Sir Kenneth Olisa OBE FBCS FRSA FIoD was born in Nottingham in 1951 to a British mother and Nigerian father. His early life in an economically disadvantaged household instilled in him a belief in the power of opportunity and education. He attended local state schools, becoming Head Boy at High Pavement Grammar School, before earning a place at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge. There, he studied Natural, Social, Political and Management Sciences, served as JCR President, and received the Reddaway Prize. IBM awarded him a scholarship, launching a career in technology and finance.
Ken has spent over four decades at the forefront of the technology and capital markets. His commercial achievements at IBM, Wang Laboratories and his own technology merchant banks – Interregnum Plc and Restoration Partners – are matched by a deep commitment to civic service. He chaired Thames Reach, working to eliminate street homelessness, and Shaw Trust focused on helping people move from welfare to work. He co-founded the Aleto Foundation to support high-potential young leaders from tough reality backgrounds. He has served on multiple boards of public companies, regulatory bodies and charities. He was appointed Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London in 2015.
Knighted in 2018 for services to business and philanthropy, Sir Ken remains a tireless advocate for fairness, social mobility and the transformative power of meritocracy—values shaped by his upbringing and championed throughout his life. In 2011, he and his wife thanked his alma mater for its role in his success by donating £2m to endow Fitzwilliam College’s Olisa Library.