Alexander Leitch, Baron Leitch

Infobox Politician
honorific-prefix = The Right Honourable
name = The Lord Leitch
honorific-suffix =


imagesize =
caption =
birth_date = 1947
birth_place =
death_date =
death_place =
nationality = British
party = Labour
spouse = Noelle Leitch, Baroness Leitch
relations =
children = 3 daughters
alma_mater =
occupation = Peer and Businessman
profession =
religion =


website =
footnotes =

Alexander Park Leitch, Baron Leitch (b. Fife, Scotland in 1947) [cite web
url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2002/jan/06/theobserver.observerbusiness15
title = The salesman with a policy for everyone
accessdate = 2008-09-28
date = 6 January 2002
work = Richard Wachman
publisher = The Guardian] is a British Labour peer and a former Chairman and Chief Executive insurance group Zurich's British operations. He is currently a Non-Executive Director of a range of companies including Lloyds TSB and insurance company Paternoster. Lord Leitch is also Chairman of BUPA, Scottish Widows and Intrinsic Financial Services. [cite web
url = http://www.paternoster.co.in/content/default.asp?page=s12_1_5
title = Our UK board
accessdate = 2008-09-28
date = 2008
work = Paternoster
publisher = Paternoster]

Biography

Leitch is the son of a Scottish coal miner and endured a childhood in near poverty following the Second World War. He was left paralysed down one side of his body during his 30s due to a legion on his brain and thus "learned from personal experience the value of life insurance." He was educated at Dunfermline High School and was offered a place at university two years early, at just 16 years of age. [cite web
url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2002/jan/06/theobserver.observerbusiness15
title = The salesman with a policy for everyone
accessdate = 2008-09-28
date = 6 January 2002
work = Richard Wachman
publisher = The Guardian] However, he turned his place down and instead headed to London to work in the IT department of an insurance company. He remained in the insurance industry throughout his career, rising to become Chief Executive of Allied Dunbar before it was eventually merged with Zurich Financial Services in 1998. He was then appointed Chief Executive of Zurich Financial Services UK and retired in 2004.

Leitch was knighted following his retirement [cite web
url = http://www.ncfe.org.uk/download/educationalpolicy/Leitch%20Report%20Nutshell%20(11%20pages,%20with%20disclaimer).pdf
title = The Leitch Review of Skills: an NCFE Discussion Paper
accessdate = 2008-09-28
date = 3 January 2007
work = NCFE
publisher = NCFE] and became a life peer as Baron Leitch, of Oakley in Fife on 7 June 2004. [cite web
url = http://www.thepeerage.com/p19152.htm
title = Person Page - 19152
accessdate = 2008-09-28
date = 21 September 2008
work = Darryl Lundy
publisher = thePeerage.com] In 2000, prior to becoming a peer, Leitch headed the New Deal scheme which aimed to encourage companies to take on school leavers. [cite web
url = http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-510966/The-man-Blairs-new-job-From-miners-son-peer-power.html
title = The man behind Blair's new job: From miner's son to peer with power
accessdate = 2008-09-28
date = 28 January 2008
work = Michael Seamark
publisher = The Daily Mail] Having demonstrated his commitment to public service, he became Chairman of the National Employment Panel in 2004 and also led the Leitch Review of Skills which was published on 5 December 2006. The objective of the review was "to identify the UK's optimal skills mix for 2020 to maximise economic growth, productivity and social justice, set out the balance of responsibility for achieving that skills profile and consider the policy framework required to support it." [cite web
url = http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/independent_reviews/leitch_review/review_leitch_index.cfm
title = Leitch Review of Skills
accessdate = 2008-09-28
date = 5 December 2006
work = HM Treasury
publisher = HM Treasury]

2004 Blunkett scandal

Leitch became involved in the 2004 scandal over the then Home Secretary's extra-marital affairs. It was revealed by the British press that Leitch had had a relationship with Kimberley Quinn during 1999; the publisher who later had an affair with David Blunkett. [cite web
url = http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-510966/The-man-Blairs-new-job-From-miners-son-peer-power.html
title = The man behind Blair's new job: From miner's son to peer with power
accessdate = 2008-09-28
date = 28 January 2008
work = Michael Seamark
publisher = The Daily Mail]

Relationship with Tony Blair and Gordon Brown

Lord Leitch is a close friend of Tony Blair and it is suspected that he helped Blair to gain work with Zurich following his retirement as Prime Minister. He became one of Blair's "most trusted business advisers" during his tenure at No. 10. [cite web
url = http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-510966/The-man-Blairs-new-job-From-miners-son-peer-power.html
title = The man behind Blair's new job: From miner's son to peer with power
accessdate = 2008-09-28
date = 28 January 2008
work = Michael Seamark
publisher = The Daily Mail] Leitch is also described as a "confidante" of Gordon Brown. [cite web
url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2002/jan/06/theobserver.observerbusiness15
title = The salesman with a policy for everyone
accessdate = 2008-09-28
date = 6 January 2002
work = Richard Wachman
publisher = The Guardian]

Personal life

Leitch has been married twice: firstly to Valerie, whom he divorced in 1997, and secondly to Noelle Dowd in 2003. [cite web
url = http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-510966/The-man-Blairs-new-job-From-miners-son-peer-power.html
title = The man behind Blair's new job: From miner's son to peer with power
accessdate = 2008-09-28
date = 28 January 2008
work = Michael Seamark
publisher = The Daily Mail] He has three daughters from his first marriage. [cite web
url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2002/jan/06/theobserver.observerbusiness15
title = The salesman with a policy for everyone
accessdate = 2008-09-28
date = 6 January 2002
work = Richard Wachman
publisher = The Guardian]

Income

Lord Leitch earns £130,000 per year from his Non-Executive Directorship at Lloyds TSB. [cite web
url = http://people.forbes.com/profile/leitch/49786
title = Leitch
accessdate = 2008-09-28
date = 2008
work =
publisher = Forbes] As with all former financial market executives, he will of course have a yearly income of many millions of pounds through pension funds and shares gained through former posts.

Titles and honours

* Mr Alexander Leitch (1947–2004)
* Sir Alexander Leitch (2004–2004)
* The Rt. Hon. The Lord Leitch (2004–)

References