Louise Patten
Encyclopedia
Louise Patten, Lady Patten (born 1954) is a British
businesswoman and author, who is the wife of the Conservative
politician, John Patten
and the granddaughter of the RMS Titanic Second Officer, Charles Lightoller
. .
and then to Oxford University. She married John Patten in 1978 and has one daughter, Mary-Claire Patten.
She started work at Citibank
in 1977. Four years later she moved to Wells Fargo Bank and then in 1985 became a partner in PA Consulting. In 1993 she left PA Consulting and became a non-executive director at the Hilton Group and at Harveys Furniture
.
In 1998 she started as NED of Somerfield
, a chain of small supermarkets. She rose to become chairman and stayed there until it was taken over by The Co-operative Group
in March 2009.
In 2006 she started as a non-executive director
of Marks & Spencer
plc. As chairman of the Remuneration Committee, she was responsible for approving a bonus scheme which was criticised for making it easier for exective directors to change the associated growth targets.
She was later the chairman of Brixton plc
, a FTSE 250 property business. In 2003 she was nicknamed "Queen of the Sheds" and described "the most powerful woman in property" due to this role. .
She was a non-exective director of Bradford & Bingley
when the company failed and was nationalised in 2008. She has remained on the board and is now an NED of UK Asset Resolution, which combines the run-down mortgages of the former Northern Rock and Bradford & Bingley.
, and Good as Gold, a historical noval about the RMS Titanic. In Good as Gold she said that the sinking had been caused by an error on the steering deck, due to confusion between competing systems of navigation orders.
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...
businesswoman and author, who is the wife of 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...
politician, John Patten
John Patten, Baron Patten
John Haggitt Charles Patten, Baron Patten, PC is a former Conservative Party Member of Parliament in the British House of Commons...
and the granddaughter of the RMS Titanic Second Officer, Charles Lightoller
Charles Lightoller
Commander Charles Herbert Lightoller DSC & Bar, RD, RNR was the second mate on board the , and the most senior officer to survive the disaster...
. .
Background
Patten went to St Paul's Girls' SchoolSt Paul's Girls' School
St Paul's Girls' School is a senior independent school, located in Brook Green, Hammersmith, in West London, England.-History:In 1904 a new day school for girls was established by the trustees of the Dean Colet Foundation , which had run St Paul's School for boys since the sixteenth century...
and then to Oxford University. She married John Patten in 1978 and has one daughter, Mary-Claire Patten.
Business career
Patten is one of the few women who has held a senior position in British business. She states that "business is still organised for the majority, who are men" and this lifestyle is a major issue for women in business. During her career she has tended to choose companies that are family-friendly and has had a "portfolio career" - multiple part time jobs at several companies. . In 2007 she earnt over £250,000 from non-exective directorships.She started work at Citibank
Citibank
Citibank, a major international bank, is the consumer banking arm of financial services giant Citigroup. Citibank was founded in 1812 as the City Bank of New York, later First National City Bank of New York...
in 1977. Four years later she moved to Wells Fargo Bank and then in 1985 became a partner in PA Consulting. In 1993 she left PA Consulting and became a non-executive director at the Hilton Group and at Harveys Furniture
Harveys Furniture
Harveys Furniture is a British furniture retailer with over 150 stores throughout the United Kingdom. It has been the sponsor of long running soap opera Coronation Street since 30 September 2007. It is wholly owned by Steinhoff International which owns more than 70 factories. Steinhoff was founded...
.
In 1998 she started as NED of Somerfield
Somerfield
Somerfield was a chain of small to medium sized supermarkets operating in the United Kingdom. The company was taken over by the Co-operative Group on 2 March 2009 in a £1.57 billion deal, creating the UK's fifth largest food retailer. The name is currently being phased out and replaced by the...
, a chain of small supermarkets. She rose to become chairman and stayed there until it was taken over by The Co-operative Group
The Co-operative Group
The Co-operative Group Ltd. is a United Kingdom consumer cooperative with a diverse range of business interests. It is co-operatively run and owned by its members. It is the largest organisation of this type in the world, with over 5.5 million members, who all have a say in how the business is...
in March 2009.
In 2006 she started as a non-executive director
Non-executive director
A non-executive director or outside director is a member of the board of directors of a company who does not form part of the executive management team. He or she is not an employee of the company or affiliated with it in any other way...
of Marks & Spencer
Marks & Spencer
Marks and Spencer plc is a British retailer headquartered in the City of Westminster, London, with over 700 stores in the United Kingdom and over 300 stores spread across more than 40 countries. It specialises in the selling of clothing and luxury food products...
plc. As chairman of the Remuneration Committee, she was responsible for approving a bonus scheme which was criticised for making it easier for exective directors to change the associated growth targets.
She was later the chairman of Brixton plc
Brixton plc
Brixton plc is a British-based property business headquartered in London. It is a former constituent of the FTSE 250 Index. The firm switched to Real Estate Investment Trust status when REITs were introduced in the United Kingdom in January 2007.-History:...
, a FTSE 250 property business. In 2003 she was nicknamed "Queen of the Sheds" and described "the most powerful woman in property" due to this role. .
She was a non-exective director of Bradford & Bingley
Bradford & Bingley
Bradford & Bingley plc is a British bank with headquarters in the West Yorkshire town of Bingley. In 2008, partly due to the credit crunch, the bank was nationalised and in effect split into two parts; the mortgage book remained with the now publicly owned Bradford & Bingley plc, and the deposits...
when the company failed and was nationalised in 2008. She has remained on the board and is now an NED of UK Asset Resolution, which combines the run-down mortgages of the former Northern Rock and Bradford & Bingley.
Novelist
She is the author of the novels Bad Money, a thriller based in the City of LondonCity of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
, and Good as Gold, a historical noval about the RMS Titanic. In Good as Gold she said that the sinking had been caused by an error on the steering deck, due to confusion between competing systems of navigation orders.