Archie Norman
Encyclopedia
Archibald John Norman (born 1 May 1954) is a British businessman and politician. He is at present the only FTSE 100 chairman to have sat in the House of Commons. On 18 November 2009, Norman was announced as the new chairman of ITV plc
. He took up his post in January 2010.
, the University of Minnesota
, Emmanuel College, Cambridge
, and after a short period at Citigroup
a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Harvard Business School
.
on graduation, where William Hague
was one of his protégés. He then held directorships at Geest and Railtrack
, before becoming group finance director at then Britain's largest retailer, Kingfisher plc
at 32. Within five years, he was group chief executive of ASDA and by 42 he was Chairman.
In 1991 he applied for and gained the Chief Executive's position at Asda
- the only applicant for a near bankrupt business. From 1991 until 2000, Norman was Chief Executive and then Chairman of Asda, the large supermarket chain, and with Allan Leighton
is credited with turning it around and making it the second largest in the UK, before its sale to Wal-Mart
in June 1999.
, Norman decided to apply for the Conservative
-safe seat of Tunbridge Wells, soon to be vacated by Sir Patrick Mayhew
. Norman was elected as Conservative Member of Parliament
for Tunbridge Wells
in England, in the 1997 general election
, with a majority of 7,506.
After the heavy defeat in the 1997 election, Norman supported William Hague's bid for leadership, becoming Chief Executive of the Conservative Party and then served as a shadow minister
for the environment in 1999. A year later he was promoted to the Conservative frontbench as Shadow
Secretary of State for Environment, Transport and the Regions. After leaving the Shadow Cabinet in 2001 he founded the think tank
, Policy Exchange
with Francis Maude.
In 2002 Norman became Chairman of Energis having led a consortium of banks in the purchase and refinance of the UK arm from the administrators of Energis
Plc. He stood down as MP at the May 2005 general election
.
for £310 million, from 3i
.
On 18 November 2009, Norman was announced as the new chairman of ITV plc
. In November 2007 Norman advised Wesfarmers on the acquisition of Coles Group and has since overseen the turnaround of Coles in Australia.
Other
Norman sits on the Board of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust
.
He is on the Board of the NIESR, has an Honorary Degree from Leeds Metropolitan University
, was a Director of the Judge Institute, has been elected to the Marketing Society Hall of Fame, and been voted Retailer of the Year and Yorkshire Businessman of the Year. In December 2010 he was granted the Institute of Turnaround Professional Lifetime Achievement Award.
and London. His interests include farming, opera, fishing and tennis.
ITV plc
ITV plc is a British media company that operates 12 of the 15 regional television broadcasters that make up the ITV Network, the oldest and largest commercial terrestrial television network in the United Kingdom...
. He took up his post in January 2010.
Biography
The second of five children of two doctors, Norman was educated at Charterhouse SchoolCharterhouse School
Charterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
, the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
, Emmanuel College, Cambridge
Emmanuel College, Cambridge
Emmanuel College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.The college was founded in 1584 by Sir Walter Mildmay on the site of a Dominican friary...
, and after a short period at Citigroup
Citigroup
Citigroup Inc. or Citi is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Citigroup was formed from one of the world's largest mergers in history by combining the banking giant Citicorp and financial conglomerate...
a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...
.
Business career
Norman joined McKinsey & CompanyMcKinsey & Company
McKinsey & Company, Inc. is a global management consulting firm that focuses on solving issues of concern to senior management. McKinsey serves as an adviser to many businesses, governments, and institutions...
on graduation, where William Hague
William Hague
William Jefferson Hague is the British Foreign Secretary and First Secretary of State. He served as Leader of the Conservative Party from June 1997 to September 2001...
was one of his protégés. He then held directorships at Geest and Railtrack
Railtrack
Railtrack was a group of companies that owned the track, signalling, tunnels, bridges, level crossings and all but a handful of the stations of the British railway system from its formation in April 1994 until 2002...
, before becoming group finance director at then Britain's largest retailer, Kingfisher plc
Kingfisher plc
Kingfisher plc is a multinational retailing company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the largest home improvement retailer in Europe and the third-largest in the world...
at 32. Within five years, he was group chief executive of ASDA and by 42 he was Chairman.
In 1991 he applied for and gained the Chief Executive's position at Asda
Asda
Asda Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, general merchandise, toys and financial services. It also has a mobile telephone network, , Asda Mobile...
- the only applicant for a near bankrupt business. From 1991 until 2000, Norman was Chief Executive and then Chairman of Asda, the large supermarket chain, and with Allan Leighton
Allan Leighton
Allan Leighton is an English businessman, former CEO of Asda and former non-executive Chairman of the Royal Mail.-Biography:Born in Hereford, the son of a Co-op stores manager, he was raised in Oxford...
is credited with turning it around and making it the second largest in the UK, before its sale to Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
in June 1999.
Political career
In 1996 on the advice of Francis MaudeFrancis Maude
Francis Anthony Aylmer Maude is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he currently serves as the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, and as a Member of Parliament representing the constituency of Horsham...
, Norman decided to apply for the Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
-safe seat of Tunbridge Wells, soon to be vacated by Sir Patrick Mayhew
Patrick Mayhew
Patrick Barnabas Burke Mayhew, Baron Mayhew of Twysden, PC is a British barrister, and Conservative Party politician.He was educated at Tonbridge School and Balliol College, Oxford...
. Norman was elected as Conservative Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Tunbridge Wells
Tunbridge Wells (UK Parliament constituency)
Tunbridge Wells is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It returns one Member of Parliament , elected under the first-past-the-post voting system.-Boundaries:...
in England, in the 1997 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
, with a majority of 7,506.
After the heavy defeat in the 1997 election, Norman supported William Hague's bid for leadership, becoming Chief Executive of the Conservative Party and then served as a shadow minister
Shadow Cabinet
The Shadow Cabinet is a senior group of opposition spokespeople in the Westminster system of government who together under the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition form an alternative cabinet to the government's, whose members shadow or mark each individual member of the government...
for the environment in 1999. A year later he was promoted to the Conservative frontbench as Shadow
Shadow Cabinet
The Shadow Cabinet is a senior group of opposition spokespeople in the Westminster system of government who together under the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition form an alternative cabinet to the government's, whose members shadow or mark each individual member of the government...
Secretary of State for Environment, Transport and the Regions. After leaving the Shadow Cabinet in 2001 he founded the think tank
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
, Policy Exchange
Policy Exchange
Policy Exchange is a British conservative think tank based in London. The Daily Telegraph has described it as "the largest, but also the most influential think tank on the right"...
with Francis Maude.
In 2002 Norman became Chairman of Energis having led a consortium of banks in the purchase and refinance of the UK arm from the administrators of Energis
Energis
Energis Communications Limited, briefly Telecom Electric, or more usually just Energis was a 'technology driven communications company' based in the UK and Ireland...
Plc. He stood down as MP at the May 2005 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
.
Return to business
On leaving Parliament, Norman set up Aurigo Management, a private equity firm primarily focussed on the retail/consumer space. In July 2007 Aurigo bought tool hire retailer HSS HireHSS Hire
HSS Hire Service Group Limited is a supplier of tool and equipment hire in the UK and Ireland, as well as being a logistical and technical partner to businesses of all sizes. Operating under the banner of HSS Hire, the Group has a network of over 250 outlets. HSS Hire originated in Kensington, west...
for £310 million, from 3i
3i
3i Group plc is a multinational private equity and venture capital company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It has offices in 13 countries across Asia, Europe and the Americas and had total assets under management of £12.7 billion as at 31 March 2011...
.
On 18 November 2009, Norman was announced as the new chairman of ITV plc
ITV plc
ITV plc is a British media company that operates 12 of the 15 regional television broadcasters that make up the ITV Network, the oldest and largest commercial terrestrial television network in the United Kingdom...
. In November 2007 Norman advised Wesfarmers on the acquisition of Coles Group and has since overseen the turnaround of Coles in Australia.
Other
Norman sits on the Board of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust
Cystic Fibrosis Trust
The Cystic Fibrosis Trust, founded in 1964, is the United Kingdom’s only national charity dedicated to all aspects of cystic fibrosis . It funds research to treat and cure CF and aims to ensure appropriate clinical care and support for people with cystic fibrosis.-Objectives:Its objectives are:*To...
.
He is on the Board of the NIESR, has an Honorary Degree from Leeds Metropolitan University
Leeds Metropolitan University
Leeds Metropolitan University is a British University with three campuses. Two are situated in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England while the third is situated in Bhopal, India...
, was a Director of the Judge Institute, has been elected to the Marketing Society Hall of Fame, and been voted Retailer of the Year and Yorkshire Businessman of the Year. In December 2010 he was granted the Institute of Turnaround Professional Lifetime Achievement Award.
Personal life
Married with one daughter, he has homes in YorkshireYorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
and London. His interests include farming, opera, fishing and tennis.