British Red Cross head of international law Michael Meyer tells Alex Aldridge how he came to a job that allows him to contribute to peace talks in the Middle East

At first glance, Michael Meyer’s daily routine – which sees him work 8am to 9pm out of offices in Moorgate in central London, punctuated with frequent business trips abroad – is much like that of a partner at a major law firm or senior in-house lawyer at a FTSE 100 company. But the days of the British Red Cross’ head of international law are filled with rather different concerns.