John Gerson

'''John Gerson''' was deputy head of MI6. He studied Art History at the University of Freiburg and then went to King's College, Cambridge.<ref name="kcl">{{cite web|url=http://www.kcl.ac.uk/sspp/policy-institute/policy-circle/gerson.aspx|title=King's College London - Gerson, John|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150916001001/http://www.kcl.ac.uk/sspp/policy-institute/policy-circle/gerson.aspx|archive-date=16 September 2015}}</ref> He went to India on the Commonwealth Expedition (COMEX) in 1965.

He was HM Consul in Beijing from 1974 to 1977 and interpreted for and advised Margaret Thatcher on China.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.ridgeway-information.com/our-team | title = The team of Ridgeway | access-date = 30 July 2019 | website = ridgeway-information.com | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190730091213/https://www.ridgeway-information.com/our-team | archive-date = 30 July 2019 | url-status = live}}</ref> Later he worked as a consultant in Brazil, Tanzania, and North Korea and was an Associate Member of University College London's Centre for the Study of Socialist Legal Systems.<ref name="kcl"/><ref>{{cite book | author = Stephen Dorril | author-link = Stephen Dorril | url = https://archive.org/details/mi6insidecovertw00dorr | url-access = registration | title = MI6: Inside the Covert World of Her Majesty's Secret Intelligence Service | page = [https://archive.org/details/mi6insidecovertw00dorr/page/797 797] | access-date = 30 July 2019 | publisher = Simon and Schuster | isbn = 9780743217781 | year = 2002 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20050530082236/https://cryptome.org/mi6/mi6-restored.htm | archive-date = 30 May 2005 | url-status = live}}</ref><ref name="sec.gov_2012" /><ref name="people.equilar.com" /> In 1992, he was visiting fellow in East Asian studies at Princeton University.<ref name="kcl"/>

In 2001, he left MI6 and joined BP as a senior political adviser; he became their Head of Government and Public Affairs<ref>{{cite web | first1 = Maurice | last1 = Chittenden | first2 = Nicholas | last2 = Rufford | url = https://royaldutchshellplc.com/2001/06/17/the-sunday-times-mi6-firm-spied-on-green-groups/ | title = The Sunday Times: MI6 'Firm' Spied on Green Groups | via = | date = 17 June 2001 | access-date = 30 July 2019 | website = Royaldutchshellplc.com | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070927231427/https://royaldutchshellplc.com/2001/06/17/the-sunday-times-mi6-firm-spied-on-green-groups/ | archive-date = 27 September 2007 | url-status = live}}[https://corpwatch.org/article/uk-mi6-firm-spied-green-groups/ corpwatch.org]</ref> from 2007 to 2012.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/may/08/richardnortontaylor|title=Former MI6 officer gets top post at BP|author=Richard Norton-Taylor|date=8 May 2000|newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref> He joined the company in 2000.<ref name="people.equilar.com">{{cite web | url = https://people.equilar.com/bio/john-gerson-handeni-gold-inc/1147389 | title = John Henry Cary Gerson | website = people.equilar.com | access-date = 30 July 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190730075025/https://people.equilar.com/bio/john-gerson-handeni-gold-inc/1147389/ | archive-date = 30 July 2019 | url-status = live}}</ref> Gerson also chaired BP China Ltd and BP South East Asia Ltd.

On 24 April 2012, he has been appointed in the Board of Directors of the Handeni Gold Inc., a mineral exploration company which is mainly active in Tanzania.<ref name="sec.gov_2012">{{cite web | url = https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1297223/000106299312003255/0001062993-12-003255.txt | title = Handeni Gold 10K public submission of 2012 | format = txt | date = 31 May 2012 | access-date = 30 July 2019 | website = sec.gov | archive-url = https://archive.today/20190730084358/https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1297223/000106299312003255/0001062993-12-003255.txt | archive-date = 30 July 2019 | url-status = live }}</ref><ref name="handenigold.com_2012">{{cite web | url = https://www.handenigold.com/handeni-gold-appoints-new-board-member-1 | title = Handeni Gold appoints new board member | date = 24 April 2012 | access-date = 30 July 2019 | language = en | website = handenigold.com | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120512054222/https://www.handenigold.com/handeni-gold-appoints-new-board-member-1/ | archive-date = 12 May 2012 | url-status = live}}</ref>

He became CMG im 1999. He is a bird-watcher.

== References == {{Reflist|2}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gerson, John}} Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:British diplomats in China Category:British political consultants Category:Birdwatchers Category:British expatriate academics