Early Life
David Kenneth Roy Thomson, the 3rd Baron Thomson of Fleet, was born on June 12, 1957, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is the eldest child of Kenneth Thomson, the 2nd Baron Thomson of Fleet, and Marilyn Lavis. He attended Upper Canada College and the Hall School as a child. Later, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree (subsequently upgraded to an MA (Cantab)) from Selwyn College, Cambridge, where he studied History.
Rise to Success
Thomson's career began at McLeod Young Weir, a Canadian investment firm. He later held various positions within the Thomson family's companies, including managing The Bay store at Cloverdale Mall and serving as the president of Zellers. He founded Osmington Incorporated, a real estate firm, and has been involved in major transactions. After the acquisition of Reuters in 2008, he became the chairman of the merged entity, Thomson Reuters.
Key Business Strategies
The core of Thomson's wealth lies in his position as chairman of Thomson Reuters, a global information services company. His business ventures also include real estate and art collecting. He is also a major investor in FarmersEdge and is a partner in True North Sports and Entertainment. He has shown interest in bringing businesses to Canada, such as the fast-food chain Shake Shack.
Philanthropy
David Thomson is known for his patronage of the Art Gallery of Ontario. He also supports the Winnipeg Jets NHL team, which he owns.