BUSINESS ROMANCE

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 11404, 3 January 1931, Page 6

BUSINESS ROMANCE

OFFICE BOY TO CHAIRMAN OF HUGE COMPANY

SIR H. McGOWAN’S CAREER

(British Official Wireless) RUGBY, Jan. 1

A meeting of directors of _ Imperial Chemical Industries unanimously elected Sir Harry McGowan tq succeed Lord Melehett as chairman and managing director of the compahr, and appointed Lord Reading as president of tho company. Sir Harry McGowan began life as an office boy in one of Nobel’,s explosive factories and earned 5s n week. Now lie is controlling the world’s greatest chemical combine company, 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 Nohel’.s, and Lord Melehett, who was then head of Brunner Monti’c.

Sir Harry. McGowan, who was born, in Glasgow 56 years ago, is interested directly in 14 other companies, inciltiding the Midland Bank, of which he is a director: the General Motor Corporation, of New York; the British Overseas Bank and Finance Co. of Great Britain and America, Ltd. He is almost as well known ir« American financial quarters as in London.