Rebecca Lawrence is a British public servant. In October 2024, it was announced that she would be then next chief executive of the

British Library The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom. Based in London, it is one of the largest libraries in the world, with an estimated collection of between 170 and 200 million items from multiple countries. As a legal deposit li ...

; she succeeded Sir Roly Keating on 2 January 2025.

Biography

Lawrence studied

philosophy, politics and economics Philosophy, politics and economics, or politics, philosophy and economics (PPE), is an interdisciplinary undergraduate or postgraduate academic degree, degree which combines study from three disciplines. The first institution to offer degrees in P ...

New College, Oxford New College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1379 by Bishop William of Wykeham in conjunction with Winchester College as New College's feeder school, New College was one of the first col ...

, having

matriculated Matriculation is the formal process of entering a university, or of becoming eligible to enter by fulfilling certain academic requirements such as a matriculation examination. Australia In Australia, the term ''matriculation'' is seldom used now ...

in 1989. Following graduation, she studied at

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

with a Harlech Scholarship in 1993. After first working in the banking sector, Lawrence joined

HM Treasury His Majesty's Treasury (HM Treasury or HMT), and informally referred to as the Treasury, is the Government of the United Kingdom’s economic and finance ministry. The Treasury is responsible for public spending, financial services policy, Tax ...

in 1994. She later moved to the

Home Office The Home Office (HO), also known (especially in official papers and when referred to in Parliament) as the Home Department, is the United Kingdom's interior ministry. It is responsible for public safety and policing, border security, immigr ...

and then to work for the

Association of Chief Police Officers The Association of Chief Police Officers of England, Wales and Northern Ireland (ACPO) was a not-for-profit private limited company that for many years led the development of policing practices in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Established ...

. She was director and then chief executive officer of the London Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime between 2013 and 2019. She then served as CEO of the

Crown Prosecution Service The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is the principal public agency for conducting criminal prosecutions in England and Wales. It is headed by the Director of Public Prosecutions. The main responsibilities of the CPS are to provide legal adv ...

(CPS) from September 2019 to 2023. She brought claims of discrimination against the CPS on the grounds of age and sex. The case was settled for an unknown sum before the start of the tribunal hearing on 17 November 2023, and her departure from the CPS was then announced later the same day, described as a "natural transition point".

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lawrence, Rebecca Living people Civil servants in HM Treasury Civil servants in the Home Office Alumni of New College, Oxford Harvard University alumni Employees of the British Library Year of birth missing (living people)