Paul attended Corpus Christi College, Oxford where he gained a First in modern history. Since 1998, he has worked in a variety of positions at the Wolfson Foundation and in January 2007 was appointed as chief executive. He also acts as chief executive for the Wolfson Family Charitable Trust. Paul is a CCB Fellow of the University of Oxford and takes a wider interest in issues relating to endowed charities and philanthropy in the UK.

Outside of the Foundation, he has an interest in international development and helped found the Savannah Education Trust (a charity which he currently chairs). He is a member of Court of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and sits on the Advisory Council (Africa) of the World Monuments Fund.