Barry Townsley

Last updated

Barry Stephen Townsley CBE (born 14 October 1946) is a British financier and investor. [1]

Contents

Early life

Barry Townsley was educated at the Hasmonean Grammar School in London. He did not attend university, but started his career as a messenger for a stockbroking firm, working his way up to being one of the youngest members of the London Stock Exchange.

Early career

In 1964, Townsley left school at the age of 17 and secured a job in the City of London as a messenger for the stockbroker, W Greenwell & Co. He quickly progressed to the firm's gilts department, joining the London Stock Exchange at the age of 21. In 1969, he joined Astaire & Co, another City of London stockbroking firm where he met Ronnie Jacobson with whom in 1976 he set up Jacobson Townsley, which became a very successful British stockbroking firm in the 80s.

Townsley and Co

Townsley created his own stockbroking business, Townsley & Co., which he sold to the Dutch private bank Insinger de Beaufort. [2] Townsley & Co was formed in 1991 when Jacobson left frontline stockbroking. The pair remain friends to this day. Townsley built up the company throughout the 90s before selling it to a Dutch bank, Insinger de Beaufort, in 1999. Townsley remained with the company for a further three years.

Cash for peerages

Townsley was a member and supporter of the Labour Party, recorded as donating "more than £5,000" before 2001 and £6,000 since 2001. He also donated £10,000 to the London Mayoral campaign of Frank Dobson. [3]

Described as "colourful" by The Sunday Times , [4] Townsley was involved in the so-called "cash for peerages" scandal in March 2006, in which it was revealed that he had lent £1m to the Labour Party [5] at the solicitation of Lord Levy, and contributed £1.5m to a City Academy in Hillingdon. He was nominated for a peerage shortly after making the loan, but in February 2006 he withdrew from the nomination on the grounds of press intrusion into his private life. [6]

Charitable work – health

Townsley has devoted a great deal of time to helping charities in areas of personal interest – education, health and art. He supported the St Mary's Hospital Save the Baby Fund from 1985 for thirteen year, five as chairman. The fund raised money for research projects into the treatment of factors that influence infertility, miscarriage and late pregnancy complications.

Between 1999 and 2002, Townsley was a board member of the Royal National Institute for the Blind. From 1996 until 2002 he was a trustee of the Child Bereavement Trust. in 2014, he resigned from the role of chairman of patrons of the Sheffield Institute Foundation for Motor Neurone Disease after performing the role for eight years. He is a patron, and formerly a trustee, of Trinity Hospice, which provides end of life care to people and support for families in central and south-west London. Between 2010 and mid 2016, he served as a director of the William J Clinton Foundation Insamlingsstiftelse, a Swedish-based organisation that has worked to build hospitals in Africa and to provide anti-AIDS drugs to hard-hit regions. He also serves as vice-president and executive council member of the Weizmann Institute, one of the world's leading multidisciplinary research institutions. In 2015, he became the President of the Weizmann Institute in the UK. He became a trustee of Alzheimers Research in the same year.

Charitable work – education

In 2000 Townsley helped found Stockley Academy in Hillingdon, London. He is the school's principal sponsor. Stockley Academy specialises in science and technology, providing comprehensive education to over a thousand students between the ages of 11 and 18, 24% of whom do not have English as a first language and almost 39% of whom are eligible for free school meals.

Charitable work – art

Between 1998 and 2002, Townsley was a member of the International Council of the Tate Gallery, which holds the national collection of British art from 1500 to the present day and also international modern and contemporary art. He was appointed a Trustee of the Serpentine Gallery in London in 1987, and since 1993 has served as its vice-chairman. The Serpentine Gallery was opened in May 1970 in a former tea pavilion to allow the work of emerging artists, particularly from the UK and its regions, to be exhibited. He also served as a board member of the National Gallery East Wing Development Project between 2002 and 2005.

Art sales

Townsley is a collector of art. On 14 May 2014, he sold Andy Warhol's Six Self Portraits, 1986 lot 23 for $30,125,000. The works depict a suite of rainbow-hued images of the artist's gaunt face and were acquired in 1986 from the Anthony d'Offay Gallery, London at Warhol's acclaimed Self-Portrait exhibition. Townsley purchased the works before the exhibition opened.

Personal life

Townsley is married to Laura Wolfson, daughter of Leonard Wolfson, Baron Wolfson of the GUS retail company. He is the father of four children and an active supporter of education, health and fine art charities. He lists his recreational interests as contemporary art and golf. [7]

Other work

Since January 2005, he has been chairman and founding partner of Hobart Capital Markets LLP, and also a director of Caprice Holdings Ltd.

Townsley has served as a trustee or board member for a large number of health and art charities, including the Child Bereavement Trust, National Gallery East Wing Development Project, Oxford Children's Hospital Campaign, Royal National Institute for the Blind, Serpentine Gallery, St Mary's Hospital Save the Baby Fund, Trinity Hospice, Weizmann Institute Foundation and Alzheimers Research. In 2005, he chaired the CSV Year of the Volunteer. He is the principal sponsor of Stockley Academy, a school specialising in science and technology. He is the chairman of the Central Synagogue – London.

Awards

Townsley was appointed a CBE in 2003 for charitable services, especially to education and the arts. [8]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacob Rothschild, 4th Baron Rothschild</span> English peer, investment banker and philanthropist (1936–2024)

Nathaniel Charles Jacob Rothschild, 4th Baron Rothschild,, was a British peer, investment banker and member of the Rothschild banking family. Rothschild held important roles in business and British public life, and was active in charitable and philanthropic areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicholas Serota</span> English art historian

Sir Nicholas Andrew Serota is a British art historian and curator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colin Murray Parkes</span> British psychiatrist (1928–2024)

Colin Murray Parkes was a British psychiatrist and the author of numerous books and publications on grief. He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II for his services to bereaved people in June 1996.

The Cash-for-Honours scandal was a political scandal in the United Kingdom in 2006 and 2007 concerning the connection between political donations and the award of life peerages. A loophole in electoral law in the United Kingdom means that although anyone donating even small sums of money to a political party has to declare this as a matter of public record, those loaning money at commercial rates of interest did not have to make a public declaration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Gavron, Baron Gavron</span> British printing millionaire, philanthropist and Labour life peer

Robert Gavron, Baron Gavron was a British printing millionaire, philanthropist and a Labour life peer.

Leopold David de Rothschild, CBE, FRCM was a British financier, musician, and a member of the Rothschild banking family of England.

Richard Cork is a British art historian, editor, critic, broadcaster and exhibition curator. He has been an art critic for the Evening Standard, The Listener, The Times and the New Statesman. Cork was also editor for Studio International. He is a past Turner Prize judge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Weidenfeld, Baron Weidenfeld</span> British businessman and Baron (1919–2016)

George Weidenfeld, Baron Weidenfeld, was a British publisher, philanthropist, and newspaper columnist. He was also a lifelong Zionist and renowned as a master networker. He was on good terms with popes, prime ministers and presidents and put his connections to good use for diplomatic and philanthropic ends.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khalid Hameed, Baron Hameed</span> Businessperson (born 1941)

Khalid Hameed, Baron Hameed, CBE, DL is the chairman of Alpha Hospital Group, and chairman and chief executive officer of the London International Hospital. Prior to this, he was the Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer of the Cromwell Hospital in London. He hails from Lucknow, India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Otto Beit</span> German-British financier

Sir Otto John Beit, 1st Baronet, KCMG, FRS was a German-born British financier, philanthropist and art connoisseur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Stone, Baron Stone of Blackheath</span>

Andrew Zelig Stone, Baron Stone of Blackheath is a non-affiliated member of the House of Lords.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shooting Star Children's Hospices</span> English childrens hospice charity

Shooting Star Children's Hospices is an English children's hospice charity. The charity cares for babies, children and young people with life-limiting conditions, and their families, across Surrey, south-west London and north-west London. They provide specialist clinical and holistic care to families from diagnosis to end of life and throughout bereavement.

The Sainsbury family founded Sainsbury's, the UK's second-largest supermarket chain. Today, the family has many interests, including business, politics, philanthropy, arts, and sciences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander Leitch, Baron Leitch</span>

Alexander Park Leitch, Baron Leitch is Group Chairman of FNZ, a global wealth management technology platform, and is a British Labour peer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamie Borwick, 5th Baron Borwick</span>

Geoffrey Robert James Borwick, 5th Baron Borwick, is a British businessman, hereditary peer and member of the House of Lords.

Major Sir Edward Coates, 1st Baronet, DL, was a British stockbroker and politician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Anthony's Hospital, North Cheam</span> Hospital in England

Spire St Anthony's Hospital is a private hospital in North Cheam, formerly in the county of Surrey, now in the London Borough of Sutton. The hospital is part of the Spire Healthcare group, the second largest provider of private healthcare in the United Kingdom. It was formerly owned and operated by the Daughters of the Cross of Liege, a Roman Catholic religious order. It is located on the junction between the A24 and Gander Green Lane.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yana Peel</span>

Yana Peel is a Russian-born Canadian executive, businesswoman, children's author and philanthropist, who is global head of arts and culture at French fashion house Chanel. She was CEO of the Serpentine Galleries from 2016 to 2019 and previously a board member.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paintings in Hospitals</span> British charitable organization

Paintings in Hospitals is an arts in health charity in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1959, the charity's services include the provision of artwork loans, art projects and art workshops to health and social care organisations. The charity's activities are based on clinical evidence demonstrating health and wellbeing benefits of the arts to patients and care staff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wolfson family</span> British Jewish family known for political and philanthropic activity

The Wolfson family is a British Jewish family known for its business, philanthropic, and political activities. The family owes its initial fame to Sir Isaac Wolfson, who built the Great Universal Stores retail empire and created the Wolfson Foundation.

References

  1. "Barry Townsley's Official Profile on The Marque".
  2. "Dawnay to cater to UK institutions" by Nick Hasell The Times 30 August 2005 [ dead link ]
  3. Evening Standard: 15 December 2005
  4. "Watchdog warns Blair off ennobling Labour donors" by Robert Winnett Sunday Times 5 March 2006 [ dead link ]
  5. "Labour's treasurer 'kept party in dark over loan deals'" by Toby Helm Daily Telegraph 17 March 2006 [ dead link ]
  6. "Broker loses peerage in ‘donor crony’ row" by John Waples Sunday Times 12 February 2006 Archived 12 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  7. "Debretts Profile"
  8. "BBC News 31 December 2003 Archived 24 January 2007 at the Wayback Machine