Panellists
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Jon Snow – Chair
Channel 4 News presenter
Jon Snow was born in 1947. He attended the University of Liverpool but was rusticated for his part in a sit-in and never returned to complete his degree.
After working for New Horizon Youth Centre (a day centre for young drug addicts in central London), he joined the radio station LBC as a journalist, before joining ITN in 1976. He served as ITN's Diplomatic Editor and Washington correspondent before becoming the main presenter of Channel 4 News in 1989. He has won several Royal Television Society Awards: two for reports from El Salvador, one for his reporting of the Kegworth air disaster, and two as Presenter of the Year. Famous for his colourful silk ties, Jon Snow now has to coordinate the colour of his socks too since the studio and set were introduced in January 1999. Read more
Channel 4 News presenter
Jon Snow was born in 1947. He attended the University of Liverpool but was rusticated for his part in a sit-in and never returned to complete his degree.
After working for New Horizon Youth Centre (a day centre for young drug addicts in central London), he joined the radio station LBC as a journalist, before joining ITN in 1976. He served as ITN's Diplomatic Editor and Washington correspondent before becoming the main presenter of Channel 4 News in 1989. He has won several Royal Television Society Awards: two for reports from El Salvador, one for his reporting of the Kegworth air disaster, and two as Presenter of the Year. Famous for his colourful silk ties, Jon Snow now has to coordinate the colour of his socks too since the studio and set were introduced in January 1999. Read more
Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for International Development, Department for International Development
Hilary Benn, born in 1953, attended Holland Park Comprehensive School and received a degree from the University of Sussex in 1974. He was elected as MP for Leeds Central in June 1999. He was previously the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for International Development (June 2001-May 2002) and more recently the Minister of State for International Development (May 2003-October 2003). In September 2003, he was appointed the Prime Minister's G8 Africa Personal Representative. Read more
Hilary Benn, born in 1953, attended Holland Park Comprehensive School and received a degree from the University of Sussex in 1974. He was elected as MP for Leeds Central in June 1999. He was previously the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for International Development (June 2001-May 2002) and more recently the Minister of State for International Development (May 2003-October 2003). In September 2003, he was appointed the Prime Minister's G8 Africa Personal Representative. Read more
Professor Jeffrey Sachs, Earth Institute, Columbia University
Jeffrey D Sachs is the Director of the Earth Institute, Quetelet Professor of Sustainable Development, and Professor of Health Policy and Management at Columbia University. He is also Special Advisor to United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan on the Millennium Development Goals, and Director of the UN Millennium Project. Jeffrey Sachs is internationally renowned for his work as economic advisor to governments in Latin America, Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, Asia and Africa, and his work with international agencies on problems of poverty reduction, debt cancellation for the poorest countries, and disease control. Read more
Jeffrey D Sachs is the Director of the Earth Institute, Quetelet Professor of Sustainable Development, and Professor of Health Policy and Management at Columbia University. He is also Special Advisor to United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan on the Millennium Development Goals, and Director of the UN Millennium Project. Jeffrey Sachs is internationally renowned for his work as economic advisor to governments in Latin America, Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, Asia and Africa, and his work with international agencies on problems of poverty reduction, debt cancellation for the poorest countries, and disease control. Read more
Professor (Lord) Meghnad Desai, economist, London School of Economics
Meghnad Jagdishchandra Desai was born on 10 July 1940 in Baroda, India. He studied at the University of Bombay, and completed his PhD at the University of Pennsylvania. On 30 April 1991, he was created Lord Desai of St Clement Danes. Lord Desai has taught at the London School of Economics since 1965. He was made a Professor of Economics in 1983, and he established the Centre for the Study of Global Governance in 1992, where he is Global Dimensions Programme Director. Read more
Meghnad Jagdishchandra Desai was born on 10 July 1940 in Baroda, India. He studied at the University of Bombay, and completed his PhD at the University of Pennsylvania. On 30 April 1991, he was created Lord Desai of St Clement Danes. Lord Desai has taught at the London School of Economics since 1965. He was made a Professor of Economics in 1983, and he established the Centre for the Study of Global Governance in 1992, where he is Global Dimensions Programme Director. Read more
Dr Lindiwe Mabuza, High Commissioner of the Republic of South Africa in the United Kingdom
Dr Lindiwe Mabuza was born in Newcastle, Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa. She began her career in 1962 teaching English and Zulu literature at Manzini Central School in Swaziland, followed by lecturing in the Department of Sociology at the University of Minnesota. In 1994, she was elected a member of the first democratic parliament in South Africa. Lindiwe Mabuza has held the posts of Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany, High Commissioner to Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam and Ambassador to the Phillipines. She became High Commissioner of the Republic of South Africa in the United Kingdom in 2001. Photo courtesy of CNIS.
Dr Lindiwe Mabuza was born in Newcastle, Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa. She began her career in 1962 teaching English and Zulu literature at Manzini Central School in Swaziland, followed by lecturing in the Department of Sociology at the University of Minnesota. In 1994, she was elected a member of the first democratic parliament in South Africa. Lindiwe Mabuza has held the posts of Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany, High Commissioner to Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam and Ambassador to the Phillipines. She became High Commissioner of the Republic of South Africa in the United Kingdom in 2001. Photo courtesy of CNIS.
Clare Short MP (Ladywood, Birmingham)
Clare Short was Secretary of State for International Development from 1997 to May 2003. The Department for International Development – a new ministry created after the 1997 general election to promote policies for sustainable development and the elimination of poverty – manages Britain's programme of assistance to developing countries. Of Irish ancestry, Clare Short was born in Birmingham on 15 February 1946. She was educated at St Paul's Grammar School, Birmingham, and at the Universities of Keele and Leeds, where she graduated with a BA (Hons) in political science. In November 2004, Clare Short's book An Honourable Deception? New Labour, Iraq, and the Misuse of Power was published as an attempt to learn lessons from Tony Blair's policy on Iraq. Widowed with one son, she lists swimming and her family as her main leisure pursuits.
Clare Short was Secretary of State for International Development from 1997 to May 2003. The Department for International Development – a new ministry created after the 1997 general election to promote policies for sustainable development and the elimination of poverty – manages Britain's programme of assistance to developing countries. Of Irish ancestry, Clare Short was born in Birmingham on 15 February 1946. She was educated at St Paul's Grammar School, Birmingham, and at the Universities of Keele and Leeds, where she graduated with a BA (Hons) in political science. In November 2004, Clare Short's book An Honourable Deception? New Labour, Iraq, and the Misuse of Power was published as an attempt to learn lessons from Tony Blair's policy on Iraq. Widowed with one son, she lists swimming and her family as her main leisure pursuits.
Davd Frum
David Frum was born in Toronto, Canada in 1960. He received a simultaneous BA and MA in history from Yale in 1982. He was appointed a visiting lecturer in history at Yale in 1986; in 1987, he graduated cum laude from the Harvard Law School, where he served as president of the Federalist Society. Frum lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife, journalist and novelist Danielle Crittenden Frum, and their three children. Read more
David Frum was born in Toronto, Canada in 1960. He received a simultaneous BA and MA in history from Yale in 1982. He was appointed a visiting lecturer in history at Yale in 1986; in 1987, he graduated cum laude from the Harvard Law School, where he served as president of the Federalist Society. Frum lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife, journalist and novelist Danielle Crittenden Frum, and their three children. Read more
Chris Martin, lead singer/guitarist/pianist, Coldplay
Chris Martin grew up in a close family from Devon, England. The son of an accountant and a teacher, he was educated at Sherbourne School, Devon, and University College London, where he read ancient world studies. Chris Martin met Will Champion, Guy Berryman and Jonny Buckland in the first few weeks at university in the mid-1990s. They became friends and Chris began writing songs with Jonny. Guy liked what he heard and got involved on the bass, and Will set to learning the drums. Coldplay's debut album, Parachutes, sold five million copies, won a clutch of NME and Q awards, two Brits and a Grammy for Best Alternative Album. Chris is married to Gwyneth Paltrow and their first child, Apple, was born in 2004. Read more
Chris Martin grew up in a close family from Devon, England. The son of an accountant and a teacher, he was educated at Sherbourne School, Devon, and University College London, where he read ancient world studies. Chris Martin met Will Champion, Guy Berryman and Jonny Buckland in the first few weeks at university in the mid-1990s. They became friends and Chris began writing songs with Jonny. Guy liked what he heard and got involved on the bass, and Will set to learning the drums. Coldplay's debut album, Parachutes, sold five million copies, won a clutch of NME and Q awards, two Brits and a Grammy for Best Alternative Album. Chris is married to Gwyneth Paltrow and their first child, Apple, was born in 2004. Read more
Barbara Stocking, Director of Oxfam
Barbara Stocking became Director of Oxfam in 2001. She has had a rich and varied career in the health sector. She worked in West Africa for the World Health Organisation on the River Blindness programme. For six years, she was Director of the King's Fund Centre in London, where her work included setting up innovative schemes to provide health services to minority communities. Until recently, Barbara Stocking was Regional Director for the South East Region NHS Executive, responsible for 61 NHS trusts, 130,000 staff and an annual budget of £5.5 billion. Read more
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Barbara Stocking became Director of Oxfam in 2001. She has had a rich and varied career in the health sector. She worked in West Africa for the World Health Organisation on the River Blindness programme. For six years, she was Director of the King's Fund Centre in London, where her work included setting up innovative schemes to provide health services to minority communities. Until recently, Barbara Stocking was Regional Director for the South East Region NHS Executive, responsible for 61 NHS trusts, 130,000 staff and an annual budget of £5.5 billion. Read more
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