Mike Blackburn (businessman)
Jeffrey Michael Blackburn (1941–2023) was a British banker who served as the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Leeds Permanent Building Society from 1987 to 1993 and of Halifax Building Society from 1993 to 1999.[1][2]
Early life and education[edit]
Born in Manchester, Blackburn was the eldest child of Renée and Jeffrey Blackburn, a local government official.[3][4] His early years coincided with World War II, during which his family resided near Preston, Lancashire.[3] His father served in the Royal Navy, contributing to convoy escorts to Halifax, Nova Scotia.[3] The family eventually settled in Ipswich, where Blackburn attended Northgate Grammar School.[3] His academic performance was hindered by poor A-level grades, leading him to work in various roles, including as a hospital porter and bus conductor.[3][4]
Later in his career, Blackburn attended Henley Management College and completed an executive education course.[5]
Career[edit]
Blackburn began his professional career as a banker at Lloyds Bank.[3][4] He rose through the ranks, becoming a branch manager in St Albans by age 30 and later a divisional manager.[3][4]
In 1987, Blackburn became the chief executive officer (CEO) of Leeds Permanent Building Society.[3][4] His time there was characterised by significant changes, including the closure of several branches and overseeing charitable initiatives.[3]
In 1993, Blackburn was named as the CEO of the Halifax Building Society.[6][7] His tenure at Halifax was marked by involvement in legal disputes, including a notable case against the UK government and the European Court of Justice concerning financial issues.[3]
In 1999, Blackburn left Halifax and was succeeded by James Crosby.[3][8] Following his departure from Halifax, Blackburn held several directorships at companies such as DFS Furniture.[9][10] In 2000, he was named as the non-executive chairman of Watson Wyatt Systems and later joined ID Data.[11][12][13] Five years later, in 2005, he joined DEBT Free Direct as a non-executive chairman as well.[14]
Blackburn was also active as a philanthropist, notably with The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, for which he was awarded a CVO in 2009.[3]
Personal life[edit]
Blackburn was married twice. His first marriage was to Jill Firth in 1963, with whom he had two children. He married Louise Jouny in 1987, and they had two sons.[3][4]
References[edit]
- ^ "Halifax chief doubles his money in first year on the market". The Independent. 21 March 1998.
- ^ Merrell, Caroline (18 November 2023). "Sleepy building society bought into the big league" – via thetimes.co.uk.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Mike Blackburn obituary". 17 November 2023 – via The Times.
- ^ a b c d e f "Profile: Mike Blackburn: 'We'd rather you didn't use the B word'". The Independent. 31 May 1997.
- ^ "Henley Management College". 18 November 2023 – via thetimes.co.uk.
- ^ "Blackburn named as Halifax's new chief". The Independent. 23 February 1993.
- ^ "Leeds to Halifax: a quantum leap into the hottest of seats: Robert". The Independent. 1 March 1993.
- ^ Brummer, Alex (2 November 1999). "Mindless reaction when bank heads roll". The Guardian.
- ^ Mail, Ben Laurance (13 April 2012). "Directors weigh up Kirkham's DFS bid". Evening Standard.
- ^ Verjee, Neelam (18 November 2023). "DFS shareholders shrug off threat of boardroom clearout" – via thetimes.co.uk.
- ^ Brewis|janine_brewis, Janine. "Ex-Halifax chief joins Watson Wyatt Systems". fnlondon.com.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Former Halifax chief joins ID Data for AIM float". The Independent. 17 September 2000.
- ^ "ID Data puts its smart money on Aim". The Telegraph. 18 September 2000.
- ^ Walters, Sarah (22 August 2005). "Blackburn joins". Manchester Evening News.