Expertise
John Jackson was appointed non-solicitor Chairman of Mishcon de Reya in April 1992.
His business career spans a broad range of industries and includes electronics, engineering, pharmaceuticals/fine chemicals, biotechnology, hotels, property, racing, mining and retail. He has also gained extensive experience of the media industry, having worked in television broadcasting (terrestrial, cable and satellite), print, advertising and other marketing services organisations.
Since 1980, he has served on the boards of a number of companies. He is currently Chairman of Four Oxford Technology Venture Capital Trusts plc and a director of Instore Plc (formerly Brown & Jackson plc) and a number of other unlisted companies.
He was Chairman of Hilton Group from 1994 to 2001 and Deputy Chairman of BHP Billiton from its creation as a dual-listed company until November 2002. He is also a director of Opendemocracy and Chairman of Active Citizens Transform (ACT).
In 2003, he retired as Chairman of Celltech Group plc and Wyndeham Group plc. In 2004, he retired as a director of WPP Group plc whilst continuing as a member of its Advisory Group.
Prior to 1980, John worked full-time for Philips in the UK from 1952. He was appointed a board director in 1966, on which he continued to serve until early 1994.
His private business activities include the popular history magazine “History Today”, the ‘rescue’ of which he helped to organise in 1981 when he became one of its three owners. He also has a particular interest in assisting high technology business start-ups.
Articles and Publications
John chaired the committee that produced the “Changing Work” report published by the Fabian Society in 1996. He is also an author, having written a book on rural self-sufficiency entitled “A Little Piece of England”.