David Gardner (in memoriam)

David Gardner was International Affairs Editor and Associate Editor at the Financial Times (FT). He joined the paper in 1978 and worked mainly as a foreign correspondent, a regional specialist, or writer on international affairs.

From 1978-80, Mr. Gardner was the FT’s Spain correspondent, covering the country’s democratic transition. From 1980-83, he worked on the International Desk, launching the first FT international edition. From 1984-89, he was Mexico and Central America correspondent, covering the start of Mexico’s transition to democracy. From 1989-90, he served as FT Deputy Features Editor, and thereafter as Brussels correspondent until 1994. From 1995-99, Mr. Gardner became the FT’s Middle East Editor, before later moving to New Delhi to become South Asia Bureau Chief until 2001. From 2002-06, he served as FT’s International Affairs Writer, and from 2006-10 as Chief Leader Writer & Associate Editor.

In 2003, Mr. Gardner won the David Watt international political journalism prize for his writing on the Arab world. He is also the author of Last Chance: The Middle East in the Balance (I.B. Tauris), which was long-listed for the 2010 George Orwell book prize. The book, originally published before the Arab Spring, was recently released in paperback with a new preface.

Mr. Gardner regularly appeared on international television and radio and lectured or gave papers at think-tanks, foundations and universities around the world. He was made a Senior Associate Member of St Antony’s College Oxford in 2008.