Alan Watson, Baron Watson of Richmond
Encyclopedia
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 3 February 1941) is a broadcaster
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
, politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and advertising executive.
Early life
Lord Watson of Richmond is the son of the Rev. John William Watson and Edna Mary Peters. He was educated at the Diocesan CollegeDiocesan College
The Diocesan College, or Bishops as it is more commonly known, is an independent, all-boys school situated in the suburb of Rondebosch in Cape Town, South Africa...
, Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and Kingswood School
Kingswood School
Kingswood School, referred to as 'Kingswood', is an independent day and boarding school located in Bath, Somerset, England. The school is coeducational and educates some 950 children aged 3 to 18. It is notable for being founded by John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, in 1748...
in Bath. He was an Open Scholar in history at Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The College was founded in 1496 on the site of a Benedictine nunnery by John Alcock, then Bishop of Ely...
1959, a State Scholar 1959 and was awarded a MA
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in 1963. He was the Vice-President of the Cambridge Union.
Career
Lord Watson is currently Chairman of CTN (Corporate Television Networks). He advises many major UK and international companies on their communication strategies and is Chairman of the Coca-Cola European Advisory Board and Havas Media. He is also Non-Executive Chairman of the wine importer, Raisin Social. His business career began with four years as CEO of the advertising agency, Charles Barker City and he has chaired a number of media/public relations/advertising companies throughout his career.In broadcasting Alan Watson joined the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
after Cambridge, and later became a regular presenter for The Money Programme
The Money Programme
The Money Programme is a finance and business affairs television programme on BBC2.It was first broadcast on 5 April 1966 and presented by "commentators" William Davis, Erskine Childers and Joe Roeber. At this time David Attenborough was the controller of BBC2...
on BBC2 and Panorama
Panorama (TV series)
Panorama is a BBC Television current affairs documentary programme, which was first broadcast in 1953, and is the longest-running public affairs television programme in the world. Panorama has been presented by many well known BBC presenters, including Richard Dimbleby, Robin Day, David Dimbleby...
on BBC1. He also reported on LWTV, Radio 4 and the BBC World Service and wrote and presented award-winning documentaries over many years. He is a Fellow and former chairman of the Royal Television Society
Royal Television Society
The Royal Television Society is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present and future. It is the oldest television society in the world...
. From 1976 to 1980 he was responsible for media at the European Commission.
Lord Watson has been Chairman of the English Speaking Union for six years and he is now International Chairman Emeritus. In 2005 he was awarded The Churchill Medal. He is Chairman of the Council of Commonwealth Societies and a member of the Executive Committee of the Pilgrims Society
Pilgrims Society
The Pilgrims Society, founded in 1902, is a British-American society established, in the words of American diplomat Joseph Choate, 'to promote good-will, good-fellowship, and everlasting peace between the United States and Great Britain'...
. He is Co-Chair of the Jamestown 1607-2007 British Committee. Additionally he is a member of the Prince of Wales Business Leader's Forum.
Internationally he has served on the Executive Board of UNICEF UK
UNICEF UK
UNICEF UK, also known as the United Kingdom Committee for UNICEF, is one of 36 UNICEF National Committees based in industrialised countries. The National Committees raise funds for the organisation's worldwide emergency and development work. In 2007, UNICEF UK raised £41.3 million for UNICEF’s work...
and as a member of the European Parliament's High Level Group on Romania. In 2004 he was awarded the Commander's Grand Cross of the Romanian Order of Merit.
Alan Watson holds a range of visiting and honorary posts at universities in Britain and abroad. For six years he was chairman of Governors at Westminster College, Oxford. He is a Visiting Fellow at Oriel College, Oxford, an Honorary Fellow of Jesus College Cambridge. He chairs the Cambridge University Chemistry Advisory Board and is a Life Patron of Cambridge's Churchill Archives Centre. In 2005 he was appointed Chairman of The Cambridge Foundation. He is an Honorary Professor at the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
and a Trustee of the American International University in London. He was appointed High Steward of Cambridge University for life in 2010.
Abroad, he has received an Honorary Doctorate from St Lawrence University USA, a Visiting Professorship at Leuven, Honorary Professorships from St Petersburg State University and Korea University
Korea University
Korea University is a prestigious nonsectarian, private research university located primarily in Seoul, South Korea, and one of the SKY universities, a historical acronym used in South Korea to refer to Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University. Founded by Lee Yong-ik in...
and is a Trustee of the Centre for British Studies
Centre for British Studies
Part of Humboldt University of Berlin, the Centre for British Studies /Großbritannienzentrum is an interdisciplinary institute committed to teaching and research focused on the United Kingdom. In addition to interdisciplinary research projects and its postgraduate "Master in British Studies" ...
at Berlin's Humboldt University. In 2005 he was awarded The Loyola Schools Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Promotion of English by Manila University.
His publications include Europe at Risk, The Germans: Who Are They Now?, Thatcher and Kohl: Old Rivalries Revisited and Jamestown: The Voyage of English.
In politics, his notable role was being President of the Liberal Party. He was appointed a CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1985. In 1999 he was elevated to the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
as Baron Watson of Richmond, of Richmond in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames is a London borough in South West London, UK, which forms part of Outer London. It is unique because it is the only London borough situated both north and south of the River Thames.-Settlement:...
. He is a member of the House of Lords Select Committee on the European Union.
In 1995 he received the German Order of Merit for his "significant and enduring contribution" to understanding between Germany and Britain. In 2001 he was promoted to the Grand Cross and in 2007 the Knights Grand Cross of the Order. He is British Chairman of the Königswinter Anglo-German Conference and President of the British German Association.
He is a Patron of the Richmond Society, the Richmond Museum, The Richmond in Europe Association and the European Movement UK
European Movement UK
The European Movement UK is an independent pressure group in the United Kingdom which campaigns in support of greater European integration and for reform of the European Union. It is part of the European Movement International....
; Chairman of the Father Thames Trust and the Arcadia Advisory Board; and President of the British Accreditation Council for Independent Further and Higher Education.