Barbara Judge
Barbara Judge | |
|---|---|
| Born | Barbara Sue Singer 28 December 1946 Manhattan, New York City, U.S. |
| Died | 31 August 2020 (aged 73) London, England |
| Other names | Barbara Singer Thomas, Lady Judge |
| Occupation(s) | Lawyer, business executive |
| Years active | 1969–2020 |
| Known for | First woman to chair the Institute of Directors; chairman of UK Atomic Energy Authority; chair of Cifas; head of the Pension Protection Fund; British business ambassador for UK Trade & Investment |
Barbara Thomas Judge, Lady Judge (born Singer; 28 December 1946 – 31 August 2020), formerly known as Barbara Singer Thomas, was a lawyer and business executive holding dual American and British citizenship, residing in London.
She made history as the first woman to chair the Institute of Directors and held leadership roles including chairman of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), chair of the UK's fraud prevention organization Cifas, head of the Pension Protection Fund, and served as a British business ambassador for UK Trade & Investment. Additionally, she was a trustee for various cultural and charitable institutions such as the Royal Academy of Arts and Dementia UK.
Widely acknowledged among the foremost business leaders in the United Kingdom, she featured on influential rankings by Management Today, Debrett's, and BBC Radio Four's Woman's Hour, which recognized her as "one of the best-connected women in Britain."
Early life
Born Barbara Sue Singer on 28 December 1946 at Doctor's Hospital in Manhattan, New York City, she was the daughter of Marcia (Bosniak) and Jules H. Singer. Her father operated a small enterprise, while her mother served as associate dean of students at New York Institute of Technology. Barbara was raised in Saddle Rock, New York.
Judge frequently acknowledged her mother as her primary role model. Marcia Singer pioneered educational programs designed to assist women entering the workforce, encouraging them to present themselves professionally, compose effective CVs, and apply for positions even when job postings indicated "men wanted." Marcia continued working until age 88 but was diagnosed with dementia shortly after retirement. This personal experience influenced Judge’s conviction that remaining active professionally is essential for well-being and longevity in later years. Her mother instilled the philosophy that women should work "not because they were poor or alone … but because they had a brain and they should use it and they should earn their own money, because money was independence." She also stressed that women "can have a serious career and also be a serious mother."
In an interview with CNN, Judge described her upbringing as resembling an environment like Betty Draper from Mad Men—where expectations centered on attending college, marrying suitably, and leading a quiet life—but her mother demonstrated "there was another way." Judge expressed her personal goal as wanting to "...die at [her] desk."
Education
She obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in medieval history from the University of Pennsylvania in 1966, focusing her thesis on John, King of England. To support herself during university, she took on roles including modeling, tutoring, and programming, where she met her first husband, Theodore Kozloff.
In 1969, she earned her Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law, concentrating on tax law. Her academic honors included membership in the Order of the Coif, recognition as a John Norton Pomeroy Scholar, serving as editor of the New York University Law Review, and receipt of the Jefferson Davis Prize in Public Law. At NYU, she achieved American Jurisprudence Prizes for attaining top grades in 15 out of 28 subjects.
Law
Upon completing her degree in 1969, her initial position was at the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, where she practiced corporate law. By 1973, she had moved to Kaye, Scholer, Fierman, Hays, and Handler, focusing on corporate legal matters and financial transactions, and was elevated to partner status in 1978. It was during this period that she married Allen L. Thomas.
Government and regulation
In 1980, President Carter appointed Barbara Thomas as a commissioner of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for a term lasting five years. She became the youngest individual ever to hold this position and only the second woman to do so. Her tenure was marked by significant contributions to integrating foreign companies into U.S. capital markets and negotiating access for foreign members to the Tokyo Stock Exchange, despite resistance from some U.S. financial analysts. These accomplishments stand out as highlights of her professional journey.
Subsequently, as Lady Judge, she held the role of deputy chairman at The Financial Reporting Council. Additionally, she collaborated with the British Government’s Department of Trade and Industry and Department for Constitutional Affairs, while also serving as a public member on the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants.
In April 2010, Judge was named chairman of the Pension Protection Fund (PPF), an organization that safeguards employees’ pensions when their employers become insolvent. She was the first female to lead this body, was reappointed in 2013, and served until July 2016 upon reaching her term limit. During her leadership, she championed granting the pension regulator authority to block transactions detrimental to pension scheme members, citing instances such as Sir Philip Green’s sale of British Home Stores. Judge also endorsed automatic enrollment into pension plans.
In May 2016, Lady Judge assumed the chairmanship of Cifas, the UK’s fraud prevention organization dedicated to protecting both businesses and individuals from financial crime. She took over from Ken Cherrett in September that year.
In February 2018, Judge was appointed chairperson of the Astana Financial Services Authority in Kazakhstan.
Banking and private equity
Following the birth of her son in November 1983, Barbara Thomas departed from the SEC and relocated with her husband to Hong Kong, where she became regional executive director at Samuel Montagu & Co., marking her as the first woman to be appointed executive director at a British merchant bank. In 1987, she advanced to senior vice president and group head of international private banking at Bankers Trust in New York.
In 1988, she provided a character reference for Charles Keating, who led Lincoln Savings and Loan Association and American Continental Corporation; these institutions’ failures were central to the Savings and Loan crisis. She was named in a related class action lawsuit but opted for an out-of-court settlement to avoid extended legal proceedings.
By 1994, she had moved with her family back to London and entered the UK private equity arena, overseeing acquisitions such as Scotia Haven Food Group and Whitworths Food Group. She also established Private Equity Investor plc.
Media
In 1993, Barbara Thomas held the position of executive director at Rupert Murdoch's News International.
Education and arts
Judge broke new ground as the first female member of the Board of Overseers at the Wharton School of Management, University of Pennsylvania, and played a founding role in establishing its Lauder Institute of Management. She also contributed her expertise as a trustee at the New York Institute of Technology.
Her governance experience extended to institutions such as the School of Oriental and African Studies, Sabancı University, University College London's Energy Institute, and the Ditchley Foundation. Furthermore, she acted as a trustee for the Wallace Collection.
Judge held the position of Honorary Visiting Professor in Experiential Leadership and led the Cass Global Women's Leadership Programme until June 2018. In January 2016, she made history by becoming the first woman to chair the Advisory Board of the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE).
She was also a trustee for Historic Royal Palaces and the Royal Academy of Arts, where she chaired the Benjamin West Patrons Group and played an active role in fundraising efforts. Additionally, Judge was a visiting fellow at Oxford University's Saïd Business School Centre for Corporate Reputation.
Demonstrating a commitment to diversity, she established a scholarship for black African women at SOAS, University of London, and participated on the advisory board for Accelerate-Her, an initiative supporting women in technology sectors.
Health
Judge chaired the management board of SNOMED International, a nonprofit organization responsible for overseeing SNOMED CT. She joined Dementia UK's Board of Trustees in January 2015 and provided guidance to The Cambridge Code, a firm specializing in software-based diagnostic solutions.
Fossil fuels
As a board member of US coal company Massey Energy, Judge focused on corporate governance and served on committees related to finance, safety, environmental issues, and public policy during the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster that resulted in 29 fatalities in Beckley, West Virginia. She stepped down three weeks following the tragedy, citing other professional obligations. The official report from the US Government's Mine Safety and Health Administration did not attribute personal criticism to her. Before this event, shareholder activist CtW Investment Group had raised concerns about her capacity to dedicate adequate time to Massey’s board responsibilities; despite this, she was re-elected without opposition.
Nuclear power
Lady Judge became a non-executive director at the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) in 2002, advancing to chairman in 2004. She was succeeded by Roger Cashmore in 2010 after UKAEA divested its decommissioning division to Babcock International Group in 2009. Initially assigned to oversee UKAEA’s closure with an expected loss of 2,800 jobs, Judge instead expanded and globalized the agency by securing contracts across former Soviet states and forming partnerships in Korea. She actively lobbied the Tony Blair administration to endorse nuclear power, aligning with increasing international interest in nuclear energy as part of carbon reduction strategies. Reflecting on her leadership, Judge described it as "like spinning straw into gold" and was honored with a CBE in 2010 for her contributions to nuclear and financial sectors.
In October 2012, Judge assumed the role of deputy chairman on Tokyo Electric Power Company's Nuclear Reform Monitoring Committee and chaired its Nuclear Safety Task Force. This advisory panel composed of domestic and international experts supervises TEPCO's reform initiatives. Judge emphasized women's crucial involvement due to their significant opposition to nuclear energy. She championed nuclear power’s vital contribution to energy security and carbon emissions reduction alongside renewable sources.
Judge has participated on the International Advisory Board for nuclear development in the United Arab Emirates and led a trade mission to India exploring UK participation in building six reactors at Jaitapur. In 2016, she joined Jordan's Atomic Energy Commission’s International Advisory Group. Prior to Brexit, she advocated for transitional arrangements with the Euratom and called for a well-structured future partnership to sustain collaboration in nuclear energy.
Institute of Directors
In 2015, Lady Judge made history as the first female Chairman of the Institute of Directors (IoD), a UK-based organization with a 113-year legacy dedicated to advancing corporate leadership and governance. She defined a "threefold mission": facilitating women's access to chief executive roles; boosting IoD's support for entrepreneurial ventures; and advocating for older employees to serve as both workers and mentors to emerging entrepreneurs.
She championed initiatives in schools aimed at fostering confidence among girls and encouraged women pursuing STEM disciplines to consider careers traditionally dominated by men, such as engineering. Judge stressed the importance of elevating women beyond non-executive positions into chief executive roles, urging businesses to alleviate the challenges women face balancing family duties, including eldercare responsibilities. Advising women in the corporate sphere, she emphasized acquiring accounting skills, remarking, "That's where the power lies." Additionally, Judge promoted connecting young entrepreneurs with seasoned executives through an IoD alumni network.
Addressing the pension shortfall at British Home Stores, she proposed granting the Pensions Regulator authority to veto mergers and acquisitions involving companies above a specified size threshold, mandating that potential buyers submit concrete plans to resolve pension deficits. She further called for establishing a corporate governance framework tailored for large privately held firms.
Judge advocated for tax incentives enabling adults to develop new professional skills. In 2017, she highlighted the crucial role of older workers and entrepreneurs in mitigating the societal effects of automation and demographic ageing, noting that older entrepreneurs frequently possess advantages over younger counterparts who may lack networks, capital, or experience.
On Brexit, Judge urged the UK government to secure a trade agreement with the EU prior to departure, followed by a transition phase ensuring tariff-free trade between the EU and UK. She pressed for clear policies on the rights of EU nationals residing in Britain and British citizens living in EU countries, alongside confirming ongoing compliance with shared regulations among EU partners. She characterized entrepreneurship with "creativity, confidence and patience," qualities she believed would enable Britain to successfully manage Brexit’s challenges and opportunities.
Suspension and resignation
On 9 March 2018, Lady Judge was suspended amid allegations involving racist and sexist remarks within the IoD workplace. Reports surfaced that she had been secretly recorded making contentious comments concerning staff demographics, referencing concerns about race and pregnancy impacting job performance.
She resigned on the same day, vehemently denying these claims and criticizing how the situation was handled. In her resignation letter, Judge clarified that her remarks pertained to potential legal issues and public perceptions surrounding staff terminations rather than serving as justifications for those actions.
Charlotte Valeur was named as her successor in September 2018.
Personal life
Lady Judge married Theodore J. Kozloff in 1967; following their divorce, she wed Allen L. Thomas in 1979 before divorcing in 2001. Her third marriage was to Paul Judge in 2002, which lasted until his passing in 2017.
She regularly contributed restaurant critiques to Forbes.com, The Daily Telegraph, and the Daily Express, often highlighting dessert selections during her business travels.
Lady Judge passed away at age 73 on 31 August 2020 at her London residence due to pancreatic cancer.
Honours and awards
In 2010, Judge was honored with the title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in recognition of her contributions to the Nuclear and Financial Services sectors. She was listed among the 100 most influential women in the UK by Woman's Hour on BBC Radio 4, and Square Mile magazine ranked her within its "Top 100 Most Powerful People in the City of London". Additionally, she appeared on prominent rankings compiled by Management Today and Debrett's.
Judge received an honorary degree from the University of Suffolk in 2008, followed by an honorary Doctor of Science awarded by The University of Buckingham in 2012. In 2015, she earned the distinction of "Non-Executive Director of The Year for A Public Sector Organisation" due to her leadership as chair of the Pension Protection Fund.
The National Portrait Gallery, London added a portrait of Judge taken by photographer Alexander McIntyre to its collection in 2011.
In 2017, Lady Judge was acknowledged among the "100 Coolest People in UK Tech" by Business Insider and was also a recipient of the Forward Ladies Lifetime Achievement award.
Women in business
Judge was a leading voice and advocate for women in business, breaking ground as the first woman to serve as director at a British merchant bank, executive director at News International, and chairperson of the Institute of Directors.
Her belief that women carry a moral and social duty to support one another was shaped by her mother’s influence and her personal experience without having a daughter. In an interview with the Bank of England, she identified her nine-month career break to support her son Lloyd through dyslexia as one of her proudest achievements.