David Rowe-Beddoe, Baron Rowe-Beddoe

Summary

David Sydney Rowe-Beddoe, Baron Rowe-Beddoe, DL (19 December 1937 – 15 November 2023), was a Welsh businessman and life peer who was a crossbench member of the House of Lords.[1][2][3] Lord Rowe-Beddoe was chairman of the Welsh Development Agency, and was chairman of Cardiff Airport until November 2016.[4]

The Lord Rowe-Beddoe
Official portrait, 2018
Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
In office
15 June 2006 – 15 November 2023
Life peerage
Personal details
Born
David Sydney Rowe-Beddoe

(1937-12-19)19 December 1937
Died15 November 2023(2023-11-15) (aged 85)
NationalityBritish
Political partyCrossbench
OccupationBusinessman

Early life edit

David Sidney Rowe-Beddoe was born on 19 December 1937, as the son of Sydney Rowe-Beddoe and Gwendolan Evans.

Rowe-Beddoe's early education was at The Cathedral School, Llandaff, Cardiff, where he won the Victor Ludorum in 1951. He attended Stowe School at Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, and St John's College, Cambridge.[5]

In 1964, Rowe-Beddoe married Malinda Collison, and the union produced three daughters. The couple were divorced in 1982. He remarried in 1984, to Madeleine Harrison.

Career edit

Rowe-Beddoe's career in business began at Thomas De La Rue in 1961; and he rose to the position of Chief Executive from 1971 through 1976. At Revlon, he was president, Latin America, Europe, Middle East and Africa from 1976 through 1981. He also served as president, Morgan Stanley-GFTA Ltd from 1983 through 1991.[6]

Rowe-Beddoe was known as a Monaco-based businessman and a Tory party fund-raiser when an opportunity arose for him to be appointed to a Welsh quango;[7] and that opportunity led to others. He was appointed chairman of the Welsh Development Agency (WDA) in July 1993; and the term of this appointment was nine years.[8] He was invested as a Knight Bachelor in the 2000 Birthday Honours "for services to Industrial and Economic Development in Wales."[9][10]

In 2001, Sir David Rowe-Beddoe was appointed the Chairman of the Wales Millennium Centre; and he remained in this post.[11]

In 2004, Sir David Rowe-Beddoe was appointed president of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama having previously been a governor and chairman of the board.

In 2005, he received the Beacon Prize for Wales for his contribution to the economic and social development of Wales.[12]

On 15 June 2006, he was created a life peer as Baron Rowe-Beddoe, of Kilgetty in the County of Dyfed.[13][14]

In April 2007, Lord Rowe-Beddoe was created Pro-Chancellor of the University of Glamorgan.

Lord Rowe-Beddoe was a Deputy Chair of the UK Statistics Authority[15] who held responsibility for the governance of the Office for National Statistics.

An Anglican, Lord Rowe-Beddoe was chairman of the Representative Body of The Church in Wales from 2002 to 2012. [16]

Death edit

Lord Rowe-Beddoe died on 15 November 2023, at the age of 85.[17]

Honours edit

Arms edit

Coat of arms of David Rowe-Beddoe, Baron Rowe-Beddoe
 
 
Adopted
2008
Coronet
Coronet of a Baron
Crest
A demi roebuck Gules attired Or and supporting a Welsh triple harp Or.[21]
Escutcheon
Gules papillonny Or on a pale Argent a pallet Gules.
Supporters
On either side a Dragon reguardant Gules anciently crowned and gorged with a plain collar attached thereto a chain reflexed over the back Or.
Motto
Duw A'Ch Cynhalio
Badge
Two Welsh triple Harps addorsed each front pillar terminating in a roebuck's head Or.
Symbolism
The grantee was Chairman of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. His connection with music and the theatre is reflected in the Arms where the papillonny suggests theatre seats, the pale and pallet forming a central red-carpeted aisle. The dragons and the Welsh triple harps are an obvious allusion to Wales and music with the roebuck providing a pun on Rowe.

Notes edit

  1. ^ "Elizabeth Taylor: Tributes and memories from Wales". BBC News website. BBC. 23 March 2011. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  2. ^ DodOnline: Archived 21 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Lord Rowe-Beddoe. Archived 21 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ UK Parliament website: Archived 2 August 2002 at the Wayback Machine House of Lords, Minutes of Proceedings, 20 July 2006.
  4. ^ "Cardiff Airport deal: New flights 'key to success'". BBC News website. BBC. 28 March 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  5. ^ Burkes Peerage, Rowe-Beddoe.
  6. ^ Wales Millennium Centre: Archived 16 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine Rowe-Beddow bio. Archived 25 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Jones, Bill. Political Issues in Britain Today, p. 290.
  8. ^ Jones, Robert. "Changing chairs; Face-to-Face with Sir David Rowe-Beddoe," Western Mail (Cardiff, Wales). 29 December 2001.
  9. ^ "No. 55879". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 June 2000. p. 1.
  10. ^ "No. 56136". The London Gazette. 2 March 2001. p. 2633.
  11. ^ Rowe-Beddoe biography, Beacon Fellowship
  12. ^ Beacon Prize for Wales 2004, Beacon Fellowship.
  13. ^ "No. 58024". The London Gazette. 21 June 2006. p. 8459.
  14. ^ "Baronies, Baron Rowe-Beddoe," The Times (London). 8 July 2006.
  15. ^ UK Statistics Authority Archived 28 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  16. ^ "Tributes to Lord David Rowe-Beddoe as he retires from Church in Wales". 27 November 2012.
  17. ^ "Cardiff-born businessman Lord David Rowe-Beddoe dies aged 85". BBC News. 15 November 2023. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  18. ^ "Cardiff, Honorary fellow". Archived from the original on 19 September 2010. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
  19. ^ Wales, Honorary degree.
  20. ^ Embassy of Japan in the U.K.: "Japanese Government honors Lord David Sydney Rowe-Beddoe," 18 December 2008.
  21. ^ Debrett'sPeerage. 2019. p. 4207.

References edit

  • Hill, Stephen, Brian Morgan and David Rowe-Beddoe. (1998). Inward Investment, Business Finance and Regional Development, Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-333-66827-6; OCLC 39861489
  • Jones, Bill. Political Issues in Britain Today. Manchester: Manchester University Press. ISBN 978-0-7190-5432-7; OCLC 41017782