Sheila Noakes, Baroness Noakes
Encyclopedia
Sheila Valerie Noakes, Baroness Noakes, DBE
(née
Masters, born 23 June 1949) is a British
Conservative
politician
and former corporate executive.
, where she studied Law.
She qualified as a Chartered Accountant
and became a partner
in Peat Marwick Mitchell & Co, which is now part of KPMG
. For three years from 1988, she was seconded to the National Health Service
where she modernised its financial management.
In 1999 she became the first female President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. At the same time, she was a non-executive director of the Bank of England
and a governor of the London Business School
, while still overseeing privatisations and other public sector work at KPMG. Trade journal Accountancy Age
described her as "the country's most high profile accountant".
, an amendment to the Identity Cards bill which led to it being defeated in the House of Lords
and sent back to the House of Commons
.
She is a co-director of the Reuters
Founders Share Company.
in 1996, and made a life peer
as Baroness Noakes, of Goudhurst in the County of Kent
in 2000.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(née
NEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Masters, born 23 June 1949) is a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and former corporate executive.
Education and early career
Sheila Masters was educated at Eltham Hill Grammar School, followed by the University of BristolUniversity of Bristol
The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
, where she studied Law.
She qualified as a Chartered Accountant
Chartered Accountant
Chartered Accountants were the first accountants to form a professional body, initially established in Britain in 1854. The Edinburgh Society of Accountants , the Glasgow Institute of Accountants and Actuaries and the Aberdeen Society of Accountants were each granted a royal charter almost from...
and became a partner
Partner (business rank)
A partner in a law firm, accounting firm, consulting firm, or financial firm is a highly ranked position. Originally, these businesses were set up as legal partnerships in which the partners were entitled to a share of the profits of the enterprise. The name has remained even though many of these...
in Peat Marwick Mitchell & Co, which is now part of KPMG
KPMG
KPMG is one of the largest professional services networks in the world and one of the Big Four auditors, along with Deloitte, Ernst & Young and PwC. Its global headquarters is located in Amstelveen, Netherlands....
. For three years from 1988, she was seconded to the National Health Service
National Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
where she modernised its financial management.
In 1999 she became the first female President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. At the same time, she was a non-executive director of the Bank of England
Bank of England
The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694, it is the second oldest central bank in the world...
and a governor of the London Business School
London Business School
London Business School is an international business school and a constituent college of the federal University of London, located in central London, beside Regent's Park...
, while still overseeing privatisations and other public sector work at KPMG. Trade journal Accountancy Age
Accountancy Age
Accountancy Age is a trade magazine for accountants and financial staff in the United Kingdom. After running from 1969 to 2011 with a circulation of over 60,000 in print, it changed with effect from May 2011 to an online-only publication.-History:...
described her as "the country's most high profile accountant".
Political career
Baroness Noakes was the Opposition spokesperson for the Treasury (2003-2010), Work and Pensions (2001-2006) and Health (2001-2003). In January 2006 she moved, with Lord PhillipsAndrew Phillips, Baron Phillips of Sudbury
Andrew Wyndham Phillips, Baron Phillips of Sudbury, OBE is a solicitor and Liberal Democrat politician.-Education and Law Practice:...
, an amendment to the Identity Cards bill which led to it being defeated in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
and sent back to the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
.
She is a co-director of the Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
Founders Share Company.
Honours
She was created DBEOrder of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1996, and made a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
as Baroness Noakes, of Goudhurst in the County of Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
in 2000.
External links
- DodOnline
- Hansard
- Peerage
- Profile: Baroness Noakes, conservative Treasury spokeswoman, Accountancy Age, 16 August 2007