John Whitehorn
John Roland Malcolm Whitehorn (19 May 1924 - 30 May 2003) was a business lobbyist who worked at the Confederation of British Industry dealing with "labour relations and industrial policy". He was also involved in the BBC and the British Council.
Early life
Whitehorn went to Rugby public school and then attended Trinity College, Cambridge. In 1943 he joined the Royal Airforce and trained in what was then Southern Rhodesia. According to his Times obituary Whitehorn "joined a group of young and idealistic leftwingers" and became for a time a Stalinist. He gave one of his friends a book of poems, one of which began with the words, "Josef Stalin, I salute you". [1]
In the CBI
After the war Whitehorn returned to Cambridge to complete his studies, where he read economics. In 1947 he joined the Federation of British Industry. His first post was as private secretary to the then director-general, Sir Norman Kipping, whom Whitehorn came greatly to admire. [2]
He was deputy director of CBI's Overseas Directorate from 1960-65, and then director until 1968. [3] The Overseas Directorate, which was later renamed the International Affairs Directorate, provided services to CBI members with overseas interests, monitoring Government foreign policy and maintaining links with international organisations.
Whitehorn then served as deputy director-general of CBI until his retirement in 1978, during which time he dealt with "labour relations and industrial policy". [4] In 1972 he wrote a Memo to CBI members which was leaked to Time Out. In it Whitehorn urged member companies of the CBI to increase their funding to five organisations working against "subversion" in British industry. The organisations were the Economic League, Common Cause, Aims of Industry, Industrial Research and Information Services and the Institute for the Study of Conflict. [5]
Whitehorn retired at only 53, He told The Times: “I’ve been here 30 years and that’s a damned long time to be in any organization.” According to The Times, “Whitehorn has served as deputy to all three directors general – [John] Methven, Sir Campbell Adamson and John Davies.” [6] After retirement he remained involved in the BBC and the British Council, and also took up posts at Lilly Industries and Mitchell Cotts plc. [7]
Family connections
Whitehorn's sister Katherine Whitehorn was a columnist with The Observer. [8]
Other affiliations
- Reform Club, member 1950-2003
- British Council, board member 1968–82
- BBC General Advisory Council 1976–82
- British Overseas Trade Board, 1975–78
- Mitchell Cotts plc (chemical company), Director 1978–86
- Lilly Industries, (coating company), Consultant Director 1978–89
Notes
- ↑ 'John Whitehorn', The Times, 12 June 2003
- ↑ 'John Whitehorn', The Times, 12 June 2003
- ↑ ‘WHITEHORN, John Roland Malcolm’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, 1920–2007; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2007
- ↑ 'John Whitehorn', The Times, 12 June 2003
- ↑ Front page, Morning Star, 31 January 1976
- ↑ 'Business Diary: Exit Whitehorn · Surprise in store', The Times, 9 November 1977; pg. 19; Issue 60156; col A
- ↑ ‘WHITEHORN, John Roland Malcolm’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, 1920–2007; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2007
- ↑ 'Business Diary: Exit Whitehorn · Surprise in store', The Times, 9 November 1977; pg. 19; Issue 60156; col A
