John Vereker (governor)
Encyclopedia
Sir John Michael Medlicott Vereker, KCB
, KStJ
, FRSA, CInstM (born 9 August 1944) is an independent member of the Board of XL Group plc, and of a number of its subsidiaries and Committees; and an independent Director of MWH Global
. He formerly had a distinguished public service career, culminating in his appointment as Permanent Secretary
for International Development (1994–2002) and as Governor and Commander-in-Chief
of Bermuda
, an overseas territory of the United Kingdom.
Sir John was educated at Marlborough College
, from which he won a scholarship to the University of Keele, graduating in 1967, when he joined the newly formed Ministry of Overseas Development. He moved to the World Bank
, working under Robert McNamara
, from 1969 to 1972. After returning to the Ministry of Overseas Development, he was appointed Private Secretary to three Labour Cabinet Ministers--Reg Prentice, Frank Judd
and Judith Hart
. In 1980 he was invited by the then Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher
to join her staff in 10 Downing Street, where he served for three years as a member of the very small (three person) Policy Unit established by Sir John Hoskyns, working on public sector pay, the labour market and industrial disputes. He helped to establish the feasibility of withstanding a miner’s strike, and when the detailed strategy defined by the Policy Unit was successfully followed, the foundation of the labour market reforms of the 1980s had been laid.
On his return to international development in 1993, Sir John served as Under Secretary for Asia, and then as Finance Director. From 1988 to 1993, he was Deputy Secretary of the United Kingdom’s Department of Education and Science, responsible for higher education and science. There his responsibilities included doubling the higher education participation rate from 14% to 28%, transforming the old style polytechnics into Universities, establishing the UK’s first Student Loans Scheme – a rare example of a successful public sector IT project – and restructuring the UK’s Research Councils.
In his time as Permanent Secretary, Sir John led the transformation of the Overseas Development Administration from a self-contained enclave of the Foreign Office into the fully fledged and highly respected Department for International Development
(DFID). He played a leading role in the establishment of the international development targets, which were subsequently adopted as the Millennium Development Goals
; and in coordinating the international humanitarian responses to the conflicts in Rwanda, Kosovo and Afghanistan. Shortly before he left DFID the Prime Minister described DFID as the best Department in Whitehall; and the OECD called it the best development agency in the world.
In 2002, Sir John was appointed (by the Queen, on the advice of the Prime Minister) as Governor and Commander in Chief of Bermuda
, acting as de facto Head of State, and with direct responsibility for ensuring the safety, security and good governance of a Territory which developed, during his term, into one of the best regulated of the small financial centres. His initial three year term was extended at the request of the British Government to nearly six years. Sir John continued to engage with international development issues while in Bermuda. He and his wife hosted many key international figures – including the Secretary General of the United Nations, the President of the World Bank
and two British Prime Ministers – at Government House. Sir John led the discussion on public finance for infrastructure at the Commonwealth Finance Ministers meeting on 2003; he was an adviser to the UN Millennium Project in 2004; he led the discussion of catastrophe insurance at the World Bank/IMF annual meeting in 2005; and he was a member of Paul Volcker
’s panel on the World Bank’s Institutional Integrity in 2007.
Sir John is a Governor of the Ditchley Foundation
, which is devoted to the study of international relations. He was Chairman of the Student Loans Company from 1989–1991. He has been a Board Member of the British Council
, the Institute of Development Studies
, the Institute of Manpower Studies, Voluntary Service Overseas
, the Centre for Global Ethics and the British Consultancy and Construction Bureau. He has been an adviser to the UN Secretary-General’s Millennium Development Project and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
. He is a Vice Chairman of Raleigh International
and a Companion of the Institute of Management. He was a founder Trustee of the International Association for Digital Publications from 2004–2008. He holds an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Keele. He was awarded a CB in 1992 and a KCB in 1999. He was married in 1971; he and his wife Judy, Lady Vereker, have two children.
Sir John was succeeded as Governor in December 2007 by Sir Richard Gozney
, KCMG.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, KStJ
Venerable Order of Saint John
The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
, FRSA, CInstM (born 9 August 1944) is an independent member of the Board of XL Group plc, and of a number of its subsidiaries and Committees; and an independent Director of MWH Global
MWH Global
MWH Global is a global Wet Infrastructure firm, providing technical engineering, construction services and consulting solutions to protect, enhance, store and distribute water. The firm has provided planning, design and construction management services for a wide range of water resources projects...
. He formerly had a distinguished public service career, culminating in his appointment as Permanent Secretary
Permanent Secretary
The Permanent secretary, in most departments officially titled the permanent under-secretary of state , is the most senior civil servant of a British Government ministry, charged with running the department on a day-to-day basis...
for International Development (1994–2002) and as Governor and Commander-in-Chief
Governor of Bermuda
The Governor of Bermuda is the representative of the British monarch in the British overseas territory of Bermuda. The Governor is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the British government...
of Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
, an overseas territory of the United Kingdom.
Sir John was educated at Marlborough College
Marlborough College
Marlborough College is a British co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils, located in Marlborough, Wiltshire.Founded in 1843 for the education of the sons of Church of England clergy, the school now accepts both boys and girls of all beliefs. Currently there are just over 800...
, from which he won a scholarship to the University of Keele, graduating in 1967, when he joined the newly formed Ministry of Overseas Development. He moved to the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
, working under Robert McNamara
Robert McNamara
Robert Strange McNamara was an American business executive and the eighth Secretary of Defense, serving under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson from 1961 to 1968, during which time he played a large role in escalating the United States involvement in the Vietnam War...
, from 1969 to 1972. After returning to the Ministry of Overseas Development, he was appointed Private Secretary to three Labour Cabinet Ministers--Reg Prentice, Frank Judd
Frank Judd
Frank Ashcroft Judd, Baron Judd is a British Labour Party politician.Judd was educated at the City of London School and the London School of Economics...
and Judith Hart
Judith Hart
Judith Hart, Baroness Hart of South Lanark DBE PC was a British Labour Party politician...
. In 1980 he was invited by the then Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
to join her staff in 10 Downing Street, where he served for three years as a member of the very small (three person) Policy Unit established by Sir John Hoskyns, working on public sector pay, the labour market and industrial disputes. He helped to establish the feasibility of withstanding a miner’s strike, and when the detailed strategy defined by the Policy Unit was successfully followed, the foundation of the labour market reforms of the 1980s had been laid.
On his return to international development in 1993, Sir John served as Under Secretary for Asia, and then as Finance Director. From 1988 to 1993, he was Deputy Secretary of the United Kingdom’s Department of Education and Science, responsible for higher education and science. There his responsibilities included doubling the higher education participation rate from 14% to 28%, transforming the old style polytechnics into Universities, establishing the UK’s first Student Loans Scheme – a rare example of a successful public sector IT project – and restructuring the UK’s Research Councils.
In his time as Permanent Secretary, Sir John led the transformation of the Overseas Development Administration from a self-contained enclave of the Foreign Office into the fully fledged and highly respected Department for International Development
Department for International Development
The Department For International Development is a United Kingdom government department with a Cabinet Minister in charge. It was separated from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1997. The goal of the department is "to promote sustainable development and eliminate world poverty". The current...
(DFID). He played a leading role in the establishment of the international development targets, which were subsequently adopted as the Millennium Development Goals
Millennium Development Goals
The Millennium Development Goals are eight international development goals that all 193 United Nations member states and at least 23 international organizations have agreed to achieve by the year 2015...
; and in coordinating the international humanitarian responses to the conflicts in Rwanda, Kosovo and Afghanistan. Shortly before he left DFID the Prime Minister described DFID as the best Department in Whitehall; and the OECD called it the best development agency in the world.
In 2002, Sir John was appointed (by the Queen, on the advice of the Prime Minister) as Governor and Commander in Chief of Bermuda
Governor of Bermuda
The Governor of Bermuda is the representative of the British monarch in the British overseas territory of Bermuda. The Governor is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the British government...
, acting as de facto Head of State, and with direct responsibility for ensuring the safety, security and good governance of a Territory which developed, during his term, into one of the best regulated of the small financial centres. His initial three year term was extended at the request of the British Government to nearly six years. Sir John continued to engage with international development issues while in Bermuda. He and his wife hosted many key international figures – including the Secretary General of the United Nations, the President of the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
and two British Prime Ministers – at Government House. Sir John led the discussion on public finance for infrastructure at the Commonwealth Finance Ministers meeting on 2003; he was an adviser to the UN Millennium Project in 2004; he led the discussion of catastrophe insurance at the World Bank/IMF annual meeting in 2005; and he was a member of Paul Volcker
Paul Volcker
Paul Adolph Volcker, Jr. is an American economist. He was the Chairman of the Federal Reserve under United States Presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan from August 1979 to August 1987. He is widely credited with ending the high levels of inflation seen in the United States in the 1970s and...
’s panel on the World Bank’s Institutional Integrity in 2007.
Sir John is a Governor of the Ditchley Foundation
Ditchley Foundation
The Ditchley Foundation is a British organisation based at Ditchley House near Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, which aims to promote international relations, especially Anglo-American relations, through a programme of around fifteen annual conferences on matters of international interest...
, which is devoted to the study of international relations. He was Chairman of the Student Loans Company from 1989–1991. He has been a Board Member of the British Council
British Council
The British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
, the Institute of Development Studies
Institute of Development Studies
The Institute of Development Studies based at the University of Sussex is a global organisation for research, teaching and communications on international development....
, the Institute of Manpower Studies, Voluntary Service Overseas
Voluntary Service Overseas
Voluntary Service Overseas is an international development charity that works through experienced volunteers living and working as equals alongside local partners. It is the largest independent volunteer-sending organization in the world...
, the Centre for Global Ethics and the British Consultancy and Construction Bureau. He has been an adviser to the UN Secretary-General’s Millennium Development Project and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
Royal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity...
. He is a Vice Chairman of Raleigh International
Raleigh International
Raleigh International is a UK-based youth and sustainable development charity that aims to help people of all backgrounds and nationalities to discover their full potential through their work to improve communities and protect the environment....
and a Companion of the Institute of Management. He was a founder Trustee of the International Association for Digital Publications from 2004–2008. He holds an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Keele. He was awarded a CB in 1992 and a KCB in 1999. He was married in 1971; he and his wife Judy, Lady Vereker, have two children.
Sir John was succeeded as Governor in December 2007 by Sir Richard Gozney
Richard Gozney
Sir Richard Hugh Turton Gozney KCMG CVO KStJ is a British career diplomat. He has been Governor and Commander in Chief of Bermuda since 12 December 2007.-Background and education:...
, KCMG.