Jonathan Kestenbaum, Baron Kestenbaum
Encyclopedia
Jonathan Andrew Kestenbaum, Baron Kestenbaum is a Labour
member of the House of Lords
and a former Chief Executive of the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts, (NESTA).
, who were descendants of German Jewish families. Both his parents' families had fled Nazi Germany – first to the United States, then Japan. The family moved to the UK in 1964 when he was five years old.
Kestenbaum graduated from the London School of Economics
. He did postgraduate work at Cambridge University and earned an MBA with distinction from the Cass Business School. He also completed an MA in Education with distinction. He is a graduate of the Cabinet Office Top Management Programme, a graduate of the Strategic Agility Programme at the Harvard Business School
and has an Honorary Doctorate in Technology from The University of Plymouth
.
He helped develop a family commodity trading business, which was a ring-dealing member of the London Metal Exchange
. The company was successfully sold in a management buy-out.
Subsequently, Kestenbaum worked as Chief Executive of the Office of the Chief Rabbi, Lord Sacks and then of the United Jewish Israel Appeal, where he was responsible for initiating an extensive round of staff cuts. He has also worked as Chief of Staff to Sir Ronald Cohen
, the Chairman of Apax Partners
and was founding Chief Executive of The Portland Trust.
Until recently he was Chief Executive of the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts, (NESTA). Whilst Chief Executive of NESTA he highlighted the importance of innovation to economic growth and was an advocate for UK technology start-ups .
He is currently Chairman and Chief Executive of Five Arrows Limited.
Jonathan Kestenbaum has served in a number of non-executive roles. He was on the Board of the Design Council
and Enterprise Insight, and was Non-Executive Chairman of Quest
, a large accounting business. He was a Commissioner of the Manchester Independent Economic Review and also Chairman of the City of Manchester Science Review. He has recently completed his term of office on the Innovation Advisory Group at Imperial College.
He currently sits on the Board of The Royal Shakespeare Company
as well as Profero
, a digital marketing company. He is also on the Governing Body of the Technology Strategy Board
.
on 24 January 2011 as Baron Kestenbaum, of Foxcote in the County of Somerset. He was introduced
in the House of Lords on 26 January 2011, which was [broadcasted] via the internet. Kestenbaum sits in the House of Lords as a Labour peer.
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
member of the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
and a former Chief Executive of the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts, (NESTA).
Early life and education
Jonathan Kestenbaum was born on August 5th, 1959 in Tokyo, Japan, the second child of Ralph Kestenbaum and Gaby Goldblatt née SchwalbeJoseph Breuer
Joseph Breuer was a rabbi and community leader in Germany and the United States. He was a Rabbi of one of the large Jewish synagogues founded by German-Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi oppression that had settled in Washington Heights, New York....
, who were descendants of German Jewish families. Both his parents' families had fled Nazi Germany – first to the United States, then Japan. The family moved to the UK in 1964 when he was five years old.
Kestenbaum graduated from the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
. He did postgraduate work at Cambridge University and earned an MBA with distinction from the Cass Business School. He also completed an MA in Education with distinction. He is a graduate of the Cabinet Office Top Management Programme, a graduate of the Strategic Agility Programme at the Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...
and has an Honorary Doctorate in Technology from The University of Plymouth
University of Plymouth
Plymouth University is the largest university in the South West of England, with over 30,000 students and is 9th largest in the United Kingdom by total number of students . It has almost 3,000 staff...
.
Career
Before becoming active in business, he started his career in education, building an international training programme for young educators.He helped develop a family commodity trading business, which was a ring-dealing member of the London Metal Exchange
London Metal Exchange
The London Metal Exchange is the futures exchange with the world's largest market in options, and futures contracts on base and other metals. As the LME offers contracts with daily expiry dates of up to three months from trade date, along with longer-dated contracts up to 123 months, it also...
. The company was successfully sold in a management buy-out.
Subsequently, Kestenbaum worked as Chief Executive of the Office of the Chief Rabbi, Lord Sacks and then of the United Jewish Israel Appeal, where he was responsible for initiating an extensive round of staff cuts. He has also worked as Chief of Staff to Sir Ronald Cohen
Ronald Cohen
Sir Ronald Cohen is an Egyptian-born British businessman and political figure, known as "the father of British venture capital" and "the father of social investment".-Early life:...
, the Chairman of Apax Partners
Apax Partners
Apax Partners LLP is a global private equity and venture capital firm, headquartered in London. The company also operates out of eight other offices in New York, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Tel-Aviv, Madrid, Stockholm, Milan and Munich. The firm, including its various predecessors, have raised...
and was founding Chief Executive of The Portland Trust.
Until recently he was Chief Executive of the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts, (NESTA). Whilst Chief Executive of NESTA he highlighted the importance of innovation to economic growth and was an advocate for UK technology start-ups .
He is currently Chairman and Chief Executive of Five Arrows Limited.
Jonathan Kestenbaum has served in a number of non-executive roles. He was on the Board of the Design Council
Design Council
The Design Council is a United Kingdom non-departmental public body incorporated by Royal Charter and registered as a charity.Registered charity number 272099.- In the beginning :The Design Council started in 1944 as the Council of Industrial Design...
and Enterprise Insight, and was Non-Executive Chairman of Quest
Quest
In mythology and literature, a quest, a journey towards a goal, serves as a plot device and as a symbol. Quests appear in the folklore of every nation and also figure prominently in non-national cultures. In literature, the objects of quests require great exertion on the part of the hero, and...
, a large accounting business. He was a Commissioner of the Manchester Independent Economic Review and also Chairman of the City of Manchester Science Review. He has recently completed his term of office on the Innovation Advisory Group at Imperial College.
He currently sits on the Board of The Royal Shakespeare Company
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs 700 staff and produces around 20 productions a year from its home in Stratford-upon-Avon and plays regularly in London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and on tour across...
as well as Profero
Profero
Profero is an independent, privately owned digital marketing agency founded in London in March 1998. Specialising in advertising and marketing with over 500 employees, covering all aspects of digital marketing; creative, media, technology, UX and strategy in fifteen cities: Beijing, Hong Kong,...
, a digital marketing company. He is also on the Governing Body of the Technology Strategy Board
Technology Strategy Board
The Technology Strategy Board is a UK public body operating at arm's length from the Government reporting to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills .- History :...
.
House of Lords
Kestenbaum was created a life peerLife peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
on 24 January 2011 as Baron Kestenbaum, of Foxcote in the County of Somerset. He was introduced
Introduction (House of Lords)
Introduction is a ceremony in the House of Lords whereby new members are "introduced" to the existing membership. Introductions in the Lords are more elaborate than those in the House of Commons.-Origins:...
in the House of Lords on 26 January 2011, which was [broadcasted] via the internet. Kestenbaum sits in the House of Lords as a Labour peer.