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Born in London in 1939, Lord Brittan was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge and Yale University.
Lord Brittan joined Unilever as an advisory director in 2000 and was subsequently appointed as a non-executive director in 2004. He is a member of Unilever external affairs and corporate relations committee.
Prior to joining Unilever, Lord Brittan was called to the Bar in 1962. He was a Member of Parliament from 1974 until 1988, holding ministerial posts within the government between 1979 and 1986. He became a QC in 1978 and a Bencher of the Inner Temple in 1983, before being knighted in 1989.
Lord Brittan was a member of the European Commission from 1989 to 1999, also serving as vice president. During 1989-92 he was responsible for Competition Policy and Financial Institutions. In January 1993 he took charge of external economic affairs and trade policy. Two years later, he was given responsibility for trade policy and for bilateral relations with North America, Australasia, China, Hong Kong, Japan and Korea.
He served as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Home Secretary and Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. Lord Brittan then became a member (and subsequently vice president) of the European Commission in Brussels.
He is also chairman of UBS Investment Bank, a consultant for Herbert Smith and a member of the international advisory committee for Total.
He is married with two step-daughters and enjoys hill-walking, cricket and the opera. | 