The
Author
Michael Godfrey Bell is a published
author, past member of the EU's Economic and Social Committee, ex-public
company chairman and educationalist. He can be contacted at mgbell@groupsrus.com.
Biographical Details:
M G Bell
Born UK, January, 1941, married with one son
Educated at Vinehall School, Cranbrook School and the Institute of Actuaries
Worked in insurance, 1958-61
1961-63, assistant to Michael Bizony, publisher; edited French Opera To
The Revolution by Norman Demuth
1967 - 1971 General Manager of IPC technical publishing subsidiary; developed
computer typesetting system for Daily Mirror (rejected by the unions);
responsible for IPC acquisition policy in Europe before takeover by Reed
International.
1972 - 1975 Management consultant in South American import business; spent
time in Argentina, Brazil, Peru and Venezuela.
1976 - 1979 worked for Brooks International in the US, Canada and UK as
a management consultant.
1980 Managing Director of International Business Communications Ltd, subsidiary
of SLSS plc in London.
1982 bought out IBC with colleagues. Grew it to t/o of GBP7m by 1985.
1985 Floated IBC on London stock exchange (last company to be introduced
on the floor of the old stock exchange).
1986 - 1989 Grew IBC as Chairman to t/o GBP80m and profit of GBP17m, with
worldwide subsidiaries and 1,200 staff.
1990 Fired by the banks, just avoided bankruptcy.
1992 Started Business Seminars International, specializing in Russian
conferences, grew it to GBP8m turnover by 1998, when Russian financial
collapse allowed escape from conferences . . .
1999 Started Internet business lowtax.net which is still growing as of
2009 with major clients including HSBC, Wolters Kluwer and the Bureau
of National Affairs.
Public positions: Director of Choice in Education 1988-95; Deputy Chairman
of Grant Maintained Schools, 1983-2000; Conservative Member of East Sussex
County Council 1989-93; Member of Group 1 of the Economic and Social Committe
of the EU in Brussels 1990-94, Rapporteur for numerous Opinions including
Economic Report on France; Governor of Vinehall Preparatory School 1985-2003,
and Governor of four other schools in East Sussex; Chairman of Trident
International (charity) 1991-96; Founding President of UK Newsletter Society;
past Director of Adam Smith Institute; member of Bow Group, Bruges Group,
Radical Society, the Institute of Fiscal Studies.
Publications:
Sid, 1986
Five Letters To The Unquiet French, 1987
Incentive Through Ownership, 1989
Death of the Welfare State, 1995
Eastern Markets, 1996
www.groupsrus.com, 2005
Futures of the Human Race, 2007
Agent Human, 2009
A Memoir On The Pickersgill-Cunliffe
Family, 2009
Languages: French, Russian,
Italian to various degrees. Interests include tennis, playing the piano,
singing (St Bartholomew's Hospital choir, South-East Opera, Vinehall Singers),
landscape gardening, economics. Member of the Carlton Club.
|