Fergus Drake OBE

Chief Executive

Fergus Drake OBE

Hello, I’m Fergus. I’m passionate about the mission of Cumberland Lodge to grow the next generation of ethical youth leaders to build more peaceful, open, and inclusive societies.

I have over 25 years’ experience in senior leadership roles across the for profit, charity, and social enterprise sectors. As CEO of Crown Agents, I led an organisation that significantly grew its programme impact and played a critical role in both the COVID-19 response and Ukraine emergency. 

As Executive Director of Global Programmes at Save the Children I led innovative, evidence-based programmes responding to the needs of over 20 million children across 60 countries. Prior to this I led SCUK’s programmes across the UK responding to child poverty. 

I have worked at the centre of government, including roles with HM Treasury in the UK and embedded in the Government of Rwanda with Tony Blair’s Africa Governance Initiative. In addition, I have also led significant public-sector change programmes for Deloitte across HMRC, MoD and Transport for London and ran the Tearfund Disaster Response Teams Liberia and East Africa programmes.

I studied at Harvard, IMD and Cranfield School of Management and have a Certificate in Disaster Management from the Royal Military College of Shrivenham. I am an advisor with the British Foreign Policy Group and a Lt Colonel in the Engineering and Logistic Staff Corps of the British Army. 

None of which have equipped me for having four teenage children! When not being a taxi driver to a plethora of after school clubs, I enjoy hill walking and play football, tennis, and badminton.