He will take up his new role from September 2022 for a period of five years.
Sir Philip said: "I am honoured and delighted to be the next Chairman of the National Churches Trust. I have been visiting churches and chapels for over forty years and I know that they are the centre of community life in tens of thousands of places across the United Kingdom, as well as an extraordinary part of our cultural identity and inheritance. I look forward to building on the excellent work of the Trust under its current chair and to supporting Luke March for the remainder of his term."
Sir Philip Rutnam succeeds Luke March, who has served as Chairman since 2012.
Luke March said: "It has been an immense privilege to hold the post and I am very proud of the huge amount that continues to be achieved by everyone connected with the National Churches Trust. I have been thrilled to see how recognition for the vital work undertaken by the National Churches Trust has grown over the past ten years, and in particular the contribution of church communities during the pandemic. One of the unique moments was the launch of our report 'The House of Good' in October 2020. This report sets out most clearly the huge economic and social value provided for communities by our churches. As I hand over to Sir Philip, I know the National Churches Trust will continue to be the leading charity supporting church buildings throughout the UK, and ensure they are well maintained, open to all, valued and used."
About Sir Philip Rutnam
Born in Orpington in 1965, Sir Philip Rutnam was educated at Dulwich College, Trinity Hall, Cambridge, and Harvard University where he was a Kennedy Scholar. He joined the Civil Service in 1987 where he held posts at the Treasury. He also worked for Morgan Stanley in Hong Kong and later joined Ofcom where he helped build the organisation from inception and was Partner, Competition and Regulation, and a member of the Board. He served as Permanent Secretary at the Department for Transport from 2012 to 2017 and at the Home Office from 2017 until 2020, and was also Acting Permanent Secretary at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in 2010. He was knighted in 2018 and is married with three children. His family are active members of Church of England congregations in London and Herefordshire.