David Holmes

Dr David Holmes was educated at Preston Grammar School in Lancashire, and attended Merton from 1966-70, having been awarded an Open Exhibition in Classics at aged 16 in 1964. He became the Senior Classical Postmaster whilst at Merton, and was awarded the University of Oxford's Chancellor's Prize for Latin Prose in 1968. He was President of the Merton JCR in 1969-70, and took an active part in Merton Floats and College cricket and tennis.

From 1998-2006, Dr Holmes was the University of Oxford's Registrar and Chief Operating Officer, having spent the whole of his career in university administration -previously at the universities of Warwick, Sheffield, Liverpool and Birmingham. Whilst Registrar of Oxford, he was a Professorial Fellow of St John's College, Oxford, and a member of its Governing Body.

David was awarded the honorary degrees of Doctor of Civil Law by Oxford in 2006, and Doctor of Laws by BPP University in 2019, having chaired its Academic Council and Board. He acted as Chair of the Independent Schools of King Edward, Birmingham, from 2007-2014, was Chairman of Oxford Mutual Ltd., the University's wholly-owned mutual insurance company, from 2006-2020, and also chaired Merton's Stipends and Allowances Committee from 2008-2022. He was elected an Honorary Fellow of the College in 2000. He has also acted as the 1966 Merton year-group representative since 2002.