Max Foster Biography
Max Foster is a British Anchor and Correspondent for CNN International, based in London. Max has hosted ‘CNN Talk with Max Foster’ since May 2017 which is simulcast on CNN International and Facebook.
He is a commentator on US affairs for LBC, trains anchors for CNN affiliates and regularly moderates and hosts public events for the likes of the United Nations World Tourism Organization
Max Foster Age
Max was born on 30 October 1972 in United Kingdom, England. He is 47 years old as of 2019.
Max Foster Family
Max was born in United Kingdom, England. He spent most of his childhood in Wiltshire, England, with his family.
Max Foster Education
Max spent most of his childhood in Wiltshire, England. He went to The Ridgeway School and Sixth Form College and Dauntsey’s School, Devizes. At Cardiff University he read Business Administration and completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Broadcast Journalism at Highbury College, Portsmouth.
Max Foster Wife
Max lives in Berkshire with his wife and three young children. He is half Swedish.
Max Foster Photo
Max Foster CNN
Max joined CNN International as London-based Business Anchor and Correspondent in 2005 . He was appointed permanent co-anchor of CNN Today with Monita Rajpal where he led special coverage of major events including the outbreak of the 2006 Lebanon War and the 2007 London car bombs.
In 2011 after reporting on the wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton, Foster was given the additional title of Royal Correspondent.
He was promoted to Anchor/London Correspondent in May 2014, retaining the royal brief but also heading-up all UK affairs.
He was on air in February 2015 reporting on the identification of Mohammed Emwazi (previously “Jihadi John”) when a technical error brought up an image of Vladimir Putin.
Max regularly anchors from the field on major breaking news and events including the Scottish independence referendum, the United Kingdom general election, 2015 and 2017, the United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, 2016 and the Grenfell Tower fire.
He has also anchored from the scene of terror attacks across Europe including November 2015 Paris attacks, the 2016 Brussels bombings, the 2016 Nice attack, the Berlin attack in 2016 , the London Bridge attack June 2017 and the Stockholm attack in 2017 .
Max has hosted ‘CNN Talk with Max Foster’ since May 2017 which is simulcast on CNN International and Facebook. Max is a commentator on US affairs for LBC, trains anchors for CNN affiliates and regularly moderates and hosts public events for the likes of the United Nations World Tourism Organization.
Max Foster Career
Max began his career when he was sixteen years old on Hospital Radio Swindon with his own weekly entertainment programme. He freelanced as a reporter for ‘Rave’ on BBC Radio Wales at Cardiff University and BBC Radio Five hosted by Rob Brydon. At graduate journalism school, he did a work placement at BBC Wiltshire Sound in Swindon and stayed on for two years.
Max transferred to the BBC World Service as a business presenter-reporter and worked on its flagship Newshour programme in 1997. Max made his name covering the Asian Financial Crisis and, started hosting World Business Report (BBC World Service) at the age of 24. Max went on attachment to BBC TV Business Programmes in 2000 and stayed on.
Max reported for Business Breakfast, BBC World and Working Lunch before taking on a full-time position on BBC Breakfast. He had an exclusive on internet banking security which forced Abbey National (now Santander) to temporarily close down its online service, Cahoot. He also presented the business news and Breakfast Briefing alongside Moira Stuart.
Max Foster Interview
Max sharing his experience as a royal correspondent.
When did you become a royal correspondent and what sustains your interest on this beat?
I was blown away at the international reaction to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton and wanted to find out more. I have travelled widely with the family since and learned that each country has their own interest in them. They are a truly global brand and by working with them I have gained access to people and places I wouldn’t easily reach. This is my first visit to Nigeria for example. New members of the family keep arriving that keep the public interest up too.
So far in your career you have interviewed a lot of people, royalty, celebrities and non-celebrities alike, which of these interviews would you say defined your career and who was it?
I most remember my interviews with Steve Jobs, Donald Trump and Prince William because they happened at key moments in their careers. Steve Jobs had just launched the iPhone, Donald Trump had launched his presidential campaign and Prince William has just had his first child and heir. Big interviews are about timing as much as anything else.
What do you consider the significance of Prince Charles’ visit to Africa, especially Nigeria at this time?
He is preparing to step up as Head of the Commonwealth so it’s important that he strengthens ties between the members. Why do you think he chose this time for these visits? He had been planning to come for some time and the timings worked out now. There are a huge amount of people involved in royal tours and all their diaries need to be matched. I know he wished he could have come back sooner.
Why do you think he chose this time for these visits?
He had been planning to come for some time and the timings worked out now. There are a huge amount of people involved in royal tours and all their diaries need to be matched. I know he wished he could have come back sooner.
You’ve had a one-on-one interview with Prince Charles. What aspect of his personality would you say impressed you enough for you to like to talk about it?
He’s a workaholic and is very passionate about causes close to his heart like climate change. He is often still at his desk at midnight, seven days a week. In person, people find him friendlier and open than they imagined.
From your experience as a royal correspondent, to what extent would you say the British monarchy has evolved over the years? What has changed and what has not?
As the generations move on, it becomes less formal, but I think that reflects the shifting times. Prince Harry is very casual compared to the queen. They can’t assume public support like they used to, so they have to keep up the public work and the younger royals are doing it in a much more approachable way. Some traditionalists worry that such approach reduces the mystical allure of the institution.
Who’s your all-time favourite member of the British Royal family and why?
I genuinely don’t have a favourite as I have to report on them objectively but Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall is the friendliest with the media and always greets us. I have had some great conversations with her, as I have had with Princes William, Harry and Charles.
What’s it like working in the world of the royals?
It’s hard keeping up with them as they move between engagements quickly. The secret is to minimise the kit we take with us and try to get in to the royal convoy which has the advantage of outriders.
What differentiates the very wealthy from the royals of this world?
They haven’t grown up with the same freedoms as you and I. They can’t move freely, speak freely or even vote. So, whilst they enjoy a lot of trappings they have also sacrificed some basic human rights which I would struggle with personally.
Do you think Prince Charles has great plans for the third world in general?
He certainly believes that his work on climate change could help developing countries, as would his initiatives to reduce youth unemployment.
If you were not a journalist, which career path would you have taken and why? Maybe teaching?
I think the two professions have a lot in common. We’re giving people information they can use to make decisions that affect their lives. It’s vital we protect the credibility and independence of journalism as a result.
Adopted from : leadership.ng