OREANDA-NEWS. The Thomson Reuters Founders Share Company today announced that Dame Helen Alexander will become Chairman of its Board, effective January 1, 2017.

Dame Helen has been a Founders Share Company board member since 2011. She was chief executive of the Economist Group until 2008, having joined the company in 1985 and been managing director of the Economist Intelligence Unit from 1993 to 1997. She has also served on the boards of Northern Foods plc, BT plc, Centrica plc, Rolls-Royce plc, as deputy chairman of esure plc and chairman of the Port of London Authority. She was president of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) from 2009-2011.

Dame Helen is chairman of UBM plc, non-executive director of Huawei UK, senior adviser to Bain Capital and a member of PwC's Public Interest Advisory Body. She is chancellor of the University of Southampton and is involved with other not-for-profit organizations in the arts and education. In 2015 she was awarded the L?gion d'honneur.

The Thomson Reuters Founders Share Company acts as a guardian of the Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Created in the midst of World War II in 1941, the Trust Principles apply to the entire Thomson Reuters business and are designed to preserve its independence, integrity and freedom from bias in the gathering and dissemination of information and news. Truly global in reach, Founders Share Company board members are represented from six continents and over a dozen countries.

Dame Helen will replace outgoing Chairman Uffe Ellemann-Jensen, who has served on the Founders Share Company since 2001 and as Chairman since 2013.

Uffe Ellemann-Jensen said, "After 15 years of proud service to the Board, I take great pleasure in handing over the chairmanship to Dame Helen, a successful leader whose own values truly reflect those of the Founders Share Company."

Dame Helen added, "It is a true honor to succeed Uffe as Chairman of the Board, and I look forward to continuing his outstanding, loyal and thorough service to the Thomson Reuters Trust Principles."

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