About the King’s Birthday Honours List
Honouring Oxfordshire: Celebrating our local heroes in the King’s Birthday Honours List 2025
As the New Year Honours 2026 are announced, Oxfordshire is once again in the national spotlight, with a remarkable group of individuals recognised for their outstanding contributions across public life, academia, science, culture, business and community service. From world-leading economists and scientists to dedicated volunteers shaping local communities, this year’s honours reflect the extraordinary breadth of talent, commitment and impact found across the county.
At the forefront are Professor Wendy Joan Carlin CBE FBA and The Right Honourable Dr Anneliese Dodds MP, both appointed Dame Commanders for their exceptional achievements.
Professor Carlin, a globally respected economist and Professor of Economics at University College London, is renowned for her research on macroeconomics, institutions and inequality. Her most recent book places inequality at the heart of economic analysis, while her leadership of the CORE Econ project has transformed economics education worldwide, making high-quality, open-access learning available to students at more than 500 universities. In 2024, she was also elected the first female Vice President of the International Economic Association.
Dr Anneliese Dodds has served as Member of Parliament for Oxford East since 2017, following her earlier tenure as a Member of the European Parliament. A senior figure in national politics, she has held key roles including Chair of the Labour Party, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer — the first woman to hold the position — and Minister of State for Development and for Women and Equalities. Her recognition in the New Year Honours acknowledges her long-standing commitment to public service, national leadership and the people of Oxfordshire.
Also honoured are a range of Oxfordshire figures who have made exceptional contributions across science, culture, business and community life.
Professor Gideon Henderson FRS, of the University of Oxford, is recognised for services to science, reflecting his work at the forefront of Earth sciences and public policy. On receiving the honour, he said: “I’m delighted to receive this honour both at a personal level and because it recognises the critical importance of scientific evidence in setting national policy for climate, biodiversity and our stewardship of the environment.”
Composer Max Richter, celebrated for his transformative work in contemporary classical and post-classical music, has reached global audiences through acclaimed albums such as The Blue Notebooks and Sleep, as well as scores for films and television, including Shutter Island, Arrival and The Leftovers, bringing emotive, cinematic soundscapes to millions worldwide.
In business, John Mark Pettigrew, former CEO of National Grid, is honoured for services to energy, capping a career of more than three decades at the heart of the UK’s energy infrastructure — joining the company as a graduate in 1991 and rising to lead it through a major strategic shift towards electricity networks and support for the energy transition during his near‑decade at the helm. Peter Higgins, co-founder of the menswear retailer Charles Tyrwhitt, is recognised for his contributions to commerce, entrepreneurship, and education. Peter co-founded the business with Nicholas “Nick” Wheeler (husband of Chrissie Rucker, founder of The White Company).
Representing community and charitable work, Brian John Buchan DL, Deputy Lieutenant for Oxfordshire and former Vice Lord-Lieutenant, is recognised for services to charity and the community, reflecting decades of leadership in business, local philanthropy and education, including roles with The Story Museum, OXSRAD and the Oxford Community Foundation. Together, these honourees illustrate the wide-ranging talent, dedication and positive impact emerging from across the county.
For a full list of Oxfordshire recipients recognised in the New Year Honours 2026, see below.
Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Professor Wendy Joan CARLIN CBE FBA
Professor of Economics, University College London.
For services to Economics
(Oxford, Oxfordshire)
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A Professor of Economics at University College London since 2002, Professor Wendy Carlin is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in contemporary economic academia. Her research spans institutions and economic performance, transition economics and macroeconomic instability, with a particular focus on how inequality shapes inflation, unemployment and the real-world limits of economic policymaking. Her most recent book, published in 2024, has been described by peers as a “pedagogical tour de force” and is credited as the first macroeconomics textbook to place inequality at the very centre of its analysis.
Alongside her academic work, Professor Carlin has held a number of senior and highly respected roles, including Research Fellow at the Centre for Economic Policy Research, Fellow of the British Academy and Overseas Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. As a founder and now Director of Curriculum at CORE (Curriculum Open-access Resources in Economics), she has played a transformative role in reshaping economics education globally. In 2024, she was elected the first female Vice President of the International Economic Association, a landmark achievement that reflects both her academic leadership and her role in inspiring future generations of economists.
The Right Honourable Dr Anneliese DODDS MP
Member of Parliament for Oxford East.
For Political and Parliamentary Services
(Oxford, Oxfordshire)
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Dr Anneliese Dodds has served as the Member of Parliament for Oxford East since 2017, following her earlier tenure as a Member of the European Parliament for South East England between 2014 and 2017. A prominent figure in national politics, she has held a number of senior roles across both opposition and government. Most notably, she served as Chair of the Labour Party from 2021 to 2024, where she led organisational and strategic priorities in the run up to the 2024 General Election, alongside her role as Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities.
Her parliamentary career has also included serving as Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer from April 2020 to May 2021 — becoming the first woman to hold the position — and later as Minister of State for Development and Minister of State for Women and Equalities from July 2024 to February 2025. With a background in academia and public policy, Dr Dodds brings a breadth of expertise to Parliament, particularly in financial services regulation and taxation. Her recognition in the New Year Honours reflects a sustained record of political and parliamentary service at both national and local level, alongside a long-standing commitment to representing Oxford and its communities.
Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
Professor Gideon Mark HENDERSON FRS
Professor of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, and lately Chief Scientific
Adviser, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
For services to Science
(Oxford, Oxfordshire)
Deborah Anna JONES
Lately, Executive Director of Children, Families, and Education Services,
Croydon Council.
For services to Children, Young People and Families
(Banbury, Oxfordshire)
John Mark PETTIGREW
Lately, Chief Executive Officer of National Grid.
For services to Energy
(Oxfordshire)
Max RICHTER Composer.
For services to Music
(Oxfordshire)
Officers of the Order of the British Empire
Dr Kirsty Lawrie DARWENT
Chair, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and Chair, Redress Scotland.
For services to the People of Scotland
(Thame, Oxfordshire)
Peter John HIGGINS
Co-Founder, Charles Tyrwhitt Shirts.
For services to Commerce, to Entrepreneurship, and to Education
(Bicester, Oxfordshire)
Professor Tamsin Alice MATHER FRS
Professor of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford.
For services to Volcanology and to the Promotion of Science
(Oxford, Oxfordshire)
William George Stewart SMITH
Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Greenshaw Learning Trust.
For services to Education
(Witney, Oxfordshire)
Edward James WRAY
Chair, Coach Core Foundation.
For services to Charity and Mental Health
(Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire)
Members of the Order of the British Empire
Francesca Elisabeth ALLEN
For services to Disability Sport and to Improving Access to Sport for Young
People
(Wallingford, Oxfordshire)
Brian John BUCHAN DL
Lately, Chair of the Finance Committee, The Story Museum, and Chair, OXSRAD.
For services to Charity and to the community in Oxfordshire
(Abingdon, Oxfordshire)
David William HUDSON
Lately, Headteacher, Royal Latin School, Buckinghamshire.
For services to Education
(Oxford, Oxfordshire)
Louise Maria KINGSLEY
Director of Performance, Great Britain Rowing Team.
For services to Sport
(Wallingford, Oxfordshire)
Carl PORTMAN Manager,
Chess in Prisons, English Chess Federation.
For services to Prisoners
(Banbury, Oxfordshire)
Rachael WARWICK
Lately, Chief Executive Officer, Ridgeway Education Trust, Oxfordshire.
For services to Education
(Bampton, Oxfordshire)
Medallists of the Order of the British Empire
Thomas Blatcher BINDOFF
For services to Outdoor Accessibility to Nature
(Watlington, Oxfordshire)
Nicholas James BOWN
For services to Advance Information Security
(Abingdon-on-Thames, Oxfordshire)
Dr Keith RUDDLE
Volunteer Co-Ordinator, Chipping Norton News.
For services to the community in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire
(Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire)
Sara Lindsay STRONG
For services to the community in Oxfordshire
(Oxford, Oxfordshire)
Jill Patricia THORLEY
Volunteer Co-Ordinator, The Chipping Norton News.
For services to the community in Chipping Norton
(Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire)
Douglas Alan TIMMS
For Charitable Service to the community in Carterton, Oxfordshire
(Carterton, Oxfordshire)
Pauline Mary TIMMS
For Charitable Service to the community in Carterton, Oxfordshire
(Carterton, Oxfordshire)
The post Meet the Oxfordshire people recognised in the The New Year Honours 2026 appeared first on The Oxford Magazine.
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