Wendy Thomson

Wendy Thomson CBE (born 1953)[1] is a Canadian-born public administrator and social policy researcher and advisor who has worked in both Canada and the UK. She was the managing director of Norfolk County Council from 2014 until the end of 2018. Since July 2019, she has served as Vice Chancellor of University of London.

Wendy Thomson CBE
Vice Chancellor of University of London
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 July 2019
Preceded by	Peter Kopelman (interim)
Personal details
Born	1953 (age 67–68) Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Alma mater	University of Bristol McGill University
Cabinet	Second Blair ministry (2001-2005)

Biography

Thomson was born in 1953 in Montreal, Canada.[2] She studied at McGill University, graduating with Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Master of Social Work (MSW) degrees.[2] In Canada, she worked for various charities and other organisations involved in social services, including Centraide.[3][4]

Thomson moved to the United Kingdom in the 1980s, where she worked for the Greater London Authority before becoming assistant chief executive of Islington London Borough Council (1987–1993).[2] During this time, she undertook studies for a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in social administration at the University of Bristol, which she completed in 1989.[2][5] From 1993 to 1995, she was chief executive of the charity Turning Point.[2] She then returned to local government as chief executive of Newham London Borough Council before becoming Director of the Audit Commission.[4][3] From 2001 to 2005, she served as the head of the Office of Public Service Reform in the Cabinet Office during Tony Blair's second government:[2] she was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2005 New Year Honours in recognition of her work in this role.[1][6]

She returned to Canada when she was appointed Professor of Social Policy and director of the School of Social Work at McGill University in Montreal in June 2005.[3] Then, back in the UK, she was managing director of Norfolk County Council between August 2014 and December 2018.[7][8][2] Since 1 July 2019, she has been Vice-Chancellor of University of London: she is the second woman to head the federal university.[9][10]

References

1. "Spinners, fixers and the prince of wonks". The Guardian. 23 February 2002. Retrieved 2018-12-24.
2. "Thomson, Prof. Wendy, (born 28 Oct. 1953), Vice-Chancellor, University of London, since 2019". Who's Who 2021. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
3. "Wendy Thomson". Centre for Research on Children and Families. McGill University. Retrieved 2018-12-24.
4. Bunn, Jon (23 February 2018). "Wendy Thomson: 'This isn't one-off austerity, this is life'". Local Government Chronicle. Retrieved 2018-12-24.
5. "Vice-Chancellor". University of London. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
6. Grimmer, Dan (29 October 2018). "Norfolk County Council's £183,000-a-year managing director Dr Wendy Thomson to quit for new job". Norwich Evening News. Retrieved 2018-12-24.
7. "New MD for Norfolk County Council". BBC News. 25 March 2014. Retrieved 2018-12-24.
8. Grimmer, Dan (10 December 2018). "Norfolk County Council agrees to axe £243,000 a year managing director role". Norwich Evening News. Retrieved 2018-12-24.
9. "University of London appoints new Vice-Chancellor". University of London. 29 October 2018. Retrieved 2018-12-24.
10. "Vice-Chancellor". University of London. Retrieved 2019-07-01.