Lord Simon

David Simon read Modern Languages at Cambridge (1958-61.) He completed his MBA at INSEAD, Fontainebleau (1965-66).

He worked at BP plc from 1961 - 1997. From 1985 when he joined the BP Group Main Board, he was successively Managing Director Finance and COO; from 1992-95 Group Chief Executive, and Chairman (1995-97.)

In May 1997, David Simon was appointed to be Minister of State in H.M. Treasury and the DTI as Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe. He retired from ministerial office and the Lords Front Bench in 1999 to become advisor to the Cabinet Office. He was also appointed by President Prodi to be one of the three man team advising on the impact of Enlargement of the European Union.

David Simon has been a Vice President of the European Round Table and a member of the CBI Presidents Committee. He was also a non-executive director of the Bank of England, RTZ and Grandmet, and a member of the Advisory Boards of Deutsche Bank, Allianz and Fortis.

Currently a Director of the Unilever Group and the Suez Group, and a member of the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen AG. Lord Simon is an Advisory Board member of Morgan Stanley International, LEK, and Fitch. He also sits on the Council of Cambridge University and is a Trustee of the Cambridge Foundation