Caroline Thomson
British business executive (born 1954)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Caroline Agnes Morgan Thomson, Lady Liddle (born 15 May 1954)[1] is a British business executive. Thomson was the chief operating officer at the BBC from 2006 to 2012 and chair of Oxfam until October 2020.[2][3] Thomson has been a member of the BBC Board since April 2025.[4]
.jpg)
15 May 1954
The Lady Liddle | |
|---|---|
| |
| Born | Caroline Agnes Morgan Thomson 15 May 1954 |
| Alma mater | University of York |
| Employer | BBC |
| Known for | Former senior executive at the BBC |
| Board member of | BBC Board (April 2025-present) |
| Spouse | Roger Liddle, Baron Liddle |
| Parent | George Thomson, Baron Thomson of Monifieth (father) |
Early life and career
Thomson is the elder daughter of Labour peer George Thomson, Baron Thomson of Monifieth.[5] She was educated at Mary Datchelor Girls' School in Camberwell, a grammar school,[6] and graduated from York University, where she studied history and economics.[7]
She first joined the BBC as a journalist trainee in 1975, ultimately becoming a producer on Analysis (Radio 4) and later Panorama (BBC1) before becoming personal assistant to SDP leader Roy Jenkins in 1982. She spent over a decade at Channel 4 from 1984, initially as a commissioning editor, later as Head of Corporate Affairs from 1990, before rejoining the BBC in 1996 as deputy director of the World Service.[8] She became the corporation's Director of Policy and Legal Affairs in July 2000, a job description later expanded to include Strategy, before being promoted to chief operating officer in 2006. In 2011 she was paid £385,000 by the organisation[9] before being made redundant. The Commons Public Accounts Committee suggested that her £670,000 redundancy pay-off was effectively paid to "compensate" her for missing out on the job of director-general.[10]
In October 2013 she became executive director of the English National Ballet.[11][12]
Since November 2012, she has been Chair of Digital UK.[13] She is also chair of Tomorrow's People Trust's Ambassadors group and Trustee to a number of charities including the National Gallery.[14]
On 3 April 2025, Thomson was appointed to the BBC's board of directors as its senior independent director. undertaking a four-year term until 2029.[15]
Personal life
Caroline Thomson is married to the Labour peer Roger Liddle and lives in north west Cumbria, England.[15] She is a deputy lord-lieutenant for the county of Cumbria.[15]