Professor George Brock

George Brock became Professor and Head of Journalism at City University in September 2009. He began his reporting career at the Yorkshire Evening Press and The Observer, joining The Times in 1981.


After starting at The Times as a feature writer, he became a features editor and, in 1984, op-ed page editor. He was foreign editor, Brussels bureau chief, European Editor, Managing Editor, Saturday Editor and most recently International Editor in a 28-year career at the newspaper.


He was closely involved in many major developments including the creation of TimesOnline, and he led the team which created the paper’s first compact print edition.


He is a board member of the World Editors Forum, which organises the world’s largest conference of editors, and served as WEF’s president from 2004-8. He is a member of the British committee of the International Press Institute, a trustee of the National Academy of Writing and a governor of the Ditchley Foundation. He broadcasts and lectures frequently and reviews for the Times Literary Supplement.

 Related Sessions

Saturday 1 November 2008, 10.30am Café
The EU: humdrum technocracy or European dream?



 Festival Buzz

"I was amazed by the high quality of the Battle of Ideas 2007 and the intellectual excitement that it provoked."
Prof Malcolm Grant CBE, president and provost, University College London