Lord Puttnam

After completing his education at City and Guilds, London, Lord Puttnam started his career in advertising before heading into the world of film, making such classics as The Mission, The Killing Fields, Local Hero, Chariots of Fire, Midnight Express and Memphis Belle.

He went on to be Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Columbia Pictures from 1986 to 1988, in fact the only non-American ever to run a Hollywood Studio.

Having been awarded a CBE in 1982, a Knighthood in 1995 and appointed to the House of Lords in 1997, Lord Puttnam retired from film production in 1998 to focus on his work in education taking positions as Chancellor of the University of Sunderland until July this year, and recently becoming Chancellor of the Open University.  

He has also founded and chaired more public bodies than is possible to list here but they include BAFTA, Channel Four, the National Teaching Awards, General Teaching Council for England, the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts, and the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television.

In July 2002, he was appointed President of UNICEF UK, and has played a key role in promoting UNICEF’s advocacy, awareness and fundraising objectives, launching UNICEF UK's End Child Exploitation campaign. 

[Images - Top Right: UNICEF logo, Bottom Right: Chariots of Fire/Enigma Productions]