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Sonita Alleyne to be first black leader of an Oxbridge college Sonita Alleyne to be first black leader of an Oxbridge college
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A businesswoman is to become the first black leader of an Oxbridge college after she was elected master of Jesus College, Cambridge. A businesswoman and media executive is to become the first black person to lead an Oxbridge college after being elected master of Jesus College, Cambridge.
Sonita Alleyne will also be the first female head in the history of the college, which was founded in 1496, when she takes up the role from 1 October. Sonita Alleyne, 51, also becomes the first female head in the history of the college, which was founded in 1496 and is one of Cambridge’s oldest.
The 51-year-old entrepreneur, who has previously served as a BBC trustee and chairs the British Board of Film Classification, described her election as an honour. The entrepreneur, who is chairwoman of the British Board of Film Classification’s management council, will take up her new role in October.
Alleyne was brought up in east London and studied at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, before starting a career in radio. She founded the production company Somethin’ Else, which she led as chief executive from 1991 until 2009. Alleyne, who read philosophy at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, has previously served as a BBC trustee.
Alleyne will become the college’s 42nd master on its 40th anniversary of co-education, taking over from Prof Ian White, who was appointed vice-chancellor of the University of Bath earlier this year. Born in Bridgetown, Barbados, and brought up in Leytonstone, east London, she was a co-founder of the production company Somethin’ Else, which she led as chief executive from 1991 until 2009.
“I left Cambridge 30 years ago, but it never left me. I am delighted to be returning,” she said. “It is an honour to be elected to lead Jesus College and I’m looking forward to becoming part of such an energetic and innovative community. She will become the college’s 42nd master on the 40th anniversary of co-education, taking over from Prof Ian White, who was appointed vice-chancellor of the University of Bath earlier this year.
“Having met many fellows, students and staff in recent weeks, I was struck by the positive and forward-looking ethos shared across the college. In addition to the outstanding education, the cross-disciplinary work and evident passion for arts, culture and sport I have seen at Jesus is impressive.” Alleyne’s appointment is something of a coup for Cambridge as it aims to increase diversity among its students. Last year, it admitted a record number of black students – 58 out of 2,612.
Prof Mary Laven, who led the college’s search committee, said: “We are thrilled by the election of Sonita Alleyne, who will be an inspirational master. “She brings to the college a wealth of experience and an enduring commitment to helping young people fulfil their potential.” In a statement, she said: “I left Cambridge 30 years ago, but it never left me. I am delighted to be returning.
“It is an honour to be elected to lead Jesus College and I’m looking forward to becoming part of such an energetic and innovative community.”
Alleyne, a keen fly-fisher, once described herself as a “passionate early reader” who liked telling stories, which inspired her to follow a career in the media. “Stories are about creativity and such a primal instinct for people, and whether you’re doing a documentary or music, media is all about stories. That’s what I find exciting”, she said in one 2008 interview.
The hunt for Jesus College’s new master included advertising the role on the business networking site LinkedIn for the first time. The college’s fellows then whittled down the candidates.
Alleyne began her media career in the publicity department at Jazz FM before moving into production. In 1991, on being made redundant, she and two colleagues set up Somethin’ Else, a cross-platform media company that made content for the BBC and commercial radio stations. It rapidly expanded, and by 2008 was being described as the biggest syndicator of radio programmes in the UK, outside of the BBC, distributing shows to more than 200 radio stations in 65 countries.
Alleyne’s numerous board roles have included the National Employment Panel and the London Skills and Employment Board, chair of the Radio Sector Skills Council and non-executive director of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and membership of the court of governors at the University of the Arts.
She has been a judge for the Precious Awards, which celebrate the entrepreneurial achievements of black women, and also for the Sony Awards. She is also founder of The Yes Programme, an online service helping school pupils make career decisions. She has served as an ambassador for Street Kids International.
In 2000, she received the Award of Excellence from the European Federation of Black Women Business Owners, and was awarded an OBE for services to broadcasting in 2003.
She joined the BBC Trust, the governing body of the corporation, in 2012, and was appointed chair of the BBFC earlier this year. She is a fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts and the Radio Academy.
Prof Mary Laven, who led Jesus College’s search committee, said: “We’re thrilled by the election of Sonita Alleyne, who will be an inspirational master. She brings to the college a wealth of experience and an enduring commitment to helping young people fulfil their potential”.
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