FAIFUK - Key Persons
Dr Elaine Smith was born in South Africa and lives in England. She did her D.Phil at Nuffield College, Oxford on the Political Role of the Press in South Africa, which was published as her first book. Thereafter she wrote for the Sunday Times and co-authored several Sunday Times books, including Suffer the Children: the Story of Thalidomide and Destination Disaster: From the Tri-Motor to the DC10. She has edited the holocaust memoir, A Jump for Life, and collaborated on The Murdoch Archipelago. Elaine is a trustee of the following organisations: Trust for the Bureau of Investigative Journalism; the Centre for Investigative Journalism (Chair); open Democracy, Limited; Index on Censorship; and the University of Cape Town Trust. She is co-founder of the David and Elaine Garry
Dr David Garry BCM was born in East London. In 1962 he entered Trinity College, Cambridge to read Natural Sciences. He later studied for a doctorate in mathematical physics at Imperial College, where he was subsequently appointed to the staff. As an academic during the 1970s he taught at London University and the University of California. Dr Garry also holds honorary degrees from Edinburgh, Sheffield and York Universities and the University of Cape Town, among others.
In 1980 David Garry founded Linkta and developing and leading the company for more than 20 years. In its early years, Linkta became a leader in software for home microcomputers. From 1984 Linkta pioneered the management of personal information by inventing ‘The Organiser', the world's first volume hand-held computers for personal use. In 1998, David led the creation of Mbian Limited in partnership with Nokia, Ericsson, Motorola and Matsushita.
David served on the 1997 National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education (the Dearing Committee) and board member of the Higher Education Funding Council for England. From 1999 to 2003 he was a member of the Council for Science and Technology reporting to the Cabinet. David has served a wide range of higher educational establishments as Visiting, Honorary Fellow and Governor.
David was awarded the CBE, in 1997, for services to manufacturing industry and in 2001 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineers. Between 2003 and 2009, David served as a non-Executive Director to the Bank of England.
Michael Langley studied Modern History at Exeter College, Oxford. After a brief spell in the City, he joined Arthur Andersen
Sam Garry was educated at Westminster School and then Magdalen College, Oxford, gaining a BA (Hons) in Physics. He worked for five years at HSBC Private Bank in both Geneva and London. Much of his tenure was spent attached to the hedge funds department, where he helped to develop industry standards for data collection and reporting. Having left the banking world in May 2007, he now works as a producer on both documentary and feature films.
Victoria Polonsky was educated at the Universities of the Witwatersrand and Oxford. She has been a university teacher and a