Wendy Thomson CBE (born 28 October 1953[1]) is a Canadian-born public administrator and social policy researcher and advisor who has worked in both Canada and the UK.
Wendy Thomson | |
---|---|
Vice-Chancellor of the University of London | |
Assumed office 1 July 2019 | |
Preceded by | Peter Kopelman (interim) |
Succeeded by | in office |
Personal details | |
Born | Montreal, Quebec, Canada | 28 October 1953
Alma mater | McGill University University of Bristol |
Cabinet | Second Blair ministry (2001–2005) |
Thomson was the managing director of Norfolk County Council from 2014 until the end of 2018. Since July 2019, she has served as vice-chancellor of the University of London.
Life and career
editThomson was born in 1953 at Montreal, Canada.[2] She studied at McGill University, graduating with Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Master of Social Work (MSW) degrees.[2] In Canada, she worked for various charities and other organisations involved in social services, including Centraide.[3][4]
Thomson moved to the United Kingdom in the 1980s, where she worked for the Greater London Authority before becoming assistant chief executive of Islington London Borough Council (1987–1993).[2] During this time, she undertook studies for a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in social administration at the University of Bristol, which she completed in 1989.[2][5] From 1993 to 1995, she was chief executive of the charity Turning Point.[2] She then returned to local government as chief executive of Newham London Borough Council before becoming director of the Audit Commission.[4][3] From 2001 to 2005, she served as the head of the Office of Public Service Reform in the Cabinet Office during Tony Blair's second government:[2] she was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2005 New Year Honours in recognition of her work in this role.[1][6]
She returned to Canada when she was appointed Professor of Social Policy and director of the School of Social Work at McGill University in Montreal in June 2005.[3] Then, back in the UK, she was managing director of Norfolk County Council between August 2014 and December 2018.[7][8][2] Since 1 July 2019, she has been vice-chancellor of the University of London: she is the second woman to head the federal university.[9][10]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Spinners, fixers and the prince of wonks". The Guardian. 23 February 2002. Retrieved 2018-12-24.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Thomson, Prof. Wendy, (born 28 Oct. 1953), Vice-Chancellor, University of London, since 2019". Who's Who 2021. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
- ^ a b c "Wendy Thomson". Centre for Research on Children and Families. McGill University. Retrieved 2018-12-24.
- ^ a b Bunn, Jon (23 February 2018). "Wendy Thomson: 'This isn't one-off austerity, this is life'". Local Government Chronicle. Retrieved 2018-12-24.
- ^ "Vice-Chancellor". University of London. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
- ^ Grimmer, Dan (29 October 2018). "Norfolk County Council's £183,000-a-year managing director Dr Wendy Thomson to quit for new job". Norwich Evening News. Retrieved 2018-12-24.
- ^ "New MD for Norfolk County Council". BBC News. 25 March 2014. Retrieved 2018-12-24.
- ^ Grimmer, Dan (10 December 2018). "Norfolk County Council agrees to axe £243,000 a year managing director role". Norwich Evening News. Retrieved 2018-12-24.
- ^ "University of London appoints new Vice-Chancellor". University of London. 29 October 2018. Retrieved 2018-12-24.
- ^ "Vice-Chancellor". University of London. Retrieved 2019-07-01.