Dougal Thomson has 25 years experience of working in editorial and communications roles within media companies, higher education, and international organizations. A native of Glasgow in Scotland, he has a BA Hons in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin, and a Diplôme d’études approfondies (DEA) in Theatre Studies from Université Sorbonne Nouvelle – Paris 3.

From 2000 to 2013, he worked in a variety of editorial roles within business media companies, including six years as Head of Event Programmes EMEA for The Economist. Since 2013, he has managed corporate communications for the International Publishers Association, the Geneva Graduate Institute (IHEID), the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy.

Prior to joining GESDA, Dougal was Head of Communications and Media Relations for the Alliance for Financial Inclusion, a policy leadership alliance owned and led by 90 central banks and financial regulators in developing countries, which works to expand access and usage of safe, affordable, and convenient financial services.