Kestenbaum was born in Tokyo, Japan, and is British.[1] Both his parents' families fled Nazi Germany – first to the United States, then Japan. The family moved to the UK in 1964 when he was five years old.
Before becoming active in business, he started his career in education, building an international training programme for young educators.
Subsequently, Kestenbaum was Chief Executive of the Office of the Chief Rabbi, Lord Sacks, and then Chief Executive of the charity the United Jewish Israel Appeal (UJIA).[4][6] Following a restructure which involved a merger with another UK charity, the UJIA won the National Charity Award.[4][7] He has also worked as Chief of Staff to Sir Ronald Cohen, the Chairman of private equity firm Apax Partners, and was founding Chief Executive of non-profit "action tank" The Portland Trust.[4]
In 2010 he was appointed Chairman of Five Arrows Ltd, and subsequently became chief operating officer of the listed investment trust RIT Capital Partners plc.[4][6][12][13]
Kestenbaum twice represented Great Britain at football in the Maccabiah Games - in 2001 as a player and in 2009 as Manager.[18][19][20] He is an Honorary Life President of Maccabi GB.[21]
He serves on the Board of Windmill Hill Asset Management.[21] In 2023 he was appointed as a Director of JPMorgan Japanese Investment Trust plc. In the same year he was appointed as a Trustee of Teach First and serves as the Vice Chairman of Labour Together.
In December 2013, Kestenbaum was installed as Chancellor of Plymouth University.[22][21]
Lord Kestenbaum serves as a member of the Select Committee on Financial Services Regulation.
Arms
Coat of arms of Jonathan Kestenbaum, Baron Kestenbaum
Crest
In front of two arched tablets of stone representing those inscribed with the Ten Commandments Proper a cat couchant resting the dexter forepaw on a scroll Argent.[26]
Escutcheon
Gules a horse chestnut tree eradicated Or flowered Argent fructed Gules in chiief fourt martlets Argent.
Supporters
On either side a lion Or that on the dexter resting its interior hind leg on an eastern hemisphere territorial globe and that on the sinister resting its interior hind leg on a western hemisphere territorial globe Or the land masses Sable.