trustees
Since its early days in the Sixties, The Foundation has continued to have ex-Cabinet Ministers, ambassadors, distinguished public servants and journalists to guide its activities.
The first Chairman of Trustees was Lord Kilmuir, a former Lord Chancellor of the UK, who was succeeded by Field Marshal Lord Alexander.
Our current chairman is The Right Hon. Lord Norman Fowler, a former cabinet minister in Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s government in the 1980s.
Since its early days in the Sixties, The Foundation has continued to have ex-Cabinet Ministers, ambassadors, distinguished public servants and journalists to guide its activities according to principles laid down by Roy Thomson (later Lord Thomson of Fleet).
The Foundation is non-political and non-commercial. It believes that training people in the media to be highly professional and objective assists the development of democracy and contributes to common understanding and the well-being of society.
Since the early days the work of The Foundation has expanded considerably, and so has the demand for its services as more and more countries develop their newspapers, television and radio. Some small and remote nations are just beginning the process of introducing television while others need our services to use the internet and learn new media skills.
Our work, therefore, is as necessary as ever, and so is the assistance, co-operation and understanding of governments, international agencies and owners of media upon whose goodwill we have come to rely.
The Right Hon. Lord Norman Fowler
Lord Fowler took over as the Chairman of The Thomson Foundation’s Board of Trustees in September 2007.
Lord (Norman) Fowler, a former journalist with The Times newspaper, held various cabinet posts in Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s government, including Secretary of State for Transport (1981), Secretary of State for Social Services (1981-1987) and Secretary of State for Employment (1987-1990). He became a life peer in 2001.
He first began working for The Times in 1961 after leaving Cambridge University. He was special correspondent from 1962-1966 and home affairs correspondent from 1966 until 1970 when he left the paper and became a member of parliament.
Lord Fowler became a Thomson Foundation trustee in 2003.
Other Trustees are:
Baroness Dean of Thornton-le-Fylde
General President of Society of Graphical and Allied Trades (SOGAT) 1983-1985; General Secretary 1985-1991. Created life peer 1993.
Carin Pimlott
Education consultant 1997 – present; Deputy Director, British Association for Central and Eastern Europe 1995 – 1998; education adviser and languages teacher 1970-1988; British Council executive 1967-1970.
Elinor Goodman
Political Editor, Channel 4 News from 1988-2005; Consumer Affairs Correspondent, Financial Times, 1971-1978 and FT Political Correspondent,1978-1982; Political Correspondent, Channel 4 News 1982-1988.
Julian Filochowski
Director, Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, 1982-2003. Economic Planning Adviser, Ministry of Finance, Belize, 1969-70; Central America Regional Co-ordinator, British Volunteer Programme, 1970-73; Co-ordinator, Education Department Catholic Institute for International Relations, 1973-82.
Lord Puttnam of Queensgate
Life Peer since 1997.Film producer; Chairman, Enigma Productions Ltd. since 1978; Michael Balcon Award for outstanding contribution to British film industry, BAFTA 1982; Benjamin Franklin Medal, RSA 1996;Crystal Award, World Economic Forum 1997.
Mark Knight
Director, The Thomson Corporation 1989-1998; Director, Thomson Travel plc 1998-2000.
Michael Gorman
Former newspaper executive and former owner of the Bangkok Post, also associated with South China Morning Post; expert on Asia and Executive Committee member of Prospect Burma.
Patsy Robertson
Senior Media Adviser to the United Nations; Director of Information, Commonwealth Secretariat and Director, Commonwealth Media Development Fund 1987-1994.
Robin Oakley, OBE
European Political Editor, CNN from 2000 to 2008; Political Editor, BBC News 1982-1992; Political Editor, The Times 1986-1992.
Sir Stephen Wall
Author of A Stranger in Europe on Britain’s relationship with her EU partners (published April 2008); Principal Adviser to the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, 2004-2005; Head of the European Secretariat in the Cabinet Office in London and EU adviser to Prime Minister Tony Blair, 2000-2004; UK Permanent Representative to the EU, 1995-2000; British Ambassador to Portugal, 1993-1995; Private Secretary to Prime Minister John Major, 1991-1993; Private Secretary to three successive Foreign Secretaries, 1988-1991.
Patrons
Lord Howe of Aberavon
Lord (Geoffrey) Howe was a leading member of British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s government, serving as Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the House of Commons from 1989-90. He was Chancellor of the Exchequer (finance minister) from 1979-83, followed by six years as Foreign Secretary.