Ms Charlotte Pike OBE is all smiles, enthusiastic and determined in her role as Senior Policy Advisor at the Cabinet Office, where no two days are ever the same. Working on bilateral international and security issues, she thrives on challenge, collaboration, and problem-solving. After just two years in the post, Charlotte was awarded an OBE in the King’s Birthday Honours for her excellence in crisis management, her ability to bring departments together, and her skill at identifying the right people for key decisions. The honour, presented to her by Princess Anne at Buckingham Palace, came as a surprise: she had not known her colleagues had put her forward. “It is an award I am incredibly proud of,” she says.
BROAD EXPERIENCE
Charlotte’s career path has been anything but linear. She studied Archaeology and History before gaining a Master’s in Archaeological Computing (Virtual Pasts) with distinction. The storytelling and technical skills from her academic work later proved invaluable when she joined the Civil Service’s Graduate Fast Stream scheme. Over four years, she undertook placements across government: Assistant Private Secretary at the Cabinet Office, where she worked closely with senior leadership; Assistant Bill Manager at the Home Office, briefing ministers on reforms ranging from policing to fire services to gun laws; and a secondment to the Eden Project, where she managed visitor operations. At DEFRA she contributed to preparations for the UK’s exit from the European Union in the water sector. These varied experiences revealed her talent for negotiation and confirmed her commitment to public service.
A member of Luckley’s Class of 2006, Charlotte’s early years were shaped by her father’s military career, with family postings in Cyprus, Egypt and Jordan before she joined Luckley as a full-time boarder from Year 10. Boarding life gave her independence, friendships, and responsibility; she served as Deputy House Captain and fondly recalls afternoons in the common room, weekends with day pupils, and friendships that continue today. She recently attended a Luckley friend’s wedding and remains closely connected with peers across the UK and abroad.
A CONSIDERED LIFESTYLE
Preferring a busy life, Charlotte finds time to travel to destinations where she can surf, enjoying the connection with nature, the sense of adventure and community it offers. She now runs a London surfing group and swears by winter sessions in Devon and Cornwall.
From shaping national policy to riding waves on the southwest coast, Charlotte embodies adaptability, curiosity, and resilience. She is proof that the skills learned in education and through unexpected experiences can combine to create a career, and a life of impact and adventure.
