Barbara Thomas
Encyclopedia
Barbara Thomas, Lady Judge, CBE
is an American
lawyer
and business woman who has worked professionally in America
, Asia
and Europe
. She is a dual citizen of the UK and US. Lady Judge is Chairman Emeritus of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), Chairman of the Pension Protection Fund
, and UK Business Ambassador on behalf of UK Trade and Investment. In 2010, Lady Judge was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2010 Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to the nuclear and financial services
industries.
in History
from the University of Pennsylvania
and subsequently a Juris Doctor
with honours from New York University School of Law
. She graduated second in her class of 323, and was awarded the highest academic honour, the Order of the Coif
. In addition, Lady Judge was also a John Norton Pomeroy Scholar, editor of the New York University Law Review, and was awarded 17 American Jurisprudence
prizes for academic excellence across 17 different areas of the law.
. During her term, she was instrumental in opening up the Tokyo stock exchange
to foreign members. In 1983 Lady Judge was appointed as an executive director of Samuel Montagu & Co., making her the first female board member of a British merchant bank
.
among others. During her Chairmanship, she led the Authority through a period of restructuring at a time when the nuclear industry itself was undergoing significant change. Lady Judge recognised the coming of a nuclear renaissance
and started a consulting division within the UKAEA for new nuclear projects. In 2010, Lady Judge oversaw the sale of the commercial arm of the UKAEA, the purchase price for which was considerably above market expectations. The UK government welcomed the sale, saying “significant value was delivered for the taxpayer and world-leading scientific research was protected”. In June 2010, the Sunday Times said that Lady Judge had “kept the lights on for Britain’s atomic industry”.
In February 2010, Lady Judge was appointed to the International Advisory Board for the development of nuclear energy in the United Arab Emirates
(UAE). The IAB was founded to provide the UAE nuclear programme expertise and knowledge in the fields of peaceful nuclear energy, according to the outlines drawn in the ‘Policy of the United Arab Emirates on the Evaluation and Potential Development of Peaceful Nuclear Energy’. In February 2011, Lady Judge led a trade delegation to India
to discuss how British companies could take part in the construction of six giant nuclear reactors at Jaitapur
on the west coast of the country.
Lady Judge is the chairman of the nuclear power plant industry start-up Hyperion Power Generation
.
, on the burgeoning resurgence of popularity of nuclear energy
.
In November 2009, Lady Judge was a keynote speaker at the Third Festival of Thinkers in Abu Dhabi
, UAE raising awareness of nuclear energy.
In December 2010, Lady Judge also delivered the opening keynote speech at Nuclear Energy Asia, talking about the ‘renaissance of nuclear power that is taking place in numerous countries around the world.’ As an advisor to Kazakhstan
’s emerging nuclear programme, Lady Judge believes that Kazakhstan
will become a leader in nuclear energy production as the country plans to build a number of facilities over the next decade.
Lady Judge has also spoken at the World Economic Forum
at Davos
on energy alternatives for emerging economies, and also speaks regularly on corporate governance
and women in the workforce
.
In April 2010, Lady Judge was appointed Chairman of the Pension Protection Fund
(PPF), a position that she took up in July 2010. Between 2007 and 2010, Lady Judge was a Public Member of the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants
, a body which develops ethical standards and guidance for use by professional accountants. Additionally, from 2004 until 2007, Lady Judge was Deputy Chairman of the UK Financial Reporting Council which regulates UK corporate governance and accountants.
, Istanbul, and a visiting fellow of the University of Oxford
Saïd Business School
, at the Centre for Corporate Reputation.
Lady Judge was the first female member of the Board of Overseers of the Wharton School of Management
at the University of Pennsylvania
and a founding director of the Lauder Institute
of Management at Wharton, which was a pioneer in integrating management education with international studies and advanced language and cross-cultural proficiencies.
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and business woman who has worked professionally in America
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
, Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. She is a dual citizen of the UK and US. Lady Judge is Chairman Emeritus of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), Chairman of the Pension Protection Fund
Pension Protection Fund
The Board of the Pension Protection Fund is a Statutory Fund in the United Kingdom. It was created under the Pensions Act 2004. The Board of the PPF is a Statutory Corporation responsible for managing the Fund and for making payments to members....
, and UK Business Ambassador on behalf of UK Trade and Investment. In 2010, Lady Judge was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2010 Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to the nuclear and financial services
Financial services
Financial services refer to services provided by the finance industry. The finance industry encompasses a broad range of organizations that deal with the management of money. Among these organizations are credit unions, banks, credit card companies, insurance companies, consumer finance companies,...
industries.
Education
Lady Judge received a Bachelor of ArtsBachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in History
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
from the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
and subsequently a Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
with honours from New York University School of Law
New York University School of Law
The New York University School of Law is the law school of New York University. Established in 1835, the school offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in law, and is located in Greenwich Village, in the New York City borough of Manhattan....
. She graduated second in her class of 323, and was awarded the highest academic honour, the Order of the Coif
Order of the Coif
The Order of the Coif is an honor society for United States law school graduates. A student at an American law school who earns a Juris Doctor degree and graduates in the top 10 percent of his or her class is eligible for membership if the student's law school has a chapter of the...
. In addition, Lady Judge was also a John Norton Pomeroy Scholar, editor of the New York University Law Review, and was awarded 17 American Jurisprudence
American Jurisprudence
American Jurisprudence is an encyclopedia of United States law, published by West. It was originated by Lawyers Cooperative Publishing, which was subsequently acquired by the Thomson Corporation. The series is now in its second edition, launched in 1962...
prizes for academic excellence across 17 different areas of the law.
Early career
In 1973, Lady Judge joined Kaye, Scholer, Fierman, Hays, and Handler where she became a partner in 1978. In 1980, she was appointed as the youngest ever Commissioner at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) by the President of the United StatesPresident of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. During her term, she was instrumental in opening up the Tokyo stock exchange
Tokyo Stock Exchange
The , called or TSE for short, is located in Tokyo, Japan and is the third largest stock exchange in the world by aggregate market capitalization of its listed companies...
to foreign members. In 1983 Lady Judge was appointed as an executive director of Samuel Montagu & Co., making her the first female board member of a British merchant bank
Merchant bank
A merchant bank is a financial institution which provides capital to companies in the form of share ownership instead of loans. A merchant bank also provides advisory on corporate matters to the firms they lend to....
.
Nuclear industry
In 2002, Lady Judge became a director of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), and in 2004 she was appointed as Chairman. When instructed to wind up the UKAEA, Lady Judge instead chose to expand the Authority’s interests internationally, winning contracts to decommission nuclear power stations in the former Soviet Union and KoreaKorea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
among others. During her Chairmanship, she led the Authority through a period of restructuring at a time when the nuclear industry itself was undergoing significant change. Lady Judge recognised the coming of a nuclear renaissance
Nuclear renaissance
Since about 2001 the term nuclear renaissance has been used to refer to a possible nuclear power industry revival, driven by rising fossil fuel prices and new concerns about meeting greenhouse gas emission limits. At the same time, various barriers to a nuclear renaissance have been identified...
and started a consulting division within the UKAEA for new nuclear projects. In 2010, Lady Judge oversaw the sale of the commercial arm of the UKAEA, the purchase price for which was considerably above market expectations. The UK government welcomed the sale, saying “significant value was delivered for the taxpayer and world-leading scientific research was protected”. In June 2010, the Sunday Times said that Lady Judge had “kept the lights on for Britain’s atomic industry”.
In February 2010, Lady Judge was appointed to the International Advisory Board for the development of nuclear energy in the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
(UAE). The IAB was founded to provide the UAE nuclear programme expertise and knowledge in the fields of peaceful nuclear energy, according to the outlines drawn in the ‘Policy of the United Arab Emirates on the Evaluation and Potential Development of Peaceful Nuclear Energy’. In February 2011, Lady Judge led a trade delegation to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
to discuss how British companies could take part in the construction of six giant nuclear reactors at Jaitapur
Jaitapur
Jaitapur is a small port situated in Rajapur Tehsil of Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra State, India. Jaitapur lies on the Arabian sea coast - History :Jaitapur was one of the important ports in ancient and early medieval times.It is also the best port....
on the west coast of the country.
Lady Judge is the chairman of the nuclear power plant industry start-up Hyperion Power Generation
Hyperion Power Generation
Hyperion Power Generation, Inc. is a privately held corporation formed to construct and sell several designs of relatively small nuclear reactors, which they claim will be modular, inexpensive, inherently safe, and proliferation-resistant...
.
Speaking
In 2008, Lady Judge delivered the keynote speech at the State of the Planet conference hosted by The Earth Institute, Columbia UniversityColumbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, on the burgeoning resurgence of popularity of nuclear energy
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
.
In November 2009, Lady Judge was a keynote speaker at the Third Festival of Thinkers in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
, UAE raising awareness of nuclear energy.
In December 2010, Lady Judge also delivered the opening keynote speech at Nuclear Energy Asia, talking about the ‘renaissance of nuclear power that is taking place in numerous countries around the world.’ As an advisor to Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
’s emerging nuclear programme, Lady Judge believes that Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
will become a leader in nuclear energy production as the country plans to build a number of facilities over the next decade.
Lady Judge has also spoken at the World Economic Forum
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva, best known for its annual meeting in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland....
at Davos
Davos
Davos is a municipality in the district of Prättigau/Davos in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. It has a permanent population of 11,248 . Davos is located on the Landwasser River, in the Swiss Alps, between the Plessur and Albula Range...
on energy alternatives for emerging economies, and also speaks regularly on corporate governance
Corporate governance
Corporate governance is a number of processes, customs, policies, laws, and institutions which have impact on the way a company is controlled...
and women in the workforce
Women in the workforce
Until modern industrialized times, legal and cultural practices, combined with the inertia of longstanding religious and educational traditions, had restricted women's entry and participation in the workforce. Economic dependency upon men, and consequently the poor socio-economic status of women...
.
Corporate governance
Lady Barbara Thomas Judge was the youngest ever Commissioner at the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), a federal agency which holds primary responsibility for enforcing the federal securities laws and regulating the securities industry, the nation's stock and options exchanges, and other electronic securities markets in the United States. During her tenure as a commissioner at the SEC, Lady Judge proposed setting-up an international council of securities regulators, to better co-ordinate global securities regulation. This subsequently became the International Committee of Securities Regulators.In April 2010, Lady Judge was appointed Chairman of the Pension Protection Fund
Pension Protection Fund
The Board of the Pension Protection Fund is a Statutory Fund in the United Kingdom. It was created under the Pensions Act 2004. The Board of the PPF is a Statutory Corporation responsible for managing the Fund and for making payments to members....
(PPF), a position that she took up in July 2010. Between 2007 and 2010, Lady Judge was a Public Member of the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants
International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants
The International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants develops and promotes ethical standards and guidance for professional accountants...
, a body which develops ethical standards and guidance for use by professional accountants. Additionally, from 2004 until 2007, Lady Judge was Deputy Chairman of the UK Financial Reporting Council which regulates UK corporate governance and accountants.
Advisory role in higher education
Lady Judge is the Chairman of the Energy Institute at University College, London. In January 2006, she was appointed by the School of Oriental and African Studies in London (SOAS) as Chairman of its governing body, and is also Chairman of the advisory board for the London Middle East Institute at SOAS. Elsewhere, Lady Judge is a member of the International Board of Overseers of Sabancı UniversitySabanci University
Sabancı University is a private research institution located in Istanbul, Turkey. Founded in 1996. SU is a small and highly focused university with 2861 undergraduates and 624 graduates, maintaining a strong emphasis on social and natural sciences...
, Istanbul, and a visiting fellow of the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
Saïd Business School
Saïd Business School
Saïd Business School is the business school of the University of Oxford in England, located on the north side of Frideswide Square on the former site of Oxford Rewley Road railway station. It is the University's centre of learning for graduate and undergraduate students in business, management...
, at the Centre for Corporate Reputation.
Lady Judge was the first female member of the Board of Overseers of the Wharton School of Management
Wharton
-Academic institutions:*Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania*Wharton Center for Performing Arts, at Michigan State University-Places:*Wharton, Cheshire, England*Wharton, Cumbria, England*Wharton, New Jersey*Wharton, Ohio*Wharton, Texas...
at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
and a founding director of the Lauder Institute
Lauder Institute
The Joseph H. Lauder Institute of Management & International Studies is part of a dual degree program at the University of Pennsylvania, combining an MA in International Studies from the School of Arts & Sciences with an MBA from The Wharton School or JD from the Law School...
of Management at Wharton, which was a pioneer in integrating management education with international studies and advanced language and cross-cultural proficiencies.