William Alden

William Alden MBE DL has served as Deputy Lieutenant for Oxfordshire since 2004. He is part of the Lieutenancy team focused on Oxford East. He is a member of the Lieutenancy’s Honours and Awards Committee and works closely with Oxford Brookes University for the Lieutenancy.

William was educated at Merton College, Oxford, and undertook a short-service commission with the 13th/18th Royal Hussars after he graduated. He then joined his family firm, the Alden Group, to work in digital processing and manufacture of academic books and journals in and around the County. William studied for an MBA. He took over the family firm as Managing Director and converted it into an international business with operations all over the world. His business was sold in 2008. Meanwhile, he held various roles in the Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers in London. He later served as their Clerk (2010–21).

William’s MBE was awarded for services to training and vocational education. Locally, he has served as a Governor of St Clare’s, Oxford, the Oxford College of Further Education, and Headington School. He has sat on committees at Oxford Brookes University and served as Director of the Heart of England Training and Enterprise Council. Nationally, William has taken on many roles: Chairman of the Print and Graphic Communication National Training Organisation (NTO) and Director of the NTO National Council.

William has also worked, in Oxfordshire, for the Oxfordshire Friends of the Home Farm Trust, the Family Nurturing Network, the Soldiers of Oxfordshire, the Abingdon Sea Cadets, and Emmaus Oxford, for which he was Chairman of the Trustees (2005–09).  He served as High Sheriff of Oxfordshire (2012–13).

William lives in Iffley with his wife Sally.