Sir Geoffrey was educated at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Darlington, County Durham, at Jesus College, Oxford and at Nuffield College, Oxford. He is a Fellow of Clare Hall, Cambridge, and a member of Jesus College, Cambridge. He was a Trustee of the Cambridge University Foundation and Chairman of the Audit Committee. He was Chairman of the Cambridge University ADC Theatre Appeal and the University Sports Centre Appeal. He is a Life Trustee of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and Chairman of the Audit Committee. He was Chief Executive of Cambridge University Press from 1972 to 1992, Chairman of the Royal Shakespeare Company from 1985 to 2000 and Deputy President from 2000 to 2011. He has been Chairman of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre Trust since 1983. He is Chairman and co-founder of the Royal Theatrical Support Trust 2012-. He was President and Chairman of the Council of the Lawn Tennis Association from 1997 to 1999, Chairman of the British Tennis Foundation from 2003 to 2007 and he has been President since 2007. He was knighted in 1992 and elected an Honorary Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford in 1998. He was awarded a French Knighthood Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres in 1982. He was a lawn tennis Blue at Oxford, and Captain of Badminton. He played in the Inter-County Lawn Tennis Championships over a period of 31 years. A Wimbledon Championships player in 1954/55/56/59, and British Veterans' Singles Champion at Wimbledon in 1978, Sir Geoffrey was a member of the Wimbledon Championships Management Committee for 12 years, and Chairman of the Championships Finance Committee. He is President of Cambridge University Lawn Tennis Club, and a member of the University Fenner's Management Committee. Formerly, Sir Geoffrey was: Chairman of Cambridge University Cricket & Athletic Club Ltd; a member of the Cambridge University Fitzwilliam Museum Syndicate, and of the University Careers Service Syndicate ; Chairman of the Governors of The Perse School for Girls, Cambridge; Chief Executive of George Allen & Unwin Ltd, publishers; Operating Consultant with PA Management Consultants; and he held directorships of Controls & Communications Ltd, Weidenfeld Publishers Ltd, Chicago University Press, Cambridge Arts Theatre, Method and Madness, Cambridge Theatre Company, the Theatres Trust, Newcastle Theatre Royal, All England LTC, and All England Lawn Tennis Ground PLC. He married Olwen in 1957, and they have four daughters, Fiona, Karen, Miranda, Fleur, and eight grandchildren.
