News story

The Prime Minister has reappointed Marilyn Berk and Eric Ellul as Trustees of the Wallace Collection.

Marilyn Berk and Eric Ellul have been reappointed by the Prime Minister as Trustee of the Wallace Collection for four years from 9 January 2021 - 08 January 2025.

Marilyn Berk led an internationally renowned luxury cashmere retailing business for over 30 years before retiring in 2014. She has extensive commercial and branding experience combining contemporary design with traditional craftsmanship having also steered the company to its digital platform. She has championed the preservation and promotion of the historic heritage of her flagship shop in the Burlington Arcade.

She was appointed a trustee of the Wallace Collection in 2016 and also sits on the audit and investment committees. She was appointed a trustee of the English National Ballet in 2020 and also sits on the development committee. She has worked with The Prince’s Trust advising on their retail outlet and successfully mentored many of the Trust’s young companies through the retail process. Her other voluntary commitments include chairing educational appeal panels and helping young victims through the criminal court system.

Eric Ellul is a Senior Advisor of The Boston Consulting Group, Chairman of Rede-Partners (pending FCA confirmation), Non-Executive Director of Cerba Healthcare and of MGroup Services. He was previously Senior Partner and Managing Director of The Boston Consulting Group, with successive roles as Global Head of Private Equity, member of the European Management Team, Managing Director of the London office and Chair of the Global Audit & Risk Committee. He worked in the London, Tokyo and Paris offices.

Eric has been a trustee of the Wallace Collection since January 2017. He chairs the Fundraising Committee, a sub-committee of the Collection’s Board of Trustees. Key areas of focus for the committee have been to advise on building the Collection’s endowment; on sponsorship opportunities for the new temporary exhibition gallery and programme; and on identifying donors to improve the presentation of the Collection. He is also a member of the Audit & Risk Committee.

Eric holds a general engineering degree from Ecole Centrale de Paris and an MBA from INSEAD. He is married to Virginie and is a father of three.

These roles are not remunerated. These reappointments have been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments, the process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. The Government’s Governance Code requires that any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years is declared. This is defined as holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation or candidature for election. Marilyn Berk and Eric Ellul have not declared any activity.

Published 4 December 2020