Gerge Weidenfeld at his desk at the New Bond St offices, 1963 (photo)

George Weidenfeld, (born 1919) Austrian-born British publisher, philanthropist, and newspaper columnist. He co-founded the highly successful and influential publishing firm Weidenfeld & Nicolson in 1948. In 1949 he served as Chief of Cabinet to the president of Israel, Chaim Weizmann. In 2006 he founded the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, which works with global leaders to challenge the long-range threats to international peace and to enhance the effectiveness of Europe. He was created a Life peer in 1976 and appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) in 2011 for public service.