Conn was warden and CEO of the
Rhodes Trust from June 2013 to August 2018. He was the first American to hold this position, and the first Warden of
Rhodes House not to have served previously on the
University of Oxford faculty. During his time as CEO of Rhodes House, Conn led a project to transform the Rhodes Trust into a 21st-century institution. This involved raising in excess of £250 million to secure the endowment for existing country scholarships and expand the scholarships globally. During his time as warden the annual number of scholars increased from 83 to 101, adding China, UAE, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Malaysia, East Africa, West Africa and new global Rhodes Scholarships. During Conn’s tenure, the Trust started a convening program of current and alumni fellows on character, service, and leadership. The Trust also pioneered several new partnerships, including with
Atlantic Philanthropies to set up the
Atlantic Institute and with the
Eric & Wendy Schmidt Fund for Strategic Innovation to establish
Schmidt Science Fellows.
[16] Other partnerships included the Saïd Foundation,
Templeton Foundation and the
Schwarzman Scholars program. After moving to Oxford, Conn became a trustee of the
Mandela Rhodes Foundation in
Cape Town, South Africa, and an advisory board member of the
Oxford Internet Institute.
[17] In January 2014, he became a Professorial Fellow of
Balliol College,
Oxford University.
[18] Conn announced his retirement as warden of Rhodes House for the end of his five-year term, in August 2018.
[19] == Oxford Sciences Innovation ==