Martha Lane Fox facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Baroness Lane-Fox of Soho
CBE HonFREng
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Lane Fox in 2013
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| Chancellor of the Open University | |
| Assumed office 12 March 2014 |
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| Preceded by | The Lord Puttnam |
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal |
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| Assumed office 26 March 2013 Life peerage |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Martha Lane Fox
10 February 1973 London, England |
| Political party | None (crossbencher) |
| Parent |
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| Education | Oxford High School, Oxford Westminster School |
| Alma mater | University of Oxford (BA) |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur, life peer |
| Website | Martha Lane Fox on LinkedInLua error in Module:EditAtWikidata at line 29: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
Martha Lane Fox, also known as Baroness Lane-Fox of Soho (born February 10, 1973), is a well-known British businesswoman. She is also a philanthropist, meaning she gives money and time to help others. She is also a public servant, working for the good of the country.
Martha co-founded a company called Last Minute in the early 2000s. This was during a time when many internet companies started, known as the dotcom boom. Later, she worked on many important digital projects for the public. She is currently on the boards of companies like WeTransfer and Chanel. She is also a trustee for The Queen's Commonwealth Trust.
In 2013, she joined the House of Lords, which is part of the UK Parliament. She became the youngest woman to be a member there. In 2014, she was appointed Chancellor of the Open University. In 2019, a magazine called The Drum named her the most influential woman in Britain's digital world over the last 25 years.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Martha Lane Fox was born in London, England. Her father, Robin Lane Fox, is a famous academic and writer about gardening. She went to private schools. First, she attended Oxford High School, Oxford, which is an all-girls school in Oxford. Then, she went to Westminster School in London.
She studied Ancient and Modern History at the University of Oxford. She was a student at Magdalen College, Oxford. She earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree there. Later, her BA degree was changed to a Master of Arts (MA) degree, which is a tradition at Oxford.
Martha's Career Journey
Martha Lane Fox started her career at a company called Spectrum. This company offered advice on information technology and media. There, she met Brent Hoberman. In 1998, Martha and Brent started their own company, Last Minute. It was an online business for travel and gifts.
She worked as the managing director until 2003. In 2005, a company called Sabre Holdings bought Last Minute. After leaving Last Minute, Martha was going to work at Selfridges, a famous department store. However, she was in a serious car accident before she could start that job.
Later, Martha teamed up with Nick Thistleton to create a karaoke company called Lucky Voice. In 2007, she also joined the board of Marks & Spencer, a large retail company.
Working for the UK Government
From 2009 to 2013, Martha was the "Digital Champion" for the UK. This meant she helped the government with digital projects. She helped create the Government Digital Service. This team launched gov.uk, which is the official website for the UK government. Their goal was to help more people learn how to use computers and the internet.
In 2010, she was asked to set up the Digital Public Services Unit. This unit worked within the Cabinet Office, which supports the Prime Minister. She also joined the Cabinet Office Efficiency and Reform Board. That same month, David Cameron, who was Prime Minister, praised her. He liked her "Manifesto for a Networked Nation," which aimed to get more British people online. She left her role as Digital Champion in late 2013.
Joining the House of Lords
On March 26, 2013, Martha joined the House of Lords. She became a crossbencher, meaning she doesn't belong to a specific political party. She was the youngest woman to become a member there. In her first speech, she talked about how important it is for everyone to understand digital technology.
That same year, the Open University chose her as their Chancellor. Before the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, Martha signed a letter. This letter showed she was against Scotland becoming independent.
In 2017, Lady Lane-Fox joined a committee that focuses on national security. In 2018, she became a Non-Executive Director for Chanel and Donmar Warehouse. She also became a Trustee for the Queen's Commonwealth Trust. Martha continues to support charities like AbilityNet, Reprieve, Camfed, and Just for Kids Law.
She was on the board of the social networking company Twitter, Inc. from 2016 until Elon Musk bought it in 2022. In 2020, Martha joined the board of directors for WeTransfer. In October 2022, she became the president of the British Chambers of Commerce. In November 2024, she joined the board of Multiverse. This is a British company that helps people get apprenticeships.
Helping Others: Charity Work
Lady Lane-Fox strongly supports human rights, women's rights, and social justice. These are causes that aim to make society fairer for everyone. In 2007, she started Antigone. This is a trust that gives money to charities in the United Kingdom.
She is a patron for several charities. One is Reprieve, which helps people with legal issues. Another is CAMFED, which works to fight poverty and diseases in Africa. They do this by focusing on educating young women. She also supports Just for Kids Law. This charity helps children and young people in London and works for wider changes across the UK.
When the company Orange stopped supporting the Orange Prize, Martha stepped in. She was one of several people, including Cherie Blair, who helped keep the competition going. They wanted to make sure it continued until a new main sponsor could be found.
Awards and Recognitions
In 2013, Martha Lane Fox was awarded the Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE). She received this honor for her work in the digital economy and for charity. In February 2013, she was named one of the 100 most powerful women in the UK by BBC Radio 4.
That same month, it was announced that she would become a life peer. This meant she would join the House of Lords as a crossbencher. She was also recognized as one of the BBC's 100 women of 2013.
On March 25, 2013, she was officially made a Life Peer. Her title became Baroness Lane-Fox of Soho. She was introduced to the House of Lords the very next day. In October 2015, she was ranked 15th on a list of the 100 most influential British entrepreneurs. In February 2016, she was chosen as a Distinguished Fellow of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT.
In October 2019, a publication called The Drum named her the most influential woman in Britain's digital sector. This award covered the past 25 years. In 2023, she was elected an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.
Personal Life
Martha Lane Fox lives in Marylebone, London. She lives with her partner, Chris Gorell Barnes. They have identical twin sons, Milo and Felix, who were born in 2016. In May 2004, Martha was seriously hurt in a car accident. This happened in Morocco. She was flown back to England for treatment and was discharged from the hospital in December 2005.
See also
In Spanish: Martha Lane Fox para niños
- Lane Fox family
- Fox family
- Felicity Lane-Fox, Baroness Lane-Fox
Images for kids
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The Coat of Arms of Martha Lane Fox
