Michael Hart 2005

BBGS 1949-1956

(Passed away 29th June 2019)

I started life in Mosley Street and went to the Sacred Heart School. I think I started the Grammar School in the class of '49 in the illustrious company of the likes of Bob Birrell. Never one Of Sam's academic stars, I stayed afloat by being a passable sportsman. On leaving the Sixth Form, I headed for the RAF and National Service. There followed a fascinating two years. Training in various parts of the UK was topped off with postings to Hong Kong, Singapore and Borneo.

I retumed to join Provincial Insurance at its Head Offce in Kendal. Joining at the same time was John Calvert with whom I shared digs. I leave the readers to imagine the lifestyle one leads with John!

 At the end of a year we went our separate ways, me eventually back to Asia covering Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Sabah and Sarawak for the Provincial with the Canadian title 'Resident Representative for Malaya and the South China Seas'.

On returning I held various positions in the UK before eventually becoming Chief Executive. There followed a fast moving period which first saw Provincial bought by UAP, the second largest insurer in Europe. I moved to the City, put together two other companies they owned in the UK and Ireland, and took the Group to a flotation on the London Stock Exchange. Life continued to move rapidly as UAP was taken over by Axa which also owned businesses in the UK and were backed into the Group I was running enlarging it to a size where it entered the FTSE 100.

Along the way I joined the UAP and Axa main Boards in France - an interesting experience for someone who only passed 'O' level French at the second attempt. All this finally brought me to 60 and retirement, so I thought.

Since retirement I seem to have become a professional non executive director by default as people have offered me positions on various boards. I spent an interesting three years on the board of the largest Greek life assuror and fund manager (to explain how it happened would take too long). Board meetings conducted in a mixture of English, French and Greek and held from time to time on Greek Islands as well as Athens made for an interesting life. I also had a spell on the Board of Time Computers - I'm still computer illiterate! I have just completed a few years as a Trustee of the Cumbria Community Foundation and as Chairman of the Barrow Community Trust.

Currently I'm Chairman of a listed Investment Trust which specialises in investing in quoted small Continental European companies and is based in the City. I am also a non executive director of a City underwriting agency which provides household insurance for very high net worth individuals. Another directorship is with a company offering insurance to SMEs over the telephone and internet. I'm Chairman of a translation business and language school which was set up by my ex French teacher. Finally and most valued on the company front is my directorship with the Furness Building Society which brings me home and gives me the opportunity to help shape the Society's mutual mission to local communities.

Outside the business world I sit on the governing Council of Lancaster University and chair the Audit Committee and am Chairman of the Brewery Alts Centre Endowment Trust in Kendal.