Henry Manisty recalls dinosaurs, Playboy and bottom-spanking

Tom Glocer gave Henry Manisty (photo), a rousing send-off to mark his retirement after 35 years at Reuters and Thomson Reuters, Steve Somerville writes.

The party at the group’s Canary Wharf London office brought together many of Manisty’s colleagues from his long career in the legal department, management and government relations, including some guests from the British government.  

Glocer hailed Manisty as “a fellow lawyer who went off to do interesting things in management” and thanked him for his many services defending the group’s interests around the world.

Tributes included a lively video from colleagues in China, where Manisty waged some of his most intense battles on behalf of the company, and a message from the chairman of the European Publishers Council, Francisco Pinto Balsemao, praising Manisty as “a passionate and ardent defender of free speech”.

In his response, Manisty first thanked his wife, Sara, for her support through the years and recommended his tactic of marrying the chief executive’s PA, which she then was, as a career enhancing move.

Recalling how he joined Reuters when dinosaurs still roamed the earth - “some of them are still here,” came a call from the audience - Manisty said he succeeded in his job interview by entertaining the late Nigel Judah with details of one of his recent cases as a junior barrister: “the case of the bottom-spanking colonel”.

Other stories followed of his exploits on many frontlines: the global offensive against Playboy magazine, the Falklands War, the China campaigns, the sports coverage battles and others, amid much laughter and many memories shared with the audience.

Among the well-wishers (with apologies to the many unmentioned) were Sir Christopher Hogg, Michael Nelson, David Ure, Peter Holland, John Parcell, Jonathan Fenby, Manfred Pagel, Rosemary Martin, Ronald Gladman, Michael Neale and Diana Drayton - as well as a number of current employees, including editor-in-chief David Schlesinger, Thomson Reuters Foundation chief executive Monique Villa and archivist John Entwisle.

Postscript: Henry Manisty joined Kreab Gavin Anderson, a global communications partnership, as a senior advisor on 1 March. The firm provided support during the period he was responsible for leading Thomson Reuters’ global public affairs activities. His successor at Thomson Reuters is Nicholas Collier. ■