Martha Lane Fox is a British businesswoman, philanthropist, and public servant. Born in London in 1973, she attended Oxford University, where she studied ancient and modern history and graduated with a BA degree. Lane Fox co-founded Lastminute.com in 1998 with Brent Hoberman, an online travel and leisure store. The company grew rapidly, reaching a valuation of £700 million within five years and employing 1,400 people. Lane Fox left her role as managing director in 2003.
Lane Fox has held various positions in public service, including entering the House of Lords in 2013 as the youngest female member in history, becoming Chancellor of the Open University in 2014, and joining the board of social networking site Twitter in 2016. She has also been recognized for her contributions to charity and the digital economy, receiving the CBE in the New Year Honours in 2013 and being named the most influential woman in digital in November 2019.
