Former Canadian Press news agency reporter and editor David Binet has been appointed Chairman of the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
The Foundation's Board of Trustees announced that the appointment will take effect immediately. Binet was already a trustee and is executive vice president of The Woodbridge Company Limited, majority shareholder in Thomson Reuters.
He succeeds Dick Harrington, former chief executive officer of The Thomson Corporation, who has been chairman of the Foundation since April 2008.
“David’s experience as a trustee, and his deep background in journalism, law and business make him uniquely qualified to lead the Foundation,” said Tom Glocer, chief executive officer of Thomson Reuters. “Under David’s guidance, the Foundation can expand the impact and influence of its good work around the world.”
Glocer added: “I want to thank Dick Harrington for his many contributions as chairman, seeing the organisation through the integration and putting in place the cornerstones on which the new Foundation will be built.”
Binet brings to the position broad experience in media and the law. He spent several years with Canadian Press, and prior to joining Woodbridge in 1999 was a partner in the Canadian law firm Torys LLP. He is also a member of the board of directors of CTVglobemedia, which owns Canada's largest television network, CTV, a number of speciality channels and 34 radio stations, as well as The Globe and Mail, Canada's national newspaper.
Binet said: “The Foundation has enormous potential to grow beyond its current scope and truly represent the breadth and depth of Thomson Reuters globally. I am committed to unlocking that potential, building on the important initiatives under way and exploring new ways in which the Foundation can make a difference in the world.”
Monique Villa, chief executive officer of the Foundation, said: “I am delighted that David has agreed to chair the Board of Trustees of the Foundation. David has been actively involved in helping us strengthen and expand a world-class corporate foundation. His appointment comes at a time when we are preparing to launch two important programs -- to give broader access to the rule of law and to help affected populations when disaster strikes. His leadership, and his experience as a journalist and a lawyer, will be invaluable in this next exciting phase of the Thomson Reuters Foundation."
Established in 1982, the Foundation is a registered charity in Britain and the United States. It uses the skills and expertise across Thomson Reuters to increase access to the rule of law, to save lives through the provision of trusted information and to improve standards of journalism.