Timothy Melville-Ross

Sir Timothy David Melville-Ross CBE (born October 1944) is a British businessman who was CEO of Nationwide Building Society from 1985 to 1994 and went on to hold the role of chairman at several major companies, often simultaneously. Before and after his retirement from business he had leading roles in public bodies in areas including education and business ethics.

Early life

Melville-Ross was born in Westward Ho!, Devon, the son of Lt. Anthony Stuart Melville-Ross of the Royal Navy, and Anne Barclay Fane (née Gamble).^[1] He was privately educated at Uppingham School, and turned down a place at Cambridge University.^[2] He earned a diploma in business studies in 1967 from Portsmouth College of Technology.^[1]

Career

After working for BP,^[2] Melville-Ross joined Nationwide Building Society as company secretary,^[3] where he was CEO from 1985 to 1994. From 1994 to 1999, he was director-general of the Institute of Directors.^[4] He was chair of Bovis Homes Group for a time. In 2005, his roles included chairman at estate agents DTZ, maker of London taxis Manganese Bronze, and insurer Royal London.^[5]

Away from business, Melville-Ross was chair of Investors in People from 1999 to 2006. He had a fundraising role at the University of Essex and then was chair of the university's governing body from approximately 2002 to 2008.^[2] He was chair of the Higher Education Funding Council for England from 2008,^[6] and of Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust from 2013 to 2019.^[7] He was president of the advisory council of the Institute of Business Ethics from 2013^[8] to approximately 2023.

Honours and awards

Melville-Ross was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2005 New Year Honours for services to Workplace Learning and Development.^[9] He was a knighted in the 2018 New Year Honours for services to Higher Education.^[10]

In 2008, he received an honorary degree from the University of Essex.^[2]

References

1. 96-97 60th (August 1996). The International Who's Who 1996-97. Europa Publications. ISBN 978-1-85743-021-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
2. Rich, Tony (17 July 2008). "Oration: Tim Melville-Ross CBE". University of Essex. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
3. Priestley, Emma (10 July 2015). "A Board Interview with Tim Melville-Ross CBE". www.boardintelligence.com. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
4. Feuchtwanger, Antonia (3 September 1994). "Homage to the heard instinct: Tim Melville-Ross". The Independent. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
5. Hosking, Patrick (8 September 2005). "Investors advised against re electing DTZ chairman". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
6. Andalo, Debbie (18 April 2007). "Business leader to chair university funding body". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
7. Bartholomew, Emma (8 January 2019). "Sir John Gieve takes over from Sir Tim Melville-Ross as Homerton Hospital's chair". Hackney Gazette. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
8. "New president at IBE". www.triplepundit.com. 6 August 2013. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
9. "No. 57509". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2004. p. 9.
10. "No. 62150". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 2017. p. N2.

Further reading

• Interviewed by The Telegraph, 24 July 2008