John L. Thornton was elected to the Ford Motor Company board of directors in 1996. He serves on the compensation committee, finance committee and nominating and governance committee.

He is chairman of Barrick Gold Corporation, co-chairman of the Brookings Institution board of trustees and serves as advisory board member of China Investment Corporation and China Securities Regulatory Commission. He is also a professor and director of the global leadership program at Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management in Beijing.

Thornton retired as president and co-chief operating officer of The Goldman Sachs Group in 2003. He was chairman of Goldman Sachs-Asia from 1996 to 1998. Previously, he was co-chief executive of Goldman Sachs International, the firm’s business in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Thornton joined Goldman Sachs in 1980 and was named a partner in 1988.

He also serves on the board at China Unicom Limited, Hong Kong.