Who is Woody Johnson, Donald Trump's nominee for US ambassador to the UK?

Donald Trump has nominated Woody Johnson as ambassador to the UK.

The billionaire owner of the New York Jets American football team is famously shy of the press, so what do we know about him?

Who is Woody Johnson?

Robert Wood Johnson IV, nicknamed ‘Woody’ was born on April 12 1947.

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He has reportedly known Trump for years, but originally supported his rival Jeb Bush in the Republican primaries by serving as his campaign’s finance chairman.

In his personal life, Johnson suffered loss in January 2010 when his 30-year-old daughter Casey, from marriage to first wife Nancy Sale Frey, died of natural causes related to diabetes.

He married second wife Suzanne Ircha in 2009.

Has he got the right experience?

He’s got no government experience, but he has been a long-term fundraiser for the Republican party, which involves schmoozing on a level akin to an ambassador.

In May 2008, he orchestrated a New York City event that netted $7 million for John McCain’s campaign in a single night.

He has also previously supported the White House runs of George W Bush and Mitt Romney but has never before held a government appointment.

Otherwise, he is heir to the pharmaceutical company Johnson and Johnson – his great-grandfather was the founder.

In other news, he’s owned an American football team for over 15 years.

Wait, what? He owns a football team?

Yep, the New York Jets. He purchased the team for $635 million in 2000 and it has performed underwhelmingly ever since. However, it seems like it was a good investment as Forbes recently valued the team at $2,750 million.

Johnson hasn’t clinched the role just yet. The ambassadorial appointment will need to be approved by the US Senate.