David Isaac

David Isaac, CBE is a British solicitor and Provost of Worcester College, Oxford, where he took office in July 2021.^[1] He chairs the Court of Governors of University of the Arts London (2018–present)^[2] and the Henry Moore Foundation (2024–present).^[3] He is also a trustee of Cumberland Lodge.^[4]

David Isaac CBE
Provost of Worcester College, Oxford
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 July 2021
Preceded by	Professor Kate Tunstall
Chair of the Court of Governors of University of the Arts London
Incumbent
Assumed office 2018
Chair of the Henry Moore Foundation
Incumbent
Assumed office December 2024
Preceded by	Sir Nigel Carrington
Personal details
Alma mater	Trinity Hall, Cambridge Wolfson College, Oxford
Awards	Honorary Fellow of St Catharine's College, Cambridge

For other uses, see David Isaac (disambiguation).

Isaac was previously a partner at law firm Pinsent Masons. He was appointed as the chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission in 2016,^[5] serving in that capacity until August 2020. Isaac was chair of the LGBTQ rights charity Stonewall from 2003 to 2012^[6] and chaired the contemporary art gallery Modern Art Oxford for almost two decades.^[3] He was also a director of the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fund (2005–2014), the Big Lottery Fund (2014–2018)^[7] and was a trustee of 14-18 NOW (2016–2019).^[8]

Isaac was appointed a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2011 Queen's Birthday Honours list for services to equality and diversity^[9] and was ranked 36th in the Financial Times' OUTstanding Top 100 LGBT+ executives in October 2018.^[10] He was made an Honorary Fellow of St Catharine's College, Cambridge in May 2024.^[11]

Early life

Isaac was born in Wales and attended King Henry VIII Grammar School in Abergavenny. He went on to study law at Trinity Hall, Cambridge and socio-legal studies at Wolfson College, Oxford. He attended the College of Law in Guildford to pass the Solicitors Final Examination (1979–80).

Pinsent Masons

Isaac was a partner at Pinsent Masons law firm from 2000 to 2021. He was Head of the firm's advanced manufacturing and technology sector from 2014 – 2019 and Chair of the Pinsent Masons' Diversity and Inclusion group.

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Isaac was appointed as Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission in 2016.^[12] He said that the Commission would use its legal powers more,^[13] do more for disability rights^[14] and make sure that human rights were protected during Brexit.^[15] His tenure came to an end in August 2020, and his initial replacement was interim chair Caroline Waters (previously deputy chair).^[16][17][18]

In 2021 Isaac claimed that the Equality and Human Rights Commission was "being undermined by political pressure" by the Second Johnson ministry.^[19]

Stonewall

During his time as chair of Stonewall, the charity lobbied to secure legislative change, such as the abolition of Section 28 and the introduction of Civil Partnerships.^[20]