Sir Vernon Ellis was the Founder Chair of New Philanthropy for Arts & Culture (NPAC) in 2019 – a major initiative to bring new philanthropy into arts and culture through its impact on health, education, wellbeing and the community. Inter alia, NPAC created with the Big Give a very successful new Arts for Impact matching fund. In 2024, NPAC came together with Arts & Culture Finance to form Figurative.
Vernon worked at Accenture from 1969 to 2010. He was International Chairman from 2001. From 2010 to 2016 he was Chair of the British Council. He was a non-executive Director of FTI Consulting Inc. from 2012 to 2023 and was Chair of Martin Randall Travel from 2008 to 2024. In parallel with these activities, he has had an extensive involvement in the arts and philanthropy. Vernon has chaired several major boards: English National Opera, National Opera Studio, the Leeds International Piano Competition and Britten Pears Arts. He currently chairs Live Music Now.
In 2001 he established the Vernon Ellis Foundation to channel his personal giving. The focus now is on the social impact of the arts. Also, through his Foundation, he hosted around 80–90 concerts a year between 2005 and 2017 at his London home in support of musicians’ and music organisations’ development, and other fundraising events. From 2015 to 2020 he led the Stop MS appeal which raised £50m for MS research.
He was knighted for services to Music in 2011. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Music and was given the ABO Award in 2014.
