Press Release: Portrait Unveiling: Sir Martin Jacomb, former Chancellor of The University of Buckingham

6 October 2011

6 October 2011

On Friday 7 October 2011 at 12:40, a portrait of Sir Martin Jacomb, former Chancellor of The University of Buckingham, will be unveiled.

Traditionally portraits are painted of each Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor upon their retirement. Sir Martin was Chancellor between 1998 and 2010, taking over the post from Lady Thatcher after her retirement. He was the third Chancellor, the first having been Lord Hailsham. The current Chancellor is Lord Tanlaw of Tanlawhill.

Sir Martin had a long and distinguished career in the City of London. Currently Chairman of Canary Wharf Group plc and Share plc (in Aylesbury), he was Chairman of Prudential plc from 1995 to 2000 and was on the boards of Rio Tinto plc and Marks & Spencer plc.

A graduate of Worcester College Oxford, he qualified as a barrister and practised law until 1968 when he joined Kleinwort Benson Ltd, becoming Vice Chairman in 1976, a post he held until 1985. Other directorships included Chairman of Barclays de Zoete Wedd from 1986 to 1992, Chairman of Postel Investment Management Ltd from 1991 to 1995, Deputy Chairman of Barclays Bank plc from 1985 to 1993, and Director of the Bank of England from 1986 to 1995.

From 1992 to 1998 Sir Martin was Chairman of the British Council. He was a Trustee of the National Heritage Memorial Fund from 1982 to 1997 and a member of The Committee on Standards in Public Life (the Nolan Committee) from 1994 to 1997.

Susannah Fiennes, the artist who has painted the portrait, will be present at the unveiling and will talk about the work. Susannah was born and educated in England but has travelled extensively. She graduated from the Slade School of Fine Art, London, in 1983 with a BA Hons degree (1st Class). Since then, Susannah has shown her work widely in both group and solo exhibitions. As well as the National Portrait Gallery, London, The House of Commons, Westminster and Barings Bank, London, her work is included in the collection of HRH the Prince of Wales, whom she accompanied as tour artist on his official foreign visits in 1995, 1997 and 1999.

Notes to Editors:

 

The University of Buckingham, Britain’s only independent university, was founded in 1976, the first university to introduce two-year honours degrees. All students are given a high level of individual attention, which is one reason why the University has come top of the student satisfaction league table for the past six years. One hundred per cent of our graduates go into employment.