James Blyth, Baron Blyth of Rowington
{{Short description|British businessman (born 1940)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2018}}
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{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix = The Right Honourable
| name = The Lord Blyth of Rowington
| honorific_suffix = Kt
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| order =
| office = Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
| term_start = 24 July 1995
| term_end = 1 January 2018
Life peerage
| birth_name = James Blyth
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|8 May 1940}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| citizenship =
| nationality = British
| party = Conservative
| spouse = Pamela Anne Campbell-Dixon
| partner =
| children = 2
| education =
| alma_mater = {{hlist| Spier's School | University of Glasgow (MA) }}
| occupation =
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James Blyth, Baron Blyth of Rowington (born 8 May 1940){{cite web|title=Birthday's today|url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/archive/2013-5-8.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130508144021/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/archive/2013-5-8.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= 8 May 2013 |publisher=The Telegraph|accessdate=29 April 2014|date=8 May 2013|quote=Lord Blyth of Rowington, company chairman, 73 }} is a British businessman.
Early life
The son of Daniel Blyth and Jane Power Carlton, Blyth was educated at Spier's School, Beith, and the University of Glasgow, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in history in 1963.
Career
Blyth worked for Mobil Oil from 1963 to 1969, for General Foods from 1969 to 1971 and for Mars Foods from 1971 to 1974.{{Cite web|last1=Leigh|first1=David|last2=Evans|first2=Rob|date=8 June 2007|title=BAE files: James Blyth|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/jun/08/bae16|access-date=2020-11-23|website=The Guardian|language=en}} Between 1974 and 1977, he was general manager of Lucas Batteries and between 1977 and 1981 general manager of Lucas Aerospace. He was also director of the Imperial Group from 1984 to 1986, managing director of Plessey Electronic Systems in 1985 and 1986, and managing director of the Plessey Company in 1986 and 1987. Blyth was a director of Cadbury-Schweppes between 1986 and 1990, of British Aerospace between 1990 and 1994, and of NatWest between 1998 and 2000.
In 1981, Blyth became head of defence sales for the Ministry of Defence, a post he held until 1985, when he was knighted.{{London Gazette |issue=50078 |date=29 March 1985 |page=4499}} From 1987 to 1996, he was a chairman of the London Business School (LBS), and to 1998 director and chief executive of The Boots Company. On 24 July 1995, he was created a life peer as Baron Blyth of Rowington, of Rowington in the County of Warwickshire.{{London Gazette |issue=54113 |date=27 July 1995 |page=10299}} He sat as a Conservative in the House of Lords until his retirement on 1 January 2018.{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/lords/lord-blyth-of-rowington/3495|title=Lord Blyth of Rowington|publisher=UK Parliament}}
Blyth received an honorary doctorate from the University of Nottingham in 1992. He is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, appointed in 1994, and a Fellow of the London Business School, appointed in 1998.
He was chairman of Diageo, parent company of the Popov and Smirnoff brands of vodka, as well as Guinness malt beverages, until June 2008.{{Cite news|last=Walsh|first=Dominic|title=Business big shot: James Blyth|newspaper=The Times|language=en|url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/ireland-world/article/business-big-shot-james-blyth-q6vgxhhdsc9|access-date=2020-11-23|issn=0140-0460}} He was succeeded by Franz Humer. In 2013, he was appointed to the board of Avoca Capital Holdings.
Personal life
Blyth has been married to Pamela Anne Campbell-Dixon since 1967; they have one daughter and one deceased son.
Arms
{{Infobox COA wide
|image = File:Coronet of a British Baron.svgFile:Blyth of Rowington Escutcheon.png
|crest = [Upon a Helm with a Wreath Argent and Gules] out of an Eastern Crown Gules a Dexter Arm embowed in Armour the Hand gauntleted proper grasping by its blade a Sword pointing downwards all Argent and holding to the blade by its stalk leaved Vert a Double Rose Argent upon Gules barbed and seeded proper
|coronet = A Coronet of a Baron
|escutcheon = Gyronny of twelve Gules and Argent a Horse rampant Sable langued Gules
|supporters = On either side a Unicorn reguardant Argent armed and unguled Or in the mouth a Double Rose Argent upon Gules barbed seeded and leaved proper
|motto = Quod Verum Tutum (What is safe is true)
}}
Notes
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References
- {{cite web| url= http://www.dodonline.co.uk/engine.asp?lev1=4&lev2=38&menu=81&biog=y&id=27059| title= DodOnline| publisher= | accessdate= 2006-11-24| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20061207171716/http://www.dodonline.co.uk/engine.asp?lev1=4&lev2=38&menu=81&biog=y&id=27059| archive-date= 7 December 2006| url-status= dead}}
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{{s-bef|before=The Lord Hope of Craighead}}
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Baron Blyth of Rowington }}
{{s-fol|after=The Lord Winston}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Blyth, James}}
Category:Alumni of the University of Glasgow
Category:Fellows of the Royal Aeronautical Society
Category:Academics of London Business School
Category:British businesspeople
Category:Life peers created by Elizabeth II
Category:Peers retired under the House of Lords Reform Act 2014
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