Barbara Judge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Barbara Judge
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Judge in 2011
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| Born |
Barbara Sue Singer
28 December 1946 New York City, U.S.
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| Died | 31 August 2020 (aged 73) London, England
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| Nationality | British-American |
| Alma mater | University of Pennsylvania (BA) New York University (JD) |
| Occupation | Lawyer and businesswoman |
| Known for |
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| Board member of |
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| Spouse(s) |
Theodore J. Kozloff
(m. 1967, divorced)Allen L. Thomas
(m. 1979; div. 2001) |
| Children | 1 |
| Awards | Commander of the Order of the British Empire |
Barbara Thomas Judge, Lady Judge (born Barbara Sue Singer; 28 December 1946 – 31 August 2020) was an American-British lawyer and businesswoman. She lived in London and had dual citizenship, meaning she was a citizen of both America and Britain.
She was known for being the first female chairman of the Institute of Directors, a group that supports business leaders. She also led the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and the Pension Protection Fund, which helps people whose company pensions are at risk. She was considered one of the most important business leaders in the UK.
Contents
Early Life and Inspiration
Barbara Sue Singer was born in New York City on 28 December 1946. Her father owned a small business, and her mother, Marcia Singer, was a dean at the New York Institute of Technology. Barbara grew up in Saddle Rock, New York.
Judge often said her mother was the biggest influence on her life. Her mother created courses to help women find jobs, teaching them to dress well, write a good resume, and apply for jobs even if they seemed to be only for men. Her mother believed women should work not just for money, but to use their brains and gain independence. She also taught that women could have a successful career and be a good mother at the same time.
Judge shared that her mother's advice helped her choose a different path than what was expected for women at the time. She wanted to keep working and using her skills throughout her life.
Education Journey
In 1966, Barbara earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in medieval history from the University of Pennsylvania. To pay for her studies, she worked as a model, tutor, computer programmer, and waitress.
She then went to New York University School of Law, where she focused on tax law. She graduated in 1969 with a Juris Doctor degree. She was a top student, earning many awards for her excellent grades in various subjects.
A Career in Law and Business
Starting in Law
After finishing law school in 1969, Judge began her career as a corporate lawyer at the firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. In 1973, she moved to Kaye, Scholer, Fierman, Hays, and Handler, where she became a partner in 1978. She specialized in corporate law and financial deals.
Working for the Government
In 1980, President Jimmy Carter appointed Barbara Thomas as a member of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in Washington, D.C. She was the youngest person and only the second woman to hold this important role. She helped open up U.S. financial markets to companies from other countries. She also worked to allow foreign companies to join the Tokyo Stock Exchange. She considered these achievements some of the most important in her career.
Later, she also worked for the British government's Department of Trade and Industry and the Department for Constitutional Affairs.
In 2010, Judge became the first woman to chair the Pension Protection Fund (PPF). This fund helps employees whose company pension plans fail. She worked to give the pension regulator more power to stop business deals that could harm pension members.
In 2016, she became the chairman of Cifas, the UK's service for preventing fraud. Cifas helps protect businesses, charities, and individuals from financial crime.
Banking and Private Equity
In 1983, Judge moved to Hong Kong and became a regional executive director at Samuel Montagu & Co., a British merchant bank. She was the first woman to be appointed to such a high executive position in a British merchant bank. Later, she worked in private banking in New York.
In 1994, she moved to London with her family. There, she worked in the private equity industry, which involves investing in and managing companies.
Media and Education
In 1993, Barbara Thomas was an executive director at News International, a company owned by Rupert Murdoch.
Judge was also involved in education and arts. She was the first woman on the Board of Overseers at the Wharton School of Management at the University of Pennsylvania. She also served on the boards of other universities and cultural institutions like the Wallace Collection and the Royal Academy of Arts. She even funded a scholarship for black African women to study in London.
Health and Energy
Judge was involved with health organizations, including being a trustee for Dementia UK, which supports families affected by dementia.
She also served on the board of a U.S. coal company, focusing on corporate governance. She resigned from this role due to her other business activities.
Leading in Nuclear Power
From 2004 to 2010, Lady Judge was the chairman of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA). Her initial task was to close down the agency, but she proposed a different plan: to grow the business, work with international partners, and then privatize it. She helped the agency get contracts in other countries and encouraged the government to support nuclear power. She saw her time at UKAEA as turning a difficult situation into a success.
In 2010, she was recognized for her work in the nuclear and financial services industries and was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).
In 2012, Judge became deputy chairman of the Nuclear Reform Monitoring Committee for Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) in Japan. She believed that nuclear energy is important for energy security and reducing carbon emissions. She also thought it was important for women to be involved in discussions about nuclear power, as they are often strong voices on the topic.
The Institute of Directors
In 2015, Lady Judge made history again by becoming the first woman to be appointed Chairman of the Institute of Directors (IoD), a British organization for company directors. She had three main goals for her time there:
- To help more women become chief executives (CEOs).
- To encourage new businesses and entrepreneurs.
- To help older workers stay in the workforce and mentor younger people.
She believed that schools should help girls feel confident and that women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields should be encouraged to pursue careers like engineering. She also advised women in business to learn accounting, saying, "That's where the power lies."
Judge also spoke about important business issues like pension deficits and the need for tax breaks to help adults learn new skills. She believed that older workers and entrepreneurs could help solve problems like automation and an aging population.
Regarding Brexit (Britain leaving the European Union), Judge called for a clear trade deal and a smooth transition period. She also wanted the government to clarify the rights of citizens living in the UK and the EU. She believed that creativity, confidence, and patience would help Britain succeed after Brexit.
Resignation from IoD
In March 2018, Judge resigned from her role at the Institute of Directors following reports of allegations made against her. She strongly denied these allegations and stated that she was deeply troubled by how the situation was handled.
Personal Life and Legacy
Barbara Judge was married three times. Her last marriage was to Sir Paul Judge, who passed away in 2017.
She was also a restaurant reviewer for Forbes.com and other newspapers, often writing about desserts, which she called "a free sin."
Barbara Judge passed away on 31 August 2020, at the age of 73, from pancreatic cancer at her home in London.
Honours and Awards
In 2010, Judge was awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for her important contributions to the nuclear and financial industries.
She was often listed as one of the most powerful and influential women in the UK by various publications and media outlets, including BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour.
She received honorary degrees from the University of Suffolk in 2008 and The University of Buckingham in 2012. In 2015, she was named "Non-Executive Director of The Year" for her work with the Pension Protection Fund.
In 2011, the National Portrait Gallery, London bought a portrait of Judge by photographer Alexander McIntyre, showing her importance. In 2017, she was named one of the "100 Coolest People in UK Tech" and received a "Lifetime Achievement" award.
Champion for Women in Business
Judge was a strong advocate for women in business. She broke barriers by being the first female director at a British merchant bank, the first female executive director at News International, and the first female chairman of the Institute of Directors.
She believed that women have a responsibility to help other women succeed. She often said her interest in this topic came from her mother's influence and from not having a daughter of her own. She once shared that her greatest accomplishment was taking time off to help her son with dyslexia, showing her dedication to her family alongside her career.
Images for kids
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Judge at the World Economic Forum in 2010
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Judge with Nicco Group Chairman Rajive Kaul in 2011
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Judge in 2015
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Judge in 2011
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