Sir Michael Edwardes

Michael Edwardes (born October 11, 1930 in South Africa) is a business executive.

Biography

Edwardes matriculated from St. Andrew's College in 1947 before graduating from Rhodes University. He began his career in 1951 with the Chloride Group. He went on in 1966 to serve as the general manager of the company's subsidiary "Alkaline Batteries".

In 1977 he was appointed as chief executive of the United Kingdom's ailing motor giant, British Leyland. In 1980 he attracted criticism for a speech to the CBI Conference in which he said, "If the Cabinet do not have the wit and imagination to reconcile our industrial needs with the fact of North Sea oil, they would do better to leave the bloody stuff in the ground." [ "Back from the Brink" by Michael Edwardes, published Collins 1983 (ISBN 0002170744)] His tenure with British Leyland lasted until 1982, when he was replaced by Harold Musgrove. In 1984, he became Chairman of ICL, but resigned six months later when the company was acquired by STC.

Edwardes is also an author. He wrote "Back from the Brink", a book which discusses his experiences at British Leyland.

He donated over R500,000 to St. Andrew's College in 2005.Fact|date=June 2007

References

External links

* [http://www.austin-rover.co.uk/index.htm?wschapter5f.htm Information on Edwardes tenure]