Adrian Montague
{{short description|British solicitor and businessman (born 1948)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Sir Adrian Montague
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name = Adrian Alastair Montague
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1948|02}}
| birth_place =
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| nationality = British
| education =
| alma mater = Trinity Hall, Cambridge
| occupation = Solicitor and businessman
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| boards =
| spouse = {{plainlist|
- Pamela Evans
- Penelope Webb
- Innes Daubeney
}}
| children = 4
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}}
Sir Adrian Alastair Montague {{post-nominals|country=GBR|CBE}} (born February 1948) is a British solicitor and businessman. He has been the chair of Thames Water since July 2023. He was chairman of the insurance company Aviva from April 2015 to May 2020.
Early life
Montague was born in February 1948.{{cite web|title=MONTAGUE, Sir Adrian (Alastair)|url=http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U41730|website=Who's Who 2017|accessdate=July 19, 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/02468686/officers |title=AVIVA PLC - Officers (free information from Companies House) |website=Beta.companieshouse.gov.uk |date= |accessdate=14 April 2016}} He earned a master of arts degree from Trinity Hall, Cambridge.{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=3733853&privcapId=1062673 |title=List of Public Companies Worldwide, Letter - Businessweek - Businessweek |website=Bloomberg.com |date= |accessdate=14 April 2016}}
Career
Montague began his career as a solicitor for Linklaters & Paines, where he worked from 1971 to 1994. He worked for the investment bank Dresdner Kleinwort from 1994 to 1997. In 1997, he joined the public sector to serve as the chief executive of the Private Finance Initiative Task Force at HM Treasury until 2000, and deputy chairman of Partnerships UK from 2000 to 2001.
He was the chairman of British Energy from 2002 to 2009.
In 2008, when Montague was chairman of the insurance company Friends Provident, he turned down an offer from the private equity firm J.C. Flowers to take over the company for 150p a share, only to see Clive Cowdery's Resolution buy it 12 months later for a mere 79p a share.{{cite news|title=The business on: Sir Adrian Montague, Chairman, 3i|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/the-business-on-sir-adrian-montague-chairman-3i-2307094.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710014058/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/the-business-on-sir-adrian-montague-chairman-3i-2307094.html |archive-date=2011-07-10 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|accessdate=18 December 2017|work=The Independent|date=4 July 2011}}
Montague was the chairman of Aviva from April 2015, succeeding John McFarlane,{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.insuranceage.co.uk/insurance-age/news/2365452/sir-adrian-montague-named-next-aviva-chairman |title=Sir adrian montague named next aviva chairman |publisher=Insurance Age |date=12 September 2014 |accessdate=14 April 2016}} stepping down in May 2020.{{cite news |title=Aviva appoints George Culmer as Chairman |url=https://www.aviva.com/newsroom/news-releases/2020/05/aviva-appoints-george-culmer-as-chairman/ |access-date=10 July 2023 |work=Aviva plc |date=19 May 2020}}
In June 2023, Montague was appointed as chair of the Board at Thames Water and its parent company Kemble Water. His appointment came amid scrutiny on the financial stability of the water company.{{cite news |last1=Pickard |first1=Jim |last2=Massoudi |first2=Arash |last3=Plimmer |first3=Gill |title=Thames Water appoints Adrian Montague as chair |url=https://www.ft.com/content/dd5ef3a4-3866-4b6c-abea-b4fe6f2e1f18 |access-date=30 June 2023 |work=Financial Times |date=29 June 2023}} In February 2024, Montague resigned as chair from Kemble Water but retained his position at Thames Water.{{Cite web |last=Plimmer |first=Gill |date=16 February 2024 |title=Adrian Montague to step down as chair of Thames Water parent company |url=https://www.ft.com/content/81b521ae-bb50-496a-8652-b5a67c16933f |access-date=2024-08-14 |website=www.ft.com}}
In May 2025, Montague appeared before a select committee to argue that bonuses for senior executives could be paid from an emergency loan that given to stabilise the company finances and save it from collapse.{{Cite news |last=Horton |first=Helena |last2=Isaac |first2=Anna |date=2025-05-15 |title=Ministers to block Thames Water paying bosses bonuses out of emergency loan |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/may/15/ministers-to-block-thames-water-paying-bosses-bonuses-out-of-emergency-loan |access-date=2025-05-16 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}
Personal life
References
{{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Montague, Adrian Alastair}}
Category:Alumni of Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Category:British businesspeople
Category:British chief executives in the energy industry