NEW CHIEF.

Auckland Star, 2 January 1931, Page 7

NEW CHIEF.

BRILLIANT CAREER.

Sir H 0 McGowan Head of Imperial Chemicals, Ltd. BEGAN LIFE AS OFFICE BOY. (British Official Wireless.) . T~ (Received 12 noon.) RUGBY, January 1. Sir Harry McGowan, who was yesterday elected chairman and managing director of Imperial Chemical Industries, Limited, in succession to the late Lord Melchett, began life as an office boy in one of the Nobel explosives factories, and earned 5/ a week. Now he is controller of the world's greatest chemical combine, with an authorised capital of £95,000,000. The big merger which resulted in the formation of the combine was negotiated by Sir Harry McGowan, as chairman of the Nobel Company, and Lord Melchett, who was then head of Brunner, Monds. Sir Harry, who was born in" Glasgow 5(3 years ago, is interested directly in fourteen other companies, including the Midland Bank, of which he is directorgeneral, the Motor Corporation of New York, the British Overseas Bank, and the l'inance Company of Great Britain and America, Limited. He is almost as well known in American financial quarters as in London.