Garry Weston
Encyclopedia
Garfield "Garry" Howard Weston, CBE
(April 28, 1927 – February 15, 2002) was a Canadian-born
businessman in the United Kingdom
. Born in Toronto, Ontario, he was the son of Reta (née Howard) and W. Garfield Weston
, owner of the George Weston Limited
conglomerate headquartered in Toronto: fourth of their nine children. Garry moved to England with his family at the age of 4 but always kept his Canadian citizenship.
Garry became managing director of Ryvita
, and at the age of 22 he invented the Wagon Wheels
biscuit which carried the family name. He left Ryvita in 1952 and co-founded the Weston Biscuit Company in Australia
. He returned to the UK to manage Associated British Foods
(ABF) which his father had established in 1935 and he had served on its Board of Directors
from 1949, taking over as company chairman in 1967. He remained on the board until 2000.
Weston served as head of the W. Garfield Weston Foundation and was a benefactor of numerous philanthropic
projects. For instance, in 1999, he directed a 20 million pound donation to the British Museum
from the Garfield Weston Foundation, set up in 1958 with money from his parents, siblings and himself.
He married Mary, daughter of Major-General Sir Howard Kippenberger
and they had six children together: Guy, Jana, Kate, George, Sophia and Garth.
Garry Weston suffered a stroke
in 1999 and died in 2002. His son George
is chief executive of ABF and Guy Weston
is chairman of Wittington Investments, Ltd., ABF's major shareholder. His other children are Jana Khayat
, Kate Hobhouse, Sophia Mason and Garth Weston.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(April 28, 1927 – February 15, 2002) was a Canadian-born
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
businessman in the United Kingdom
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...
. Born in Toronto, Ontario, he was the son of Reta (née Howard) and W. Garfield Weston
W. Garfield Weston
Willard Garfield Weston, OC, , Canadian businessman and philanthropist, led George Weston Limited and its various subsidiaries and associated companies, including Associated British Foods, for half a century and established one of the world's largest food processing and distribution concerns...
, owner of the George Weston Limited
George Weston Limited
George Weston Limited , often referred to as Weston or Weston's, is Canada's largest food processing and distribution company. Founded by George Weston in 1882, the company today consists of Weston Foods, a wholly owned subsidiary, and Loblaw Companies Limited, the country's largest supermarket...
conglomerate headquartered in Toronto: fourth of their nine children. Garry moved to England with his family at the age of 4 but always kept his Canadian citizenship.
Garry became managing director of Ryvita
Ryvita
Ryvita is a rye-based crispbread which up until 2009 was manufactured by The Ryvita Company. The company was founded in Birmingham, England, in 1930 and is today a subsidiary of Associated British Foods. Ryvita crackers are popular with dieters...
, and at the age of 22 he invented the Wagon Wheels
Wagon Wheels
Wagon Wheels are a snack food sold in Australia, Canada, Iran, United Kingdom, Russia, Malta and the Republic of Ireland. They are biscuits topped with marshmallow and covered in a chocolate flavoured coating. The biscuit itself is round to represent the wheel of a wagon .Wagon Wheels were created...
biscuit which carried the family name. He left Ryvita in 1952 and co-founded the Weston Biscuit Company in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. He returned to the UK to manage Associated British Foods
Associated British Foods
Associated British Foods plc is a global food, ingredients and retail company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. Its ingredients division is the world's second largest producer of both sugar and baker's yeast and a major producer of other ingredients including emulsifiers, enzymes and lactose...
(ABF) which his father had established in 1935 and he had served on its Board of Directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
from 1949, taking over as company chairman in 1967. He remained on the board until 2000.
Weston served as head of the W. Garfield Weston Foundation and was a benefactor of numerous philanthropic
Philanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
projects. For instance, in 1999, he directed a 20 million pound donation to the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
from the Garfield Weston Foundation, set up in 1958 with money from his parents, siblings and himself.
He married Mary, daughter of Major-General Sir Howard Kippenberger
Howard Kippenberger
Major-General Sir Howard Karl Kippenberger, KBE, CB, DSO, ED, , known as Kip, served as a New Zealand soldier in both World Wars.-Personal life:Howard Kippenberger married Ruth Isobel Flynn, of Lyttelton in 1922...
and they had six children together: Guy, Jana, Kate, George, Sophia and Garth.
Garry Weston suffered a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
in 1999 and died in 2002. His son George
George G. Weston
George Garfield Weston is a British businessman. He is a son of Garry Weston. He is Chief Executive of Associated British Foods, a role for which he is paid an annual salary of £825,000.-Early life:...
is chief executive of ABF and Guy Weston
Guy Weston
Guy Weston is a British businessman. He is the eldest son of Garry Weston and Mary Weston, and brother of George G. Weston. Guy has held positions in the past in Associated British Foods. He is Chairman of Heal's plc.-Biography:...
is chairman of Wittington Investments, Ltd., ABF's major shareholder. His other children are Jana Khayat
Jana Khayat
Jana Khayat serves on the board of the department store Fortnum & Mason.The third child of Garry Weston, billionaire chairman of Associated British Foods, Jana graduated from Oxford University with a history degree before joining the Fortnum & Mason management team...
, Kate Hobhouse, Sophia Mason and Garth Weston.