Canadian businessman David Thomson and his assets
David Thomson is a Canadian businessman and chairman of Thomson Reuters Corporation. He is worth an estimated US$24.5 billion. Despite this, Thomson and his family lead a private lifestyle and rarely allow journalists into their personal space.
Born into an aristocratic family, Thomson holds the title of baron and is the eldest son of Kenneth Thomson. Born in 1957, he has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Selwyn College.
David is a member of high society and a successful businessman. He runs the media empire founded by his grandfather, Roy Thomson. Today, the family owns 57% of Thomson Reuters, controlled by Woodbridge Holding. David is chairman of the company’s board of directors.
Career path
Despite a fine arts education, David Thomson chose a career in business. He began his career as a junior member of staff at the investment firm McLeod Young Weir. Thomson went on to hold a number of senior positions in family-owned businesses, including managing director of The Bay store and president of the Zellers retail chain.
Thomson’s career accomplishments:
1. He founded Osmington, a commercial property management company. In 2010, the company sold its interest in a number of properties in a deal that raised US$336 million.
2. David is one of the largest investors in the agribusiness FarmersEdge.
3. He is a partner in True North Sports and Entertainment.
4. The man is part of the redevelopment of the retail space at Toronto’s Union Station.
5. The businessman is developing the Shake Shack fast food chain.
David’s investment activities are conducted through the hedge fund Morgan Bay Capital.
In 2006, David’s father died, and the businessman took over as chairman of the family business, Thomson Reuters. Thomson is also a co-founder of the Winnipeg Jets hockey team and owns a minority stake in the Montreal Canadiens.
Leisure interests
Outside of business, David Thomson has a passion for art and is one of the world’s leading collectors of paintings. His collection includes works by masters such as Edvard Munch, Rembrandt, Joseph Beuys and Paul Klee. He also owns the world’s largest collection of works by John Constable. Thomson has a particular interest in Canadian artists and is actively adding their works to the collection.
David promotes the arts and makes them accessible to a wide audience. He established a US$20 million endowment to support the Art Gallery of Ontario and has committed US$276 million to its renovation. His philanthropic work has been the subject of an Order of Canada. Thomson received the award in 2017 for his contributions to the country’s arts and culture. He also received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Toronto in 2019 in recognition of his philanthropic work.
