Niall FitzGerald, former Chairman & CEO, Unilver plc

Niall FitzGerald graduated from University College Dublin with a BComm.

Niall spent over 30 years of his career with Unilever, the UK-Dutch consumer goods company, in a variety of commercial and financial jobs in several countries, including Ireland, the Netherlands, South Africa, the US and the UK. In the early 1980s he became CEO of Unilever's foods business in South Africa and later returned to London as Unilever Group Treasurer.

In 1987 he joined the Boards of Unilever plc and Unilever NV, serving as Finance Director, Foods Director and Detergents Director.

He was then appointed as Chairman and CEO in 1996 and continued this role until 2004.

In 2003, Niall joined the Board of Reuters as a non-executive director and became Chairman in 2004. From 2008 to 2011 he served as the Deputy co-chairman of Thomson-Reuters.

He is currently Chairman of Hakluyt & Co. Ltd and is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the British Museum. Niall is a member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum and also a Trustee of the Leverhulme Trust.

Niall was awarded an honorary Knight Commander of the British Empire in 2002.