Isabelle Parasram OBE

Chief Executive

Isabelle is the CEO of Social Value UK (SVUK), the national network for those interested in social value and social impact. It works with its members, through its Social Value Principles, to achieve a broader definition of value within accounting so that decision-making adequately prioritises equality, environmental protection and wellbeing. 

Through this role, she is building upon the political and public service legacy for which she was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List of 2022.

She advocated on democratic engagement and social justice as Vice President of The Liberal Democrats, as a member of its Federal Board and as Patron of a network for political donors. She is a past Parliamentary and London Assembly candidate.

She continues this work as a Board Director of a policy research forum and as a Trustee of its associated international think tank – The Paddy Ashdown Forum.

As a barrister, Isabelle worked nationally and internationally as the Head of a barristers’ chambers she founded in 2012. This followed a lengthy legal career in the public, private and charitable sectors, a significant part of which comprised her work for The Civil Service.

Her involvement in the field of education includes acting as a Trustee of educational charities and as a Governor of a state secondary school.

She graduated from King’s College London with an LLB (Hons) degree and was called to the Bar of England and Wales by The Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn. She also holds NVQ assessor and early years and adult education teaching qualifications.

On a personal level, Isabelle was born in East London to Indo-Caribbean ‘Windrush generation’ parents who came to the UK from Trinidad and Tobago.

She and her husband have four teenage children.