John May is one of 12 elected members of the World Scout Committee, the main executive body of Scouting worldwide; and Chairman of its Educational Methods Committee, advising national organisations on their youth programme and support for adult leaders.  

John started Scouting when he was 11, in Gloucestershire, with what is now the Stroud Valley Scout Group.   As an adult, he has worked with every Section (and been a District Commissioner), has been a Trustee of The Scout Association, International Commissioner and the national Chairman of Programme and Development.   He has worked on a number of World Scout Jamborees, including The Netherlands where he led the UK contingent; and the Centenary World Scout Jamboree in Essex, where he was one of the organisers.

Professionally, John is the Chief Executive of Young Enterprise UK, the country's leading business and education charity, working with around 350,000 young people a year. 

John is a former non-executive director of UNICEF, has been one of the judges of the National Teaching Awards and was one of the founders of both ‘Teach First’ and 'Career Academies UK'.  He writes, speaks and broadcasts on a number of education related matters.   In 2008, John received The Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion in recognition of his long-standing dedication to enterprise education.

John's spare time interests, apart from Scouting, include long-distance running (he has completed four marathons), hill-walking, theatre, choral singing, and attempting, usually unsuccessfully, to visit the gym regularly.