Michael Samuel

Michael Samuel’s Biography

View moreless

Michael is a philanthropist and businessman. He has been Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Anna Freud Centre for Children and Families since 2003 (having become a Trustee in 1993). He has steered the growth of the charity, cementing its position as the leading children's charity dedicated to providing training and support for child mental health services.

He is Chairman of the cross-party Board of Trustees of Full Fact. He Co-Founded the charity in 2010 with the aim of checking and correcting facts reported in the news.

Michael also Co-Founded and Chairs Civic, a not-for-profit which aims to support communities and organisations to accelerate impact. Civic works on a range of projects in the UK and overseas, for example working with Syrian refugees in Jordan and the Great Green Wall project in Africa.

Michael has a range of other charitable interests. In September 2022, he became Chairman of the Somerset Community Foundation, which funds local charities as well as inspires local giving and philanthropy. He has been a Trustee of Helpforce since 2019, designed to increase... Michael is a philanthropist and businessman. He has been Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Anna Freud Centre for Children and Families since 2003 (having become a Trustee in 1993). He has steered the growth of the charity, cementing its position as the leading children's charity dedicated to providing training and support for child mental health services.

He is Chairman of the cross-party Board of Trustees of Full Fact. He Co-Founded the charity in 2010 with the aim of checking and correcting facts reported in the news.

Michael also Co-Founded and Chairs Civic, a not-for-profit which aims to support communities and organisations to accelerate impact. Civic works on a range of projects in the UK and overseas, for example working with Syrian refugees in Jordan and the Great Green Wall project in Africa.

Michael has a range of other charitable interests. In September 2022, he became Chairman of the Somerset Community Foundation, which funds local charities as well as inspires local giving and philanthropy. He has been a Trustee of Helpforce since 2019, designed to increase volunteering in the NHS, and has been particularly supportive of Prospect Burma. As a donor, he is Chairman and Trustee of five family charities.

In business, after training as a chartered accountant, he built up Mayborn Group, specialising in baby products, over the course of three decades. He served as Chief Executive from 1978 to 2006, growing the business from a £1.5 million to a £115 million turnover.

He has been Chairman of the outdoor clothing company, Muddy Puddles since 2011, and is Chairman of Murex Energy (renewable energy). He was previously Chairman of AGL, a communications agency. He is a Conservative Party donor and also actively farms in Somerset and Scotland.

In the New Year’s Honours list 2020, Michael was awarded an MBE in recognition of his services to Young People and to Mental Health. moreless

Michael Samuel’s Newsfeed

An open letter to the Prime Minister about the cost-of-living crisis

Michael Samuel MBE was a signatory to an open letter to the Prime Minister about the effects of the cost of living crisis.

Michael Samuel’s Background

Somerset Community Foundation

Chair of Trustees

Sep 2022 - Present

The Somerset Community Foundation is a charity that helps passionate people in Somerset change the world on their doorstep by funding local charities and inspiring local giving and philanthropy.

Anna Freud Centre

Chairman of the Board of Trustees

Jul 2002 - Present

London, UK

The Anna Freud Centre is an international leader in child mental health research, training and treatment located in London.

Civic

Co-Founder

2018 - Present

London, UK

Civic is a global project with the aim of re-imagining and re-making the world, one neighbourhood at a time.

Muddy Puddles

Chairman

Jan 1990 - Present

London, UK

Online retailer of children's clothing.

AGL

Chairman

Jan 2010 - 2018

London, UK

AGL is an unconventional communications agency. They work with leaders in business, society and education, helping them find the courage to liberate themselves and do what they know is right: to communicate authentically – as people and as organisations.

Mayborn Group

Chief Executive

Jan 1978 - Dec 2006

London, UK

Michael joined the family company, Mayborn Group in 1978. He then bought the majority of the company in 1980. At this point, the company employed approximately 150-200 people and turned over £1.5 m. Although Mayborn Group was at the time heavily loss-making Michael turned it around in 2 years. Michael then sold the Group to 3i private equity in 2006 for approximately £115m.

View allHide

Other Business Interests

Full Fact

Chair of the cross-party board of trustees and Joint Founder

Jan 2010 - Present

London, UK

Full Fact is the UK's independent factchecking charity, promoting well-informed public debate on important issues.

Previous Board Positions

The City Car Club

Non-Executive Chairman

Jan 2005 - Dec 2015

London, UK

City Car Club is one of the leading car club operators in the UK. With around 840 vehicles, it is the oldest and one of the largest car clubs operating at a national scale in the country. It was successfully sold in March 2015.

Rotala

Non-Executive Director

Jan 2008 - Dec 2010

London, UK

Rotala provides a range of transport solutions for businesses, local authorities, the public and private individuals.

Philanthropy

Family Charitable Trusts

Chairman and Trustee

Jan 1990 - Present

London, UK

Hon A.G. Samuel Charitable Trust; Michael Samuel Charitable Trust; Col. W.H Micholls Trust; Peter Samuel Royal Free Hospital Trust; Peter Samuel Charitable Trust.

Helpforce

Trustee

London, UK

Helpforce are at the forefront of a national movement to improve the lives of NHS staff, patients and communities through the power of volunteering.

View allHide

Features

Michael Samuel delighted with Africa hosting COP27

Michael Samuel writes in The Point newspaper about the impact an African country hosting COP27 will have on world leaders, and the opportunities the event will provide to address the specific challenges to the environment Africa faces.