Michael Binyon

Journalist, author and former chief foreign leader-writer for The Times

Michael Binyon has been a leader-writer, columnist and foreign correspondent for The Times since 1971. For 15 years he was based overseas, reporting for the paper from Moscow, Washington, Bonn and Brussels before returning to London to be diplomatic editor and then becoming the chief foreign leader-writer in 2000.

After graduating from Cambridge University with a degree in English and Arabic, he spent a year teaching English for the British Council in Minsk, USSR, in 1967 and in 1968 began as a reporter on The Times Educational Supplement. He moved to the BBC Arabic Service in 1970 and in 1971 became a founder reporter on The Times Higher Education Supplement.

He speaks French, German, Russian and some Arabic, and is a frequent broadcaster on BBC radio and television, Times Radio, and Monocle24 radio. He has also broadcast on French, German, Russian, Canadian and several Arabic radio and television stations.

A winner of two British journalism prizes, he wrote “Life in Russia” in 1983 and was awarded an OBE in 2000. He was master of the Leathersellers company in 2008-9 and on the board of the Stationers company from 2014-2020. He formally retired from The Times in 2009 but has continued to write regularly for the paper and for other publications. 

Tim Bradshaw

Founder of Sandstone Communications and Former Covert Human Intelligence Officer

Tim Bradshaw is a former British Army Intelligence Officer and graduate of the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. His work as a Covert Human Intelligence Officer and Target Acquisition Patrol Soldier saw him recruit and run foreign agents worldwide, and influence the outcome of extremely sensitive and dangerous situations.

Tim’s knowledge and experience of understanding and dealing with pressure and change, effective decision making and building resilience, forms the basis of the work he carries out with clients and audiences worldwide. Since leaving the British Army, Tim founded, and is a director of Sandstone Communications, an international leadership and team building consultancy.

In response to the crisis in Ukraine, Tim has used his expertise to lead a team that has delivered over 15,000 meals, 500 sleeping bags and 300 trauma kits to those volunteering in an active warzone. As part of this effort, Tim has travelled throughout Ukraine in 2022 to teach skills in trauma first aid, and teach volunteers how to effectively utilize these skills in high-stress situations.