Talk:Niall FitzGerald
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FitzGerald is considered one of the UK’s most influential businessmen, with many friends in the political arena. He is on Tony Blair’s side in the promotion of the Euro, ‘free trade’, biotechnology and GM food. In June 2002 expressed his support for the Prime Minister’s speech on science. In addition, FitzGerald is busy promoting Unilever’s green credentials. He is proud to say that Unilever is a member of the ethical business stock index, the FTSE 4 Good.
Unilever is the UK's largest advertiser with an annual spend of nearly a quarter of a billion pounds.
REFs: In 2002, FitzGerald co-chaired the annual World Economic Forum Davos economic summit, which took place in New York. FitzGerald can be considered one of the fiercest defenders of capitalism, claiming ‘more capitalism, not less’ is the answer to global problems such as widespread poverty. He is also at the forefront in preaching corporate social responsibility.
FitzGerald was non-executive director of Merck & Co (one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies) between 2000-03 and Ericsson (one of the world’s biggest suppliers in telecommunications, Ericsson is taking the lead in the expansion of mobile infrastructure, including GSM’s).
Fitzgerald accepted the Advertising Association's invitation to become President of the AA as of 22 May 2000. He took over the post from the incumbent, Sir George Bull, Chairman of Sainsbury plc, who has held the office since 1996. The Advertising Association is a federation of 26 trade associations and professional bodies representing advertisers, agencies, the media and support services. It is the only body, which speaks for all sides of an industry currently worth over £17 billion per annum.
FitzGerald was named as the most powerful marketer in the UK in 2001. Power 100 ranks the most influential people in the industry by criteria such as spending power, personality, brand strength and contracts [1].
According to annual reports and Bloomberg data, salaries for the highest paid executives at Britain’s 30 biggest companies rose 67% over the past year to a medium of £1,2 million. Unilever CEO FitzGerald received a 15% increase in salary and bonus in 2000, while net income of the company fell 60%. FitzGerald’s total ‘compensation’ was £1,5 million [2]. The Unilever annual report, published 28 March 2002, showed that FitzGerald was paid £1.9m after a £955,000 performance-related bonus. This figure excludes any gains made on options on shares exercised during the year and any contributions to his pension funds.
(He has donated to building cooperation and peace in Northern Ireland, and has run the London Marathon for charity... [3].
BACKGROUND: NIALL FITZGERALD KBE Niall FitzGerald was, until the end of May 2011, the Deputy Chairman of Thomson Reuters, following the creation of the new company in April 2008. Prior to this he was the Chairman of Reuters from October 2004, having spent over thirty years with Unilever in a variety of commercial and financial jobs in several countries.
Mr FitzGerald joined the boards of Unilever plc and Unilever NV in 1987 and served respectively as Finance Director, Foods Director and Detergents Director until his appointment as Chairman and CEO in 1996 – he retired in September 2004. During his Unilever career, he worked and lived in Ireland, the Netherlands, South Africa, the USA and the UK.
BOARD MANDATES In November 2008 Niall FitzGerald was appointed Chairman of Hakluyt & Co. and in 2006 he was appointed Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the British Museum. Mr FitzGerald is a member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum and also a Trustee of the Leverhulme Trust. He is a member of various advisory bodies, including the Advisory Board of Spencer Stuart. He is Senior Advisor to Allen & Co.
Mr. FitzGerald has been co-Chair of the Investment Climate Facility for Africa (2006-2010), Chairman of the Nelson Mandela Legacy Trust (UK) (2004-2008), the International Business Council of the World Economic Forum (2006-2008) and of The Conference Board (2003-2005), and co-Chairman of the Transatlantic Business Dialogue (TABD) (2004-205). He has been Non-Executive Director of Merck (2000-2003), Ericsson (2000-2002), Bank of Ireland (1990-1999) and the Prudential Corporation (1992-1999). He has been President of the Advertising Association (2000-2005).
He has also been a member of South Africa’s International Investment Advisory Council, a member of the International Advisory Board of the Council on Foreign Relations, a member of the Kok Commission on the Lisbon Agenda, a member of the Accounting Standards Review Committee, Chairman of the CBI Europe Committee and member of the International Policy Council for Agriculture and Trade. AWARDS Mr FitzGerald was awarded an honorary Knight Commander of the British Empire in 2002, and holds a number of honorary doctorates from American, British and Irish universities. http://www.cmi.eu.com/mentors/niall_fitzGerald.php
