Sir Laurie Magnus CBE
Biography
Laurie started his career as a corporate finance adviser at Samuel Montagu & Co (subsequently HSBC Investment Bank) specialising in mergers and acquisitions, fundraising and restructuring. After 18 years, which included a posting in South East Asia and promotion to be Deputy Head of UK Corporate Finance, he decided to focus on the financial services sector, particularly insurance and fund management, thereafter working successively at Phoenix Securities, Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette, Credit Suisse and Lexicon Partners. Following the acquisition of Lexicon Partners (where he was Chair) by Evercore Inc in 2011, he has continued as a senior adviser to Evercore (Europe).
Since 2000, Laurie has taken on a number of roles in the commercial and not for profit sectors. These have included non-executive directorships (including as chair) of various listed companies and trustee roles at charities including Windsor Leadership Trust (Chair), the National Trust (Deputy Chair), Landmark Trust and English Heritage Trust. He is currently Chair of The City of London Investment Trust plc, a long established UK investment trust and a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index. He is also Chair of the Heritage of London Trust, a charity promoting the restoration and celebration of iconic monuments across the capital.
In 2013 Laurie was appointed by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport as Chair of the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England (“Historic England”) and served until 2023. During this time, he oversaw the demerger of the organisation (formerly known as “English Heritage”) whereby management of the historic properties owned or in the guardianship of the nation was passed to a new charity, the English Heritage Trust, with the objective of becoming financially independent of taxpayer support. The objective for Historic England, with its refreshed brand and working closely with other DCMS arms length bodies, was to focus on its core purpose to champion and protect England’s historic environment, including the role of heritage in social and economic regeneration.
Laurie was appointed as the Prime Minister’s Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests on 22nd December 2022 for a non-renewable term of five years.