Christopher Bland
Encyclopedia
Sir Christopher Buchan Bland (born 29 May 1938) is a British
businessman and politician. He was Chairman of the Board of Governors
of the BBC
from 1996 to 2001, when he took up a position as Chairman of British Telecommunications plc. He left his position with BT in September 2007.
Born in Northern Ireland
, Bland was educated at Sedbergh School
in Cumbria
and The Queen's College, Oxford
. While at Oxford he was a member of the Irish
Olympic
fencing
team in 1960
; he captained the Oxford University Fencing and Modern Pentathlon teams. He spent his National Service
with the 5th Royal Enniskillen Dragoon Guards and afterwards became involved in Conservative Party
politics. Together with Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler
he wrote a pamphlet in 1964 on immigration, urging fewer controls over entry and more effort to integrate immigrant communities. He worked as a management consultant with Booz & Company
.
He was elected as a member
of the Greater London Council
for Lewisham
from 1967
, and became Deputy Chairman of Inner London Education Authority
and Chairman of the Schools committee. He was elected chairman of the Bow Group
think tank on 10 April 1969 to 1970 and also edited its magazine Crossbow. With his business career demanding more time, he stood down from the GLC at the 1970 election
.
On 29 June 1972 it was announced that Bland was to become Deputy Chairman of the Independent Television Authority
(later the Independent Broadcasting Authority
) for a term from 1 July 1972 to 31 July 1976. Shortly afterwards he moved from Booz-Allen Hamilton to First National Finance Corporation [1973-74]. Bland retained his involvement in politics and was critical of changes made by Margaret Thatcher
to Conservative Central Office staff shortly after her election as Leader in 1975. In 1976 he put his name to a supporting statement issued by the National Campaign for Electoral Reform. He was given a second four year term on the IBA from 1976 to 1980.
During the 1970s Bland ran construction and engineering firm Beyer Peacock and printers Sir Joseph Causton & Sons. From 1 January 1982 he joined the board of LWT (Holdings)
and on January 1, 1984 succeeded John Freeman
as Chairman of the main board of LWT. He was a Director of ITN and GMTV, and Chairman of Century Hutchinson, an LWT subsidiary When, after the 1993 franchise renewal, LWT was taken over by Granada
, Bland became a millionaire.
From 1982 to 1994, Bland was chairman of the Hammersmith
and Queen Charlotte's Hospitals NHS special health authority
, subsequently chairing Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust, including Charing Cross Hospital
, from 1994 to February 1997. He was knighted for his work in the National Health Service
in 1993.
Bland has held other public sector roles: as Chairman of the Private Finance Panel from 1995 to 1996 and as a member of the Prime Minister's Advisory Panel on the Citizen's Charter.
He became chairman of the BT
Board on 1 May 2001 and left in September 2007.
He remains a senior adviser at Warburg Pincus
(a private equity firm),Chairman of and a substantial shareholder in Canongate Press and Leiths School of Food and Wine, and was appointed Chairman of the Royal Shakespeare Company
in April 2004.
He is stepfather to the author Georgia Byng
and the owner of the Edinburgh based publishing house Canongate Books
Jamie Byng
following his marriage in 1981.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
businessman and politician. He was Chairman of the Board of Governors
Board of governors
Board of governors is a term sometimes applied to the board of directors of a public entity or non-profit organization.Many public institutions, such as public universities, are government-owned corporations. The British Broadcasting Corporation was managed by a board of governors, though this role...
of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
from 1996 to 2001, when he took up a position as Chairman of British Telecommunications plc. He left his position with BT in September 2007.
Born in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, Bland was educated at Sedbergh School
Sedbergh School
Sedbergh School is a boarding school in Sedbergh, Cumbria, for boys and girls aged 13 to 18. Nestled in the Howgill Fells, it is known for sporting sides, such as its Rugby Union 1st XV.-Background:...
in Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
and The Queen's College, Oxford
The Queen's College, Oxford
The Queen's College, founded 1341, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Queen's is centrally situated on the High Street, and is renowned for its 18th-century architecture...
. While at Oxford he was a member of the Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
fencing
Fencing
Fencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...
team in 1960
1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
; he captained the Oxford University Fencing and Modern Pentathlon teams. He spent his National Service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
with the 5th Royal Enniskillen Dragoon Guards and afterwards became involved in Conservative Party
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...
politics. Together with Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler
Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler
Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler was a British politician, most notable for being the sole Conservative Member of Parliament to defect to the Social Democratic Party ....
he wrote a pamphlet in 1964 on immigration, urging fewer controls over entry and more effort to integrate immigrant communities. He worked as a management consultant with Booz & Company
Booz & Company
Booz & Company is a global management consulting firm established in the United States in 1914. It is recognized as one of the most prestigious management consulting firms in the world and one of the best consulting firms to work for by Consulting Magazine...
.
He was elected as a member
Members of the Greater London Council
The following people served as Members of the Greater London Council, either as councillors or Aldermen. The polling days were:* April 9, 1964 * April 13, 1967...
of the Greater London Council
Greater London Council
The Greater London Council was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area...
for Lewisham
Lewisham
Lewisham is a district in South London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
from 1967
Greater London Council election, 1967
The second election to the Greater London Council was held on 13 April 1967, and saw the first Conservative victory for a London-wide authority since 1931...
, and became Deputy Chairman of Inner London Education Authority
Inner London Education Authority
The Inner London Education Authority was the education authority for the 12 inner London boroughs from 1965 until its abolition in 1990.-History:...
and Chairman of the Schools committee. He was elected chairman of the Bow Group
Bow Group
The Bow Group is one of the oldest think tanks in the United Kingdom. Taking its name from the Bow area of London where it first met, it was founded in 1951...
think tank on 10 April 1969 to 1970 and also edited its magazine Crossbow. With his business career demanding more time, he stood down from the GLC at the 1970 election
Greater London Council election, 1970
The third election to the Greater London Council was held on 9 April 1970 and saw a Conservative victory with a reduced majority. In addition to the 100 councillors, there were sixteen Aldermen who divided 11 Conservative and 5 Labour, so that the Conservatives actually had 76 seats to 40 for...
.
On 29 June 1972 it was announced that Bland was to become Deputy Chairman of the Independent Television Authority
Independent Television Authority
The Independent Television Authority was an agency created by the Television Act 1954 to supervise the creation of "Independent Television" , the first commercial television network in the United Kingdom...
(later the Independent Broadcasting Authority
Independent Broadcasting Authority
The Independent Broadcasting Authority was the regulatory body in the United Kingdom for commercial television - and commercial/independent radio broadcasts...
) for a term from 1 July 1972 to 31 July 1976. Shortly afterwards he moved from Booz-Allen Hamilton to First National Finance Corporation [1973-74]. Bland retained his involvement in politics and was critical of changes made by Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
to Conservative Central Office staff shortly after her election as Leader in 1975. In 1976 he put his name to a supporting statement issued by the National Campaign for Electoral Reform. He was given a second four year term on the IBA from 1976 to 1980.
During the 1970s Bland ran construction and engineering firm Beyer Peacock and printers Sir Joseph Causton & Sons. From 1 January 1982 he joined the board of LWT (Holdings)
London Weekend Television
London Weekend Television was the name of the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties including south Suffolk, middle and east Hampshire, Oxfordshire, south Bedfordshire, south Northamptonshire, parts of Herefordshire & Worcestershire, Warwickshire, east Dorset and...
and on January 1, 1984 succeeded John Freeman
John Freeman
John Freeman may refer to:*John Freeman , character animator for Disney, Marvel Studios and others*John Freeman , Australian politician*John Freeman , writer and literary critic...
as Chairman of the main board of LWT. He was a Director of ITN and GMTV, and Chairman of Century Hutchinson, an LWT subsidiary When, after the 1993 franchise renewal, LWT was taken over by Granada
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
, Bland became a millionaire.
From 1982 to 1994, Bland was chairman of the Hammersmith
Hammersmith Hospital
Hammersmith Hospital is a major teaching hospital in West London. It is part of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, and is associated with the Imperial College Faculty of Medicine...
and Queen Charlotte's Hospitals NHS special health authority
NHS Special Health Authority
A special health authority is a type of NHS trust which provide services on behalf of the National Health Service in England. Unlike other types of Trust, they operate nationally rather than serve a specific geographical area....
, subsequently chairing Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust, including Charing Cross Hospital
Charing Cross Hospital
Charing Cross Hospital is a general, acute hospital located in London, United Kingdom and established in 1818. It is located several miles to the west of the city centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham....
, from 1994 to February 1997. He was knighted for his work in the National Health Service
National Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
in 1993.
Bland has held other public sector roles: as Chairman of the Private Finance Panel from 1995 to 1996 and as a member of the Prime Minister's Advisory Panel on the Citizen's Charter.
He became chairman of the BT
BT Group
BT Group plc is a global telecommunications services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is one of the largest telecommunications services companies in the world and has operations in more than 170 countries. Through its BT Global Services division it is a major supplier of...
Board on 1 May 2001 and left in September 2007.
He remains a senior adviser at Warburg Pincus
Warburg Pincus
Warburg Pincus, LLC is an American private equity firm with offices in the United States, Europe, Brazil and Asia. It has been a private equity investor since 1966...
(a private equity firm),Chairman of and a substantial shareholder in Canongate Press and Leiths School of Food and Wine, and was appointed Chairman of the Royal Shakespeare Company
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs 700 staff and produces around 20 productions a year from its home in Stratford-upon-Avon and plays regularly in London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and on tour across...
in April 2004.
He is stepfather to the author Georgia Byng
Georgia Byng
Lady Georgia Mary Caroline Byng, , is a British author of children's books and a former actress. Her first writing was for a comic strip, and her first published book was The Sock Monsters. Byng's best known work is Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism and its sequels, about a girl who finds a...
and the owner of the Edinburgh based publishing house Canongate Books
Canongate Books
Canongate Books is a Scottish independent publishing firm based in Edinburgh; it is named for The Canongate, an area of the city. It is most recognised for publishing the Booker Prizewinner Life of Pi...
Jamie Byng
Jamie Byng
James Edmund "Jamie" Byng works for the independent publishing firm Canongate Books.-Family and education:Byng is the second son of the 8th Earl of Stafford and Jennifer May, brother to the author Georgia Byng and grew up in Abbots Worthy, Hampshire. He was educated at Winchester College and...
following his marriage in 1981.