Michael Samuel MBE is Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Anna Freud Centre.
Previously, Michael was Chairman of AGL, an unconventional communications agency. He is a director of a number of companies and was Chief Executive of Mayborn Group plc. He is a Conservative Party donor and joint Founder and Chair of the cross-party Board of Trustees of Full Fact.
Michael is Co-Founder of Civic, which aims to support a major change in the approach of communities & organisations, to accelerate impact and help charities to do better. Civic work with Syrian refugees in Jordan, Kabul, Nepal and the UK, cooperating largely with existing large charities including UNHCR, World Vision, National Trust councils and local communities. Michael has many other philanthropic interests, including the Somerset Community Foundation, Helpforce, a new organisation designed to increase volunteering in the NHS. Michael also supports Project Burma which is a charity involved in the education of students, as well as Chairman and Trustee of five family charities.
Michael actively farms in Somerset and Scotland.
In the New Years Honours list 2020, Michael was awarded an MBE in recognition for his services to Young People and to Mental Health.
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.
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.
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 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.
Prospect Burma has invested in the future of Myanmar through education helping their alumni go on to achieve incredible things, thereby facilitating the transformation of Myanmar through the application of their skills in the country.
The Philanthropy Review
Board Member
Dec 2010 - Dec 2012
London, UK
The Philanthropy Review has been concerned with identifying, evidencing and advocating for practical measures which will increase giving in the immediate term and will build a stronger culture of philanthropy in the longer term.
