Mr Jeanbart, 46, holds a degree in electrical engineering from the Lausanne Federal Polytechnic, where he specialised in telecommunications, information technology and signal processing. He spent six years in Bern and Geneva, working in industry and finance. In 1987 he joined Reuters, where he was in charge of marketing and product management for distribution systems and information processing, as well as financial applications. In 1994, he became the head of the Reuters Group risk management division world-wide. His tasks in that capacity included the development, distribution, support and management of the Group's affiliates in France, Britain and the United States.

Subsequently, Mr Jeanbart, who was also a member of the Reuters Group Strategy and Operations committees, was appointed managing director of Reuters United Kingdom and Ireland.