By David Wighton in New York
Published: January 9 2008 22:56 | Last updated: January 9 2008 22:56
Tony Blair is joining one of the Wall Street’s best-known banks in what the former prime minister told the Financial Times would be the first of a series of positions he expects to take in the private sector.
Mr Blair, who stepped down as prime minister last year, is to become a part-time adviser to JPMorgan, where he will use his experience and contacts to provide political and strategic advice to the US bank and participate in some client events. Mr Blair’s income from the job has not been disclosed. However, one New York recruitment consultant said it was likely to be more than $1m (£500,000) a year.
Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan’s chief executive, said Mr Blair would be “enormously valuable” to the company. “There are only a handful of people in the world who have the knowledge and relationships that he has.”
Speaking to the Financial Times, Mr Blair said that he expected to agree to “a small handful” of similar appointments with other companies in different sectors.
“I have always been interested in commerce and the impact of globalisation. Nowadays, the intersection between politics and the economy in different parts of the world, including the emerging markets, is very strong.”
Such advisory jobs are popular with former world leaders. Sir John Major, Mr Blair’s predecessor, and George H.W. Bush, the former US president, both became advisers to Carlyle, the US private equity firm.
Since leaving office, Mr Blair, who is believed to have a large mortgage to pay on a house in Connaught Square, London, has joined the international conference circuit. He was paid $500,000 for one speech in China. Mr Blair declined to say how much he would be paid by JPMorgan.
Mr Blair’s move comes a month after Jonathan Powell, his former chief of staff, landed a full-time job with JPMorgan’s rival, Morgan Stanley.
Mr Blair, who is serving as an international envoy to the Middle East, said he planned to launch an interfaith foundation this year and was likely to do some work to help tackle climate change.
In the longer term, he is being promoted as a candidate to be the first full-time president of the European Union by Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president. “I have learnt not to speculate about those sorts of things,” Mr Blair said.
The JPMorgan job was brokered by Robert Barnett, the Washington lawyer who also negotiated a reported £5m advance for Mr Blair’s memoirs.
Mr Barnett said that when Mr Blair stepped down, he was approached by a variety of companies seeking relationships, including “more than half a dozen financial services companies”.
Mr Dimon, who is one of the leading Democrats on Wall Street, said he phoned Mr Blair personally. “I went to visit him and we hit it off.”
He said it was important to both men “to try to make the world a better place and have a bit of fun doing it”.
I hope I wax eloquently as I attempt to add some new thoughts and facts alongside of today's and yesterday's great sleuths Constance Cumbey, Dorothy Margraff and the late Herb Peters on the subject of Javier Solana's The Fire And The Crystal and the 2003 UN Human Security and Dignity Conference.
Originally brought to all of our attention this past Sunday by Constance, I couldn't stop thinking about all of the observations I found.
Interesting to note, I was ready to post a brand new topic, again through the diligent lead and council of Constance (No relation to the 16th Ecumenical Roman Catholic Council :), and curiously in parallel relation to the Fire In the Crystal, but rest assured I will post it here very quickly time permitting. So without further clumsy but thankful introductions let's warm to the fire.
Javier Solana’s 2001 “The Fire And The Crystal” speech and the 2003 UN DPI/NGO Human Security and Dignity conference are both very curious on many, many fronts. There is SOOO MUCH to say about both of these events and it’s players past and present. Although this comment is rather long I’ll try not to stray too far from both topics.
Headed by Mikhail Gorbachov,The Pio Manzù International Research Centre, where Javier Solana did this speech, is a Non-Governmental Organization of the United Nations and UNIDO, which has been operating since 1969 as an institute for the in-depth study of the main economic and scientific aspects of the relationship between man and his environment.
In October of 2001 they held their 27th gathering entitled, “The Fire In The Crystal International Conference”.
Pio Manzù Gold Medals are awarded at the annual event to individuals for their contributions in respect to the Research Center’s main goals and objectives.
That year, Javier Solana, one of many interesting individuals, was awarded The Pio Manzù Gold Medal.
Although the events of 9-11, a month before in which a world in grief and in search of peace and resolutions was the pre-dominant thought globally, appropriate accolades were given to the “Good Doctor”, as Constance has coined, setting the stage for future “Options For Peace” Intervention strategies both physically, mentally, economically and spiritually.
Meta-Science and its relation to mankind was defiant at this conference, such as the topic, Cellular Geometric Patterns of the Universe and its carving into life.
Also, DNA had its voice heard through Evolutionary Biologist Richard Dawkins while viewing Creation from The Gene’s Eye.
And interesting note, Richard Dawkins, at a previous US lecture series, finds himself receiving great applause after he made an anti-religious comment against an anonymous religious group in the Middle East in regards to Creation.
Still, one wonder’s could a variation of “Intelligent Design”, or a variation of science and metaphysics, be ONE of the hooks Javier Solana uses to draw the three prominent global religions together?
Since the Good Doctor is a physicist himself, is this where Javier Solana’s true faith lies?
Another interesting individual awarded The Pio Manzù Gold Medal was Collin Powell. Dr. Norman P. Neureiter, Science and Technology Adviser to the Secretary of State in 2001 accepted on behalf of Collin Powell The Pio Manzù Gold Medal.
The keynote address by James Hillman brings this particular Baconian type of gathering true definition. “Justice and Beauty: Foundations of an Ecological Psychology” is a show stopper. Hillman, literally from the Jungian school, developed the theorem “Archetypal Psychology” or polytheistic myth as psychology. I think we can all see where this was going.
Walking lightly around the shadows of the metaphysics side, “Fire Crystals” are seen as playing an essential part in healing and life extension.
From the mythological lore of Atlantis, “Fire Crystals” are regarded as transmitters and receivers.
Speaking of receiving and broadcasting, a book called “Crystal Fire” details the development of the transistor and its impact on society (telephones, radios and computers). I found that noteworthy.
In regards to Javier Solana’s The Fire and The Crystal speech, four things in particular.
First, I disagree with Javier Solana when he say’s, “Preventing conflict depends more than ever on access to good intelligence”. In my opinion, I believe that “Transparent Intelligence prevents conflicts”, that is, a rich variety of sources to view all sides can discern clearer the issues at hand.
Secondly, his assertion that conflicts are born out of failed states is flawed. In my opinion the “conception of conflicts” arise from the governing failures of its economic corridors, which in essence, affects every working individual.
Thirdly, Javier’s reasons for engagement are off again, when he cites “ethnic and religious differences” <Insert Red Herring Alert here>. Again in my opinion I believe the funding policies of each state are critical in the security and dignity to each of its countrymen and women.
And finally, when he stated that the UN is a “neutral and benevolent instrument” all I could say was, Yeah, Right!
But now it’s 2008.
Things are rapidly changing into the surreal.
Today one can easily see The Pio Manzù International Research Centre courting itself alongside notables of varied affluence such as Hollywood beauty Angelina Jolie.
But does Angelina’s exquisiteness reassure me that The Pio Manzù International Research Centers endeavors, to pursue a harmonius relationship between science, mankind and his environment, will not intrude into my beliefs and my wallet, No, it doesn’t.
So now we fast forward to the UN’s 2003 Human Security and Dignity Conference. This was seriously comically shocking if you can imagine those feelings all rolled into one.
Alfredo Sfeir-Younis, Senior Advisor, Office of the Managing Director, World Bank, who moderated the Sustainable Development in the Context of Globalization (De-territorialisation) session, is noted on page 24 of his bio for incorporating “spiritual economics”. Huh? I did a double take on this and found something else out.
In Kosmos, the leading international Journal for planetary citizens committed to the birth and emergence of a new planetary culture and civilization, his destiny is written in the stars. Fans of Constance will love what his economic vision for Mother Gaia is.
Remember, he was moderating the session of sustaining Mother Earth and fracturing sovereign sates and its borders. You always have to have money to fund a war, but now it is cloaked in humanities last chance for survival into a new age. Blaaaahhhh!
This finally brings me to Javier’s friend, Giandomenico Picco.
Moderating the first and primary thematic session of the conference, “Psychological Aspects of Human Security and Dignity”, Picco’s reasoning that “better practices for enhancing a sense of belonging is greatly needed” diverts us away from history’s lesson and in my opinion the crux of the matter, the spiritual battle for the mind, body soul and spirit of all. These engagements take historical precedent.
A New NATO "High Representative" is being called for to lead a "Super Envoy" in Afghanistan"Speaking at the recent summit in Edinburgh, Scotland, of countries active in volatile southern Afghanistan, including Canada, the U.S., the Netherlands, Britain and his own, Australia's new defence minister Joel Fitzgibbon said the West has shown a "a lack of coherent strategy...
that fuelled further calls by Canada and others for a "super envoy" to co-ordinate NATO and United Nations efforts in Afghanistan.
Britain's Lord Paddy Ashdown, a former politician and military officer, has the skills and "heft" to do the job. "The question is whether he wants it after his bruising battles in Bosnia."
