Many alumni have gained recognition in such fields as the military, politics, business, science, culture and sport - especially first-class cricket and the eighteen county cricket clubs.
Among the most famous Old Malvernians are spymaster James Jesus Angleton, former head of the CIA's counter-intelligence; Aleister Crowley, the controversial but influential occultist; actor Denholm Elliott, sportsman R. E. Foster, the only man to have captained England at both cricket and football; and novelist C. S. Lewis, author of The Chronicles of Narnia.
Other well-known personalities include businessman Baron MacLaurin, a former chairman of Tesco and Vodafone; Jeremy Paxman, journalist, author, and BBC presenter of Newsnight and University Challenge; and Baron Weatherill, the former Speaker of the House of Commons.
Old Malvernians who have become heads of state or government include the eponymously titled Viscount Malvern and Najib Tun Razak, the 6th prime minister of Malaysia.
The former was the British Commonwealth's longest-serving prime minister by the time he left office.