John Makinson

[2] He formerly served as chairman of the international publishing company Penguin Random House.

He is a Board member of Harvard University Press and a Director of Mercy Corps, an international humanitarian organisation.

In October 2024 he was appointed Chair of the Board of Bradford Literature Festival.

[3] After being educated at Repton School and completing his degree at Cambridge University, John started working as a journalist, first at Reuters and then at the Financial Times, where he edited the influential "Lex" column.

He is married to actor and activist Nandana Sen, daughter of Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen and Padmashri-awardee Nabaneeta Dev Sen.[6] He has used his knowledge of business to help compile a report for the British government, called Incentives for Change, and received a CBE in 2001 for his services to public sector productivity.