ghosh left that role to becomeMaster of Balliol College, Oxford, succeedingDrummond Bone.[21][22]
In 2025, a Bloomberg investigation reported that after a student publicly described a 2019 sexual assault allegation at Balliol, Ghosh called a meeting with students in which she challenged the student’s account. According to the report, Ghosh also had leaflets printed containing details of the student’s allegations, including the date of the alleged assault. An external investigator later upheld some of the student’s complaints, and the college implemented policy changes.[23]
Ghosh was a board member of theNational School for Government,[24] and a committee member and former chair of the Blackfriars Overseas Aid Trust, based in Oxford.[25] She was elected aRhodes Trustee in 2011.[26]
She was appointedDame Commander of the Order of the Bath (DCB) in theQueen's Birthday Honours list in June 2008.[27] In 2010,The Tablet named her as one of Britain's most influentialRoman Catholics.[28]
In 1979,[29] she marriedPeter Ghosh, an associate professor of Modern History at Oxford, who has, since 1982, been Jean Duffield Fellow and Tutor in Modern History atSt Anne's College, Oxford. They have a son, William, and a daughter, Olivia.[30][31][32]
KIRKBY Eileen Died peacefully in St Catherine's View, Winchester on Friday 12th May aged 92. Much loved Wife of the late Bill, and devoted Mother to Paul, Patrick, Helen, Margaret and Irene. Will be much missed by them and her Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren.
Graduated with a BA in modern history from St Hugh's College, Oxford in 1976 and then and MLitt from Hertford College, Oxford, writing on 6th-century Italian history.
{{cite news}}:Check|url= value (help)4. The National School Board comprises: Sir Brian Bender (Chair), Permanent Secretary, Department of Trade and Industry : Sir John Elvidge, Permanent Secretary, Scottish Government : Helen Ghosh, Permanent Secretary, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs : ....
| Government offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Permanent Secretary of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 2005–2010 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Permanent Secretary of the Home Office 2011–2012 | Succeeded by |
