BAT Industries: Extract from 'Written in Flames'

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Extract from the pamphlet Written in Flames, published in 1987. Full reference: I-Spy Productions Written in Flames: Naming the British Ruling Class London: Hooligan Press ISBN 1869802071. Undated, but published in 1987.



British American Tobacco, formed out of a market carve-up by US and UK tobacco magnates, became BAT Industries trying to get off Its dependence on tobacco profits.

This multinational now divides Its operations into four parts: Tobacco, 44% of its profits, is produced and sold to home markets in Central and South America, Africa, the Far East and Europe and America. It has 300 cigarette brands, including Berkely and Kent. It manufactures and sells paper in Europe, India and the Americas through the Wiggins Teape company and others. It owns Argos catalogue showrooms in the UK and department stores and a fast food chain In the States. It also bought up Eagle Star Holdings and Allied Dunbar Assurance to create itself a finance sector. It makes £1.3 billion.

Chairman Patrlck Sheehy earns £230,000. He's the son of Sir John Sheehy and went to Ampleforth College In Yorkshire, joining BAT after a spell In the Irish Guards. He's 57 and a director of British Petroleum. He lives at 11 Eldon Road, Kensington W8

The two deputy chairmen are:

Mark Weinberg and Maurice Lipworth, both financiers, came onto the BAT board with the buy-up of Allied Dunbar. Lipworth, like Weinberg, a South African barrister, received £9m in BAT stock as his transfer fee. He's 56 and lives at 115 Hamilton Terrace, St. Johns Wood NW8

Also on the BAT board are the former Foreign Office supremo, Sir Michael Palliser, now head of the Midland's merchant bank Samuel Montagu, and Sir Campbel1 Fraser, Scottish TV head and BP director.