Peter Gummer, Baron Chadlington
Encyclopedia
Peter Selwyn Gummer, Baron Chadlington FCIPR
FIoD
FCinstM
FRSA (born 24 August 1942) is an English businessman.
priest, and his wife Margaret Mason. Gummer has two brothers; John Gummer, Baron Deben
, former Chairman
of the Conservative Party
, and Mark Selwyn Gummer, a businessman. He was educated at The King's School, Rochester
before matriculating to Selwyn College, Cambridge
, where he read Moral Science
and Theology, with the aim of becoming a priest. Reading the works of philosophers such as Albert Camus
led him to change his mind, and after gaining a Bachelor of Arts
and Master of Arts he instead went into journalism.
(PR) firm called Shandwick
in 1974, serving as its Chairman. Within seven years Shandwick was the largest PR company in the United Kingdom, and in 1984 it became publicly listed
. In 1998 it was sold to the Interpublic Group of Companies
, and is now part of Huntsworth
. Initially chairman of Huntsworth, Gummer was appointed chief executive on 25 September 2005 after the resignation of Richard Nichols, the group's previous chief executive. Gummer left this position on 12 May 2005, instead becoming an executive director.
As well as his public relations work Gummer is also a non-executive director of Britax
, a former director of Halifax and a visiting fellow at the University of Gloucestershire
. He has been made a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations
, the Institute of Directors
, the Chartered Institute of Marketing
and the Royal Society of Arts. In September 1996 Gummer became Chairman of the Royal Opera House
. Following a report by the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee led by Gerald Kaufman
which described the management of the Royal Opera House as "abysmal" with "incompetence, disastrous financial planning and misjudgement", Gummer resigned in December 1997. On 16 October 1996, he was created a Conservative working peer, with the title of Baron Chadlington, of Dean in the County of Oxfordshire. In 2011, David Cameron
bought a plot of land from him for £140,000.
Chartered Institute of Public Relations
The Chartered Institute of Public Relations is the professional body for PR practitioners in the United Kingdom. Founded in February 1948 as the Institute of Public Relations, by 2009 it had grown to over 9000 members involved in all aspects of the public relations industry, and is the largest...
FIoD
Institute of Directors
The Institute of Directors is a UK-based organisation, established in 1903 and incorporated by royal charter in 1906 to support, represent and set standards for company directors...
FCinstM
Chartered Institute of Marketing
The Chartered Institute of Marketing claims to be the world's largest organisation of professional marketers. It is based in UK with over 40,000 members worldwide. It's headquarters are in Cookham near Maidenhead, CIM offers professional development to marketing practitioners across the world...
FRSA (born 24 August 1942) is an English businessman.
Early life and education
Gummer was born on 24 August 1942 to Selwyn Gummer, a Church of EnglandChurch of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
priest, and his wife Margaret Mason. Gummer has two brothers; John Gummer, Baron Deben
John Gummer
John Selwyn Gummer, Baron Deben, PC is a British Conservative Party politician, formerly Member of Parliament for Suffolk Coastal, now a member of the House of Lords. He is Chairman of the environmental consultancy company Sancroft International and Chairman of Veolia Water...
, former Chairman
Chairman of the Conservative Party
In the United Kingdom, the Chairman of the Conservative Party is responsible for running the party machine, overseeing Conservative Central Office. When the Conservatives are in power, the Chairman is usually a member of the Cabinet being given a sinecure position such as Minister without Portfolio...
of the 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...
, and Mark Selwyn Gummer, a businessman. He was educated at The King's School, Rochester
The King's School, Rochester
The King's School, Rochester is an independent school in Rochester, Kent. It is a cathedral school, and being part of the foundation of Rochester Cathedral, the Dean of Rochester Cathedral serves as the chair of the school's governing body...
before matriculating to Selwyn College, Cambridge
Selwyn College, Cambridge
Selwyn College is a constituent college in the University of Cambridge in England, United Kingdom.The college was founded by the Selwyn Memorial Committee in memory of the Rt Reverend George Selwyn , who rowed on the Cambridge crew in the first Varsity Boat Race in 1829, and went on to become the...
, where he read Moral Science
Human Science
Human science refers to the investigation of human life and activities via a phenomenological methodology that acknowledges the validity of both sensory and psychological experience...
and Theology, with the aim of becoming a priest. Reading the works of philosophers such as Albert Camus
Albert Camus
Albert Camus was a French author, journalist, and key philosopher of the 20th century. In 1949, Camus founded the Group for International Liaisons within the Revolutionary Union Movement, which was opposed to some tendencies of the Surrealist movement of André Breton.Camus was awarded the 1957...
led him to change his mind, and after gaining a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
and Master of Arts he instead went into journalism.
Career
While writing for a trade press department Gummer found that he enjoyed the business side of things far more than the journalism, and decided to go into business. After several years working for other companies he founded a public relationsPublic relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
(PR) firm called Shandwick
Weber Shandwick
Weber Shandwick is a public relations firm.-History:Weber Shandwick is a formation of three previous companies:*The Weber Group - Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1987, leveraging emerging technologies such as the mobile phone and the internet into the world of communications, which made the company a...
in 1974, serving as its Chairman. Within seven years Shandwick was the largest PR company in the United Kingdom, and in 1984 it became publicly listed
Public company
This is not the same as a Government-owned corporation.A public company or publicly traded company is a limited liability company that offers its securities for sale to the general public, typically through a stock exchange, or through market makers operating in over the counter markets...
. In 1998 it was sold to the Interpublic Group of Companies
Interpublic Group of Companies
The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. is one of the "big four" global advertising holding companies . Headquartered in New York City, it has 41,000 employees and reported full−year revenues of US$6.5 billion for 2010...
, and is now part of Huntsworth
Huntsworth
Huntsworth is a public limited company headquartered in London and listed on the London Stock Exchange. Huntsworth is an international public relations and integrated healthcare communications group operating from 70 principal offices in 32 countries...
. Initially chairman of Huntsworth, Gummer was appointed chief executive on 25 September 2005 after the resignation of Richard Nichols, the group's previous chief executive. Gummer left this position on 12 May 2005, instead becoming an executive director.
As well as his public relations work Gummer is also a non-executive director of Britax
Britax
Britax is a UK-based manufacturer of automotive safety equipment.-History:It began making automotive safety equipment and accessories in 1938, and to import car and motorcycle accessories...
, a former director of Halifax and a visiting fellow at the University of Gloucestershire
University of Gloucestershire
The University of Gloucestershire is a university primarily based in Gloucestershire, England, spread over four campuses, three in Cheltenham and one in Gloucester...
. He has been made a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations
Chartered Institute of Public Relations
The Chartered Institute of Public Relations is the professional body for PR practitioners in the United Kingdom. Founded in February 1948 as the Institute of Public Relations, by 2009 it had grown to over 9000 members involved in all aspects of the public relations industry, and is the largest...
, the Institute of Directors
Institute of Directors
The Institute of Directors is a UK-based organisation, established in 1903 and incorporated by royal charter in 1906 to support, represent and set standards for company directors...
, the Chartered Institute of Marketing
Chartered Institute of Marketing
The Chartered Institute of Marketing claims to be the world's largest organisation of professional marketers. It is based in UK with over 40,000 members worldwide. It's headquarters are in Cookham near Maidenhead, CIM offers professional development to marketing practitioners across the world...
and the Royal Society of Arts. In September 1996 Gummer became Chairman of the Royal Opera House
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
. Following a report by the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee led by Gerald Kaufman
Gerald Kaufman
Sir Gerald Bernard Kaufman is a British Labour Party politician, who has been a Member of Parliament since 1970, first for Manchester Ardwick, and then subsequently for Manchester Gorton...
which described the management of the Royal Opera House as "abysmal" with "incompetence, disastrous financial planning and misjudgement", Gummer resigned in December 1997. On 16 October 1996, he was created a Conservative working peer, with the title of Baron Chadlington, of Dean in the County of Oxfordshire. In 2011, David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
bought a plot of land from him for £140,000.