John Vereker

Who is John Vereker?

Sir John Michael Medlicott Vereker, KCB, KStJ, FRSA, CInstM is an independent member of the Board of XL Group plc, and of a number of its subsidiaries and Committees; and an independent Director of MWH Global. He formerly had a distinguished public service career, culminating in his appointment as Permanent Secretary for International Development and as Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Bermuda, an overseas territory of the United Kingdom.

Sir John was educated at Marlborough College, from which he won a scholarship to the University of Keele, graduating in 1967, when he joined the newly formed Ministry of Overseas Development. He moved to the World Bank, working under Robert McNamara, from 1969 to 1972. After returning to the Ministry of Overseas Development, he was appointed Private Secretary to three Labour Cabinet Ministers--Reg Prentice, Frank Judd and Judith Hart. In 1980 he was invited by the then Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher to join her staff in 10 Downing Street, where he served for three years as a member of the very small Policy Unit established by Sir John Hoskyns, working on public sector pay, the labour market and industrial disputes.