Graduate appointed to the House of Lords

Published on 16 December 2025

From French undergraduate at the University of Liverpool to Baroness, alumna Dr Dame Ann Limb DBE DL (BA Hons French 1975) has been appointed to the House of Lords.

We are proud to share the news that Dame Ann, who graduated from the University with a French degree in 1975, has been appointed to the House of Lords. She will sit on Labour benches and be known as Baroness Limb of Moss Side in the city of Manchester and the county of Lancashire.

Dame Ann, who grew up in Moss Side, Manchester, is a business leader and charity entrepreneur who received an OBE in 2011, a CBE in 2015 for public and political services and more recently a DBE in 2022 for services to young people and philanthropy.

Dr Dame Ann Limb DBE DL’s biography

Dame Ann receiving her BA Hons French degree from the University in 1975

After graduating from the University of Liverpool, Dame Ann spent her early career as a teacher and lecturer in Manchester and then College Principal in Milton Keynes and Cambridge, before leading the UK government’s flagship digital learning initiative, learndirect.

Moving to the private sector in 2005, she worked as a government adviser in the UK and overseas implementing the online learning service unionlearn for the Departments for Education and Business Innovation & Skills.

Ann has held several public sector directorships, including:

Ministerial appointee at Homes England where she was on the Board from 2011-2017
Chair of ENTRUST, the national regulator of the government’s environmental tax credit scheme, the Landfill Communities Fund
Chair of Milton Keynes Partnership from 2005 – 2011.

Since 2011, Dame Ann has served as Chair of Destination Milton Keynes – the city’s official tourism and visitor information service and Chair of the MK Major Events Board, responsible for the delivery of the Rugby World Cup 2015 and the city’s bid to become European Capital of Culture 2023. Ann is a member of the SE Council of Arts Council England, a Trustee of the Stables Theatre, and Chair of IF, the biennial Milton Keynes International Festival.

In 1998, Dame Ann founded the national educational charity, the Helena Kennedy Foundation to promote social inclusion in further and higher education by awarding bursaries to students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Career highlights

Graduated from the University of Liverpool in 1975 with a French degree
Teacher and lecturer in colleges, before holding senior roles in further education from 1977 until 1988
Appointed Deputy Lieutenant of the county of Buckinghamshire, where she has lived since 1986
Served as College Principal in two institutions from 1988 to 2000
Founded the social mobility charity Helena Kennedy Foundation in 1998
Led the implementation of national digital e-learning programme learndirect in 2000
Received an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy from Anglia Ruskin University in 2003
Worked as a government adviser from 2005 in the UK and overseas implementing the online learning service unionlearn
Awarded an OBE in 2011 for services to education
Graduated with a DBA from the University of Bedfordshire in 2014
Received a CBE in 2015 for public and political services
Elected the first ever woman Chair of The Scout Association in September 2015
In March 2016, she was given a lifetime achievement award by Milton Keynes Business Leaders
Receive an Honorary Doctor of Letters from the Open University in 2016
Awarded a DBE in 2022 for services to young people and philanthropy
High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire 2023-2024
Became Chair of The King’s Foundation in January 2025
Appointed to the House of Lords in December 2025
Currently Chair of The Manchester College and the Lifelong Education Institute, as well as serving as Pro‑Chancellor for the University of Surrey.

Liverpool Leaders with Dame Ann Limb

In the University’s event series, which showcases global leaders who began their journey at Liverpool, Dame Ann shares details of her fascinating career. Including her journey which led to damehood in 2022 for her services to young people and philanthropy, and her roles as Chair of the City & Guilds of London Institute, and the first female Chair of The Scouts. Dame Ann spoke of the challenges women face in leadership and how she overcame these to lead several organisations across her career.

Watch now