Michael Young (businessman)

Michael Alan Young facilitated the end of apartheid in South Africa. He secretly organised the meetings between the South African Government and the leadership of the African National Congress (ANC). These led to the end of the apartheid system and the release of Nelson Mandela. He is a businessman with a political background.

Career

After graduating from the University of York in PPE in 1972,^[1] Young started his career in 10 Downing Street, the Prime Minister's office and in the Foreign Office when Edward Heath was Prime Minister.^[2] He moved to ARC Ltd and then to its parent Consolidated Gold Fields as Public Affairs Manager where he worked under the Chairman Rudolph Agnew.^[2] It was under Agnew that Young organised secret meetings at Mells Park House, a building designed by Edwin Lutyens in Somerset.^[2] The Meetings were attended by various delegates from the South African Government as well as leaders of the ANC such as Thabo Mbeki and Oliver Tambo.^[2] The Meetings were very successful and led to the collapse of South Africa's apartheid regime.^[2] In 2001 he was appointed OBE for his contribution to human rights.^[3]

In 2009 Michael Young was the subject of a TV drama called Endgame^[2] produced by Channel 4, a national Television Network in the United Kingdom.^[4]

Young's views on conflict resolution

Micheal Young has summarised his prescription for good conflict resolution: "Having an analytical set of propositions" and "Taking the process away from the theatre - removing the potential for playing to the gallery".^[4]

References

1. ^ "The end of apartheid - an untold story". Grapevine (Alumni Office, University of York) (Spring/Summer 2002): 14–15. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f} Briton who helped end South Africa's apartheid The Times, 4 May 2009
3. ^ The Queen's Birthday Honours BBC News, 15 June 2001
4. ^ ^{a b} The 'Real' Michael Young

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Name	Young, Michael
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Short description	British businessman
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