JOHN
BANHAM
Sir John
Banham is
the Chairman
of Whitbread
PLC and ECI
Ventures Group,
a leading
provider of
venture capital
for mid-market
management
buyouts. He
is also the
senior Non
Executive
Director of
AMVESCAP PLC
and a Director
of Merchants
Trust PLC.
Sir John
was the Chairman
on Kingfisher
PLC from 1996
to December
2001, when
he stood down
following
the successful
sale/ de-merger
of the Groups
General Merchandise
businesses
and properties.
He was Chairman
of Tarmac
PLC from February
1994 until
March 2000
when it was
taken over
by Anglo American
plc in an
agreed bid
following
the de-merger
of Carillion
plc. He was
the Chairman
of the Government's
Retail and
Consumer Affairs
Foresight
Panel from
1998 to April
2001.
In addition,
Sir John Banham
was Director
General of
the Confederation
of British
Industry from
1987 to 1992.
Since leaving
the CBI, he
has been involved
in a wide
cross-section
of companies,
in addition
to his current
appointments.
He was a Director
of National
Power for
six years
until July
1998 and Chairman
of that Company’s
Remuneration
Committee.
He was also
a Director
of the National
Westminster
Bank and Chairman
of the Bank’s
Remuneration
Committee
until April
1998 when
he stood down
after six
year’s
service.
He was founding
Chairman of
West Country
Television
from June
1992 until
it was sold
to Carlton
Communications
in December
1996 for over
ten times
the original
investment.
He was Chairman
of Labatt
Breweries
from July
1992 - September
1995, when
the Company
was taken
over by Interbrew,
realising
significant
value for
shareholders.
Overall, in
the period
since he left
the CBI in
mid 1992,
Sir John’s
portfolio
of UK publicity
quoted companies
(excluding
private equity)
has out-performed
the FTSE 100
Index significantly.
Sir John
was the first
Chairman of
the Local
Government
Commission
for England,
from June
1992 to March
1995. This
review resulted
in the creation
of 48 new
Unitary Authorities
in England,
and the restoration
of the historic
boundaries
of the Counties
of the East
Riding of
Yorkshire,
County Durham,
Gloucestershire,
Lincolnshire,
Somerset and
Rutland. At
the same time,
County Government
in England
was not abolished
as was the
case in Scotland
and Wales,
as the Conservative
Government
had originally
intended.
As a result
(compared
to the situation
in Scotland
and Wales)
the taxpayers
of Shire England
have saved
of the order
of £2.2
billion by
avoiding the
costs that
would have
been involved
in the transition,
and a further
£1.75
billion a
year by avoiding
higher continuing
administrative
costs.
Immediately
prior to his
appointment
at the CBI,
Sir John was
the first
Controller
(Chief Executive)
of the Audit
Commission
when this
was established
in 1983. It
was originally
set up to
monitor efficiency
and to seek
better value
for money
in local government:
its responsibilities
were subsequently
extended to
cover the
NHS. The Commission
evaluates
hits value
for money
performance
over a 6 year
period. At
the end of
the first
6 years to
1988, the
Commission
estimated
in its Annual
report that
opportunities
worth over
£2 billion
a year had
been identified,
of which half
had been implemented.
Sir John
Banham started
his career
in the Foreign
Office in
1962 after
gaining a
first-class
Honours Degree
in Natural
Sciences at
Queens College,
Cambridge.
In 1964 he
spent a year
with J Walter
Thompson and
then moved
to Reed International,
where he became
Director of
Marketing
for the Wall-coverings
Division of
the Group.
In 1969 he
joined management
consultants
McKinsey and
Company, becoming
a Principal
in 1975 and
youngest British
Director of
the firm in
1980. He gained
wide experience
of the public
and private
sectors in
the UK, USA
and Europe.
He was directly
involved in
major consultancy
assignments
for the UK
and US Governments
as well as
a variety
of leading
UK companies
in engineering,
aviation,
food processing,
electrical
engineering
and steel
making at
critical stages
in their development.
Sir John has
published
widely, including
The Future
of the British
car Industry
(1975) which
became a set
book for students
of GCE A-level
Economics,
Realising
the Promise
of a National
Health Service
(1977) and
The Anatomy
of Change,
Blueprint
for a New
Era, which
was published
in March 1994.
Sir John
Banham holds
a number of
honorary degrees,
including
an Honorary
LLD from the
University
of Bath (1987);
Honorary DSc
from the Universities
of Loughborough
(1989), Exeter
(1993) and
Strathclyde
(1995). He
was also awarded
an Honorary
Fellowship
of the City
& Guilds
of London
Institute
in 1996.
Sir John
has been involved
in a number
of charitable
and voluntary
activities.
He is currently
a Trustee
of the Prince’s
Foundation,
the Honorary
Treasurer
of the Cancer
Research Campaign,
a Patron of
the St Giles’
Trust for
the Homeless
in South East
London and
was, until
April 1998,
a Managing
Trustee of
the Nuffield
Foundation,
which position
he held for
nine years.
He was the
Chairman of
South West
Enterprise
(a private
sector organisation
concerned
with regional
development
in the South
West) from
1995 to 1998
when it was
wound up to
be replaced
by the Government’s
new Regional
Development
Agency for
the South
West.
Sir John
was knighted
in the 1992
New Year’
Honours List.
He was born
in Torquay
in 1940 and
was appointed
a Deputy Lieutenant
for the County
of Cornwall
in early 1999.
Sir John
is often invited
to contribute
to National
television/Radio
News and Current
Affairs programmes
and has written
articles for
The Financial
Times, The
Times and
other leading
newspapers
and specialist
journals.
He is also
much in demand
as a Public
Speaker on
a number of
subjects including,
amongst others:-
Corporate
Governance:
based on his
experience
of large and
small companies
and the success
of his portfolio
of businesses
he is well
placed to
comment on
remuneration
and Board
structure
and management
issues;
E-Commerce
With his experience
as Chairman
of the Foresight
Retail and
Consumer Services
Panel, as
well as Kingfisher’s
experience
of the Internet
and Inter-active
(digital)
television,
Sir John is
often asked
to highlight
the challenges
and opportunities
posed by the
new technologies
for business
and consumers
alike.
The impact
of Monetary
Union
Sir John Banham
has first-hand
exposure to
the effect
of EMU on
business,
directly and
indirectly,
with experience
of trading
in Euros.
Regional
Economic Development
Under Sir
John’s
leadership,
South West
Enterprise
has produced
the first
detailed Prospectus
for a Regional
Development
Agency.
Urban Renewal
Sir John has
worked on
strategies
to renew parts
of Glasgow,
Newcastle,
and Birmingham,
and he has
been responsible
for publications
by the Audit
Commission
and the CBI
dealing with
the problems
of inner city
regeneration.
The implications
of devolution
for Central
and Local
Government
With his first-hand
experience
of central
and local
government
in England,
understanding
of the NHS
and knowledge
of the problems
of regional
economic development.
Sir John is
well placed
to highlight
the problems
and opportunities
inherent in
the present
Government’s
approach to
devolution
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