David Puttnam has spent thirty years as an independent producer of award-winning films, including many of my favourites such as CHARIOTS OF FIRE (1981), MIDNIGHT EXPRESS (1978), THE KILLING FIELDS (1984), THE MISSION (1986), BUGSY MALONE (1976). Together these films have won ten Academy Awards,13 Golden Globes, 31 BAFTAS, nine Emmys, four David di Donatellos and the Palme D’Or at Cannes. From 1986 to 1988, he was Chairman and CEO of Columbia Pictures and between 1994 to 2004 he was Vice President and Chair of Trustees at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts and was awarded a BAFTA Fellowship in 2006.He has personally won 13 major film awards and nine other nominations, including the Best Picture Oscar for producing CHARIOTS OF FIRE, receiving three other nominations, four BAFTA Awards, and three Emmy noms.

David pursues an active role in a variety of areas including education, environment and digital skills. He is the recipient of over 50 honary degrees and fellowships. He founded the Irish-based Atticus Education in 2012 that delivers audio-visual seminars to students worldwide.
After his knighthood in 1995, Sir David received a life peerage two years later, sitting on the Labour benches in The House of Lords, where I sent this sketch, which Lord Puttnam kindly returned, signed and dedicated, accompanied by a nice note.