Terra Firma hires former BBC journalist for communications

Terra Firma has hired Christen Thomson as head of communications. Thomson previously worked as deputy chief executive officer and earlier as director of communications for the Alternative Investment Management Association, the global hedge fund association, from 2008 to 2014. Thomson also worked as a journalist at the BBC for 12 years.

Press Release

Terra Firma is pleased to announce the appointment of Christen Thomson as Head of Communications. Christen was Deputy CEO and earlier Director of Communications for the Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA), the global hedge fund association, where he worked from 2008 to 2014. He is also a former BBC journalist who spent 12 years at the Corporation. He joined Terra Firma on January 5th 2015.

At AIMA, which has more than 1500 corporate members in over 50 countries who collectively manage more than $1.5 trillion in assets, Christen was responsible for co-ordinating strategic communications for the industry and creating a comprehensive thought leadership programme based on the industry’s value to investors, markets and the broader economy. His campaigns built on this narrative supported the Association’s engagement on the EU’s Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD) and with institutional investors globally.

Commenting on the appointment, Guy Hands, Chairman and Chief Investment Officer of Terra Firma, said: “Christen has significant, senior experience both in corporate communications and as a journalist. He has built imaginative and successful multi-channel campaigns internationally across print, digital, social and broadcast media and has extensive press contacts in all the major financial centres around the world. He will play an important role for Terra Firma in leading our communications activities.”

Christen Thomson, Head of Communications at Terra Firma, said: “I am absolutely delighted to be joining Guy and his colleagues at Terra Firma. Guy is rightfully known as one of the great deal-makers and statesmen in the industry and over the last 20 years he and his team have built one of the world’s leading private equity firms.”