Larissa Joy OBE
Biography
Larissa Joy OBE was appointed as a non-executive director of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in July 2023.
Larissa is a non-executive director of international law firm Charles Russell Speechlys; a non-executive director of search firm Saxton Bampfylde; Chairman of the trust board of international architecture practice Hawkins\Brown and a non-executive director of the Law Society of England and Wales. In her pro bono portfolio, she is Chair of The Foundling Museum; Chair of Social Business Trust (a consortium of Clifford Chance, Permira, Bain, EY, FT Group, Schroders and others); and co-founder and co-chair of Thrive at Five.
Her previous roles include Vice Chairman of WPP’s Ogilvy Group UK; European COO of Weber Shandwick; Partner of emerging markets private equity firm Actis LLP; non-executive director of London & Quadrant (L&Q); non-executive director of Helpforce; and Chair of Sir Quentin Blake’s House of Illustration.
Larissa read law at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, completed her solicitor’s finals at the College of Law, London and studied at London Business School, where she completed her MBA. She holds a Licentiate from the Royal Academy of Music (LRAM) and a Fellowship of Trinity College London (FTCL). She was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s New Years Honours list in 2021.
Non-executive director
The main responsibilities of non-executive directors are to:
- attend meetings of the departmental board, chaired by the Secretary of State
- provide over-arching strategic guidance and insight to the department