Chris Patten
The Right Honourable The Lord Patten of Barnes CH PC Chairman of the BBC Trust In office 1 May 2011 – 6 May 2014 Deputy Diane Coyle Preceded by Michael Lyons Succeeded by Diane Coyle (Acting) Rona Fairhead Chancellor of the University of Oxford Incumbent Assumed office 20 September 2003 Deputy Colin Lucas John Hood Andrew Hamilton Preceded by The Lord Jenkins of Hillhead Chancellor of Newcastle University In office 5 October 1999 – 5 October 2009 Preceded by The Viscount Ridley Succeeded by Liam Donaldson European Commissioner for External Relations In office 16 September 1999 – 22 November 2004 President Romano Prodi Preceded by Leon Brittan Succeeded by Benita Ferrero-Waldner 28th Governor of Hong Kong In office 9 July 1992 – 30 June 1997 Monarch Elizabeth II Preceded by The Lord Wilson of Tillyorn Succeeded by Tung Chee-hwa (as Chief Executive) Chairman of the Conservative Party In office 28 November 1990 – 11 May 1992 Leader John Major Preceded by Kenneth Baker Succeeded by Norman Fowler Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster In office 28 November 1990 – 10 April 1992 Prime Minister John Major Preceded by Kenneth Baker Succeeded by William Waldegrave Secretary of State for the Environment In office 24 July 1989 – 28 November 1990 Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher Preceded by Nicholas Ridley Succeeded by Michael Heseltine Minister for Overseas Development In office 10 September 1986 – 24 July 1989 Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher Preceded by Timothy Raison Succeeded by Lynda Chalker Member of Parliament for Bath In office 3 May 1979 – 10 April 1992 Preceded by Edward Brown Succeeded by Don Foster Personal details Born (1944-05-12) 12 May 1944 (age 70) Cleveleys, Lancashire, United Kingdom Political party Conservative (Before 2011) Crossbench (2011–present) Spouse(s) Lavender Thornton Alma mater Balliol College, Oxford Religion Roman Catholicism Signature Christopher Francis Patten, Baron Patten of Barnes CH PC (born 12 May 1944) is a British public servant. He is a former chairman of the BBC Trust and serves as Chancellor of the University of Oxford. Patten began his career in the Conservative Party (UK), serving as Member of Parliament for Bath and joining the cabinet. As party chairman he orchestrated the Conservatives' unexpected fourth consecutive electoral victory in 1992 but lost his own seat in the House of Commons. He accepted a posting as the last Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Hong Kong, and oversaw its handover to the People's Republic of China in July 1997. As Governor and Commander-in-Chief, Patten presided over a steady rise in the living standards of Hong Kongers while encouraging a significant expansion of Hong Kong's social welfare system. From 1999 to 2004 he served as one of the United Kingdom's two members of the European Commission. He returned to the UK and became Chancellor of the University of Oxford in 2003. He was made a life peer in 2005. On 7 April 2011 the Queen approved Patten's appointment as the Chairman of the BBC Trust, the governing body of the British Broadcasting Corporation. Patten held the position until his resignation on grounds of ill-health on 6 May 2014. Patten is a Roman Catholic and oversaw Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the United Kingdom in September 2010. In 2010, The Tablet named him as one of Britain’s most influential Roman Catholics.