Julian Ogilvie Thompson
Encyclopedia
Julian Ogilvie Thompson is a South Africa
n businessman and former chairman of De Beers
and Anglo American
mining.
Ogilvie Thompson was educated at Diocesan College
in Cape Town
and the University of Oxford
. In 1957, he became personal assistant to Harry Oppenheimer and joined the Anglo American finance division in 1961. He went on to manage and head this division and also joined the De Beers board in 1966.
Ogilvie Thompson was appointed an executive director of Anglo American in 1971 and succeeded Harry Oppenheimer as chairman of Minorco in 1982 and as chairman of De Beers in 1985. He succeeded Gavin Relly
as chairman of Anglo American in 1990 and retired as chairman of De Beers in 1997 to become a non-executive deputy chairman.
After leading the 1999 merger of Anglo American and Minorco, Ogilvie Thompson became its chairman and CEO. He was succeeded by Tony Trahar in 2000 but continued as a non-executive chairman.
He also resigned as deputy chairman of De Beers in 2002, but continued to be a non-executive director.
He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Mandela Rhodes Foundation.
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...
n businessman and former chairman of De Beers
De Beers
De Beers is a family of companies that dominate the diamond, diamond mining, diamond trading and industrial diamond manufacturing sectors. De Beers is active in every category of industrial diamond mining: open-pit, underground, large-scale alluvial, coastal and deep sea...
and Anglo American
Anglo American (mining)
Anglo American plc is a global mining company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is a major producer of diamonds, copper, nickel, iron ore and metallurgical and thermal coal and the world's largest producer of platinum, with around 40% of world output...
mining.
Ogilvie Thompson was educated at Diocesan College
Diocesan 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...
in 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...
and 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...
. In 1957, he became personal assistant to Harry Oppenheimer and joined the Anglo American finance division in 1961. He went on to manage and head this division and also joined the De Beers board in 1966.
Ogilvie Thompson was appointed an executive director of Anglo American in 1971 and succeeded Harry Oppenheimer as chairman of Minorco in 1982 and as chairman of De Beers in 1985. He succeeded Gavin Relly
Gavin Relly
Gavin Relly was a South African businessman and former chairman of Anglo American....
as chairman of Anglo American in 1990 and retired as chairman of De Beers in 1997 to become a non-executive deputy chairman.
After leading the 1999 merger of Anglo American and Minorco, Ogilvie Thompson became its chairman and CEO. He was succeeded by Tony Trahar in 2000 but continued as a non-executive chairman.
He also resigned as deputy chairman of De Beers in 2002, but continued to be a non-executive director.
He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Mandela Rhodes Foundation.