File: /home/mykensington.co.uk/public_html/kensington/celebs-business.html
<html>
<head>
<title>Business Celebrities & Politicians in Kensington</title>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<meta name="description" content="Search for forthcoming Kensington Events, Kensington cinema, exhibitions, West End theatre and comedy Event near you!">
<meta name="keywords" content="Kensington events exhibition dance Kensington comedy theatre Kensington gigs cinema">
<link rel="STYLESHEET" type="text/css" href="../../scripts/style_celebs.css">
<script src="../../scripts/resource.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script src="../../top_tables/show_logo.js"></script>
<style type="text/css">
<!--
.unnamed1 { font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; border-style: none}
-->
</style>
</head>
<body bgcolor="#FFCC00" leftmargin="0" topmargin="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" text="#000000">
<font size="1"> </font>
<table width="1000" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center">
<tr>
<td valign="top">
<table width="777" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center">
<tr bgcolor="#000000">
<td colspan="3">
<div align="center"><a href="http://www.myvillage.com/adrates.htm" class="redlink"><font size="1">Promote
Your Business</font></a><font size="1"> <font color="#FFFFFF">|
<a href="javascript:network_link('http://mail.myvillage.com/membership/membership_club.php')" class="redlink">Become
a Member</a> </font> <font color="#FFFFFF">|</font> <font color="#FFFFFF">
<a href="http://www.myvillage.com/" class="redlink">MyVillage Network</a>
|</font> <font color="#FFFFFF">Areas we cover:</font> <a href="http://www.myvillage.com/" class="redlink">
UK</a> <font color="#FFFFFF">and</font> <a href="http://www.myvillagelondon.co.uk/" class="redlink">
London</a> <font color="#FFFFFF">|</font> <a href="#" onclick="mailapage();" class="redlink">E-mail
this page to a friend</a> <img src="../../images/email-icon.gif" width="14" height="11"></font></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#282A29">
<script src="../../top_tables/show_logo_only.js">
</script>
</td>
<td bgcolor="#282A29">
<div align="right"><!------- Start of Ad'LINK ADJ Tag - Javascript Format , size : 468x60 ------>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" width="468" height="60"><tr>
<td valign="top" border="0" width="468" height="60">
<script language="JavaScript">
if(typeof(adlink_randomnumber)=="undefined"){var adlink_randomnumber=Math.floor(Math.random()*10000000000)}
document.write('<scr'+'ipt language="JavaScript" src="http://ad.uk.doubleclick.net/adj/myvillage.co.uk/london;dcopt=ist;sz=468x60;ord='+adlink_randomnumber+'?"><\/scr'+'ipt>');
</script><noscript>
<a href="http://ad.uk.doubleclick.net/jump/myvillage.co.uk/london;sz=468x60;ord=1234567890" target="_blank">
<img src="../../ad/myvillage-co-uk/london_sz_468x60_ord_1234567890.gif" border="0" width="468" height="60">
</a></noscript></td></tr></table>
<!------- End of Ad'LINK ADJ Tag - Javascript Format, size : 468x60 ------>
</div>
</td>
<td bgcolor="#282A29" width="5"> </td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor="#000000">
<td colspan="3">
<table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1">
<tr valign="bottom">
<td height="20">
<p align="center"><font size="1" color="#FFFFFF"><b><a href="../../kensington/arts/" class="redlink">Arts&Entertainment</a>
| <a href="../../kensington/bars_Music/" class="redlink">Bars&Music</a>
| <a href="../../kensington/restaurants/" class="redlink">Restaurants</a>
| <a href="../../kensington/fashion/" class="redlink">Shopping&Fashion</a>
| <a href="../../kensington/health/" class="redlink">Health&Beauty</a>
| <a href="../../kensington/celebs_gossip/" class="redlink">Celebs&Gossip</a>
| <a href="../../kensington/competitions/" class="redlink">Competitions</a>
| <a href="../../kensington/jobs/" class="redlink">Jobs&Careers</a>
</b></font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="top">
<td height="20">
<div align="center"><font size="1" color="#FFFFFF"><b><a href="../../kensington/property/" class="redlink">Homes&Property</a>
| <a href="../../kensington/community/" class="redlink">News&Community</a>
| <a href="../../kensington/businesszone/" class="redlink">Business&Services</a>
| <a href="javascript:network_link('http://www.myvillage.co.uk/pages/downloads.htm')" class="redlink">Downloads&Games;</a>
| <a href="../../kensington/kids/" class="redlink">Kids&Youth</a> |
<a href="../../kensington/dating/" class="redlink">Dating</a> | <a href="../../kensington/services/" class="redlink">Classifieds</a>
| <a href="javascript:network_link('http://www.myvillage.co.uk/pages/messageboards.htm')" class="redlink">Message
Boards </a></b></font></div>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<table width="777" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center">
<form name="search" method="GET" action="http://www.myvillage.com/espotting/results.php">
<tr>
<td height="50" width="62" valign="top"><img src="../../images/homepage/cat/celebs_search.gif" width="62" height="33"></td>
<td colspan="2" valign="middle" align="right">
<input type="text" name="keyword" class="unnamed1" size="40">
<br>
<table cellpadding="0" border="0" cellspacing="0">
<tr>
<td valign="middle">
<input type="hidden" name="sp-q" class="unnamed1">
<input name="search_sel" type="radio" alignment="absmiddle" checked value="web">
</td>
<td valign="middle"> <font size="1">the web</font> </td>
<td valign="middle">
<input alignment="absmiddle" name="search_sel" value="site" type="radio">
<font size="1">
<input type="hidden" name="sp-a" value="sp1000aed1">
</font>
<input type="hidden" name="sp-p" value="any">
<input type="hidden" name="sp-f" value="iso-8859-1">
</td>
<td valign="middle"> <font size="1">this website</font> </td>
</tr>
</table>
<script>
<!--
// search destination script bazza - 18/12/03
function select_search()
{
var former = document.forms["search"];
if(former.search_sel[0].checked)
{
former.submit();
}
else
{
former.action = "http://search.atomz.com/search/";
former.elements[1].value = former.keyword.value;
}
//alert(former.action);
//alert(former.elements[1].value);
former.submit();
}
//-->
</script>
</td>
<td valign="middle"><a href="#" onclick="select_search();"><img border="0" src="../../images/homepage/cat/celebs_searchS.gif" width="50" height="33"></a><br>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="150" align="right" height="60">
<div align="center"><a href="#" onclick="window.external.AddFavorite(top.location,document.title);"><img src="../../images/homepage/cat/celebs_bookmark.gif" width="107" height="33" border="0"></a></div>
</td>
<td valign="middle" width="271" align="right">
<div align="center">
<script src="../../java/banner/catlondon.txt.js"></script>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="6" valign="top" height="8"><img src="../../images/spacer_white.gif" width="100%" height="1"></td>
</tr>
</form>
</table>
<table width="777" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center">
<tr>
<td width="226" valign="top"><img src="../../images/homepage/cat/celebs.gif" width="220" height="20"></td>
<td width="275" valign="top" align="right">
<div align="left"><img src="../../images/homepage/cat/celebs_features1.gif" width="220" height="20"></div>
</td>
<td width="275" valign="top" align="right">
<div align="left"><img src="../../images/homepage/cat/celebs_today1.gif" width="220" height="20"></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2" valign="top" bgcolor="#F8AC04" width="226"> <p><font size="1"><b>Kensington Celebs & Gossip :::</b><a href="../../kensington/health-list_beauty/"><b><br>
</b><font color="#FFFFFF"><b>
<script src="../../java/celebs/kensington/nav.txt.js"></script>
</b></font></a><br>
<br>
<script language="javascript1.2" src="../../java/links/celebs.txt.js"></script>
</font></p>
</td>
<td width="275" valign="top" align="right">
<table width="271" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" height="160" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
<tr align="center">
<td></td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
<td width="275" valign="top" align="right">
<table width="271" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="right" bgcolor="#F8AC04">
<tr>
<td width="85" valign="top"><img src="../../images/team/nads80.jpg" width="80" height="80" border="0"></td>
<td valign="top" width="186">
<script src="../../java/celebs/messageboard.txt.js"></script>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="85" valign="top"><img src="../../images/dating/dating80-2.jpg" width="80" height="80"></td>
<td valign="top" background="../../images/homepage/cat/celebs_back.gif" width="186"><!-- Begin Tracking Code by Netklix.com - DO NOT MODIFY DatingDirect.com
advert for Myvillage.com LinkId = 193593 -->
<script language="Javascript" src="http://tracker.netklix.com/v4/link.asp?frmNKLinkId=193593&frmRegion
Id1=39">
</script>
<!-- End Tracking Code --> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top" height="4" bgcolor="#FFCC00"></td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" valign="top" align="right">
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="546" bgcolor="#FBBA29">
<tr>
<td valign="middle" bgcolor="#F8AC04" height="27"><img src="../../images/homepage/cat/arrow_celebs.gif" width="80" height="23"></td>
<td valign="middle" bgcolor="#F8AC04"><font size="2"><b>Business
Celebrities & Politicians in Kensington</b></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="85" valign="top"></td>
<td valign="top">
<p><b><font color="#ffffff" size="1"><b><a name="paula"></a>Paul Allen</b></font><font size="1"> </font></b><font size="1"><br>
</font><font color="#000000" size="1">Paul Allen was a programmer
at Honeywell in Boston when he read an advertisement for a
microcomputer kit in the January 1975 issue of Popular Electronics.
He convinced Bill Gates to team up with him and create software
for it. </font></p>
<p><font color="#000000" size="1">Intel and Motorola followed with
more powerful microprocessors. The likes of Radio Shack, Apple
and IBM designed personal computers based on them. For the
software that made these machines useful, they turned to Paul
Allen and Bill Gates, who in Albuquerque had started a new
company called Microsoft. Allen was head of research and new
product development, the company's senior technology post.
</font><font color="#000000" size="1">He championed and helped engineer many of the company's most
successful products, including MS-DOS�, Word, Windows� and
the Microsoft Mouse. </font></p>
<p><font color="#000000" size="1">He left the company in 1983, after
a serious illness led him to re-evaluate his personal priorities.
He retains his seat on the Microsoft board and remains its
second largest stockholder. Allen now commits his time to
other projects.</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"> </td>
<td valign="top"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"></td>
<td valign="top" bgcolor="#000000" height="1"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="TOP"> </td>
<td valign="top"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"><img height="80" src="../../images/famous/barabaraamielS.jpg" width="80"></td>
<td valign="top">
<p><b><font color="#ffffff" size="1"><b><font color="#ffffff" size="1"><a name="barbaraa"></a>Barbara Amiel aka Barbara Black -</font></b><font color="#ffffff" size="1">
Libertarian journalist and political hostess</font></font></b><font size="1"><br>
Barbara was born in Watford. When her parents divorced, she
moved to Canada. A scholarship to the University of Toronto
was followed by a career in journalism, which once saw her
imprisoned in Mozambique for the sake of a scoop. She then
became the first female editor of the Toronto Sun. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">Returned to Britain in the 1980s, her witty
broadsides at liberal targets earned her the name 'the Iron
Lady of Wapping'. When she met Conrad Black it has been reported
that he was so infatuated he had to see a shrink, but its
was alright, it was nothing more than love. Barbara is now
chatelaine of this country's foremost political salon. Her
fourth husband owns publishing group Hollinger, which includes
the Spectator and the Telegraph for which she also writes
for.</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"> </td>
<td valign="top"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"></td>
<td valign="top" bgcolor="#000000" height="1"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="TOP"> </td>
<td valign="top"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"></td>
<td valign="top">
<p><b><font color="#ffffff" size="1"><b><font color="#ffcc00"><font size="1"><b><font color="#ffffff"><a name="richardb"></a>Richard Branson - </font></b><font color="#ffffff" size="1">Mr.
Virgin, lives in Holland Park</font></font></font></b></font></b><font size="1"><br>
<b>Branson sells out - June 04<br>
</b>Richard Branson is to sell hundreds of Virgin record stores.
<br>
<br>
The tycoon is planning to sell around a third of his record
shops after losing out to internet retailers. It will mainly
be the Virgin Xpress shops that face the chop as Branson plans
to open bigger stores in their place. This is part of a �90m
strategy which will streamline the entertainment arm of Virgin.
<b><br>
<br>
Presenter Branson - 17/06/03 <br>
</b>Holland Park based businessman Sir Richard Branson is
to front an edition of the new Five series Extreme� <br>
<br>
Each week the programme will feature a different celebrity
who will focus on ill-fated adventures. Sir Richard will be
describing his own transatlantic ballooning attempt and a
terrifying skydiving near miss.<br>
<br>
He recounts how two experienced skydivers saved his life in
1986 when he pulled the wrong ripcord and lost his parachute.
<br>
<br>
The series will be aired on the channel beginning in September.
<b><br>
</b></font></p>
<p><font color="#ffffff" size="1"><font color="#ffcc00"><b><b><b><font color="#000000"><a href="http://www.blackevents.co.uk/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&forum=UK+Celebs+and+Gossip&number=92&DaysPrune=45&LastLogin=" target="_blank">Talk about this on our message board</a></font></b></b></b></font></font><font size="1"><b>
</b></font></p>
<p><font size="1"><b>Richard Branson to float Virgin Blue in 2003
- 28/11/02 </b><br>
Mogul Richard Branson plans to float Australian airline Virgin
Blue, which he half owns, in the first half of next year.
Australia's Sunday Times newspaper reported the float would
have a likely value of up to 520 million sterling or US$828
million. <br>
</font></p>
<p><font size="1">Branson also revealed that Virgin Atlantic would
fly to Australia via Hong Kong in 2003. "We will finally be
able to connect up Virgin Blue with Virgin Atlantic," he said.
<br>
<br>
London to Australia via Hong Kong would be the longest haul
flight Virgin Atlantic operates. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">Born 1950 in Surrey, the son of an English barrister
and his former airline hostess wife. He was beaten at Scaitcliffe
Preparatory School for poor grades. Skipped college and moved
to London in the late 1960s to work on Student, a magazine
he co-founded.<br>
<br>
His marriage to American Kristen Tomassi ended after a wife-swapping
episode. He then married Joan Templeman in 1989 after living
together for many years and having two children, Holly and
Sam. <br>
<br>
Richard Branson is the founder of many companies bearing the
"Virgin" trademark including Virgin Atlantic Airlines, Virgin
Cola, music production, retailing and other ventures including
interests in a radio station, financial services, hotels and
even cosmetics and blue jeans - over 150 companies in all.
<br>
<br>
Branson began his entrepreneurial life growing Christmas trees
as a youngster. At 21, Branson started Virgin Records he signed
such names as The Rolling Stones, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel,
and Janet Jackson.<br>
<br>
He sold Virgin Music in 1991 for close to $1 billion.Branson
is a trustee of several charities including the Healthcare
Foundation, a leading healthcare charity responsible for a
health education campaign relating to AIDS in 1987. He assisted
in the initial funding of Charity Projects to help the organization
raise over �27 million in 1989 alone through events such as
Comic Relief.<br>
<br>
Now, head of 150 or so enterprises that carry the Virgin name,
with a personal wealth estimated at nearly $3 billion. In
1981 Branson bought his own Balinese island (Necker) for a
mere �200,000, about three quarters of a mile long the island
had two good beaches, but no buildings, no fresh water and
very few trees. <br>
<br>
After months of work Branson now spends three months of the
year on Necker, keeping open house for his friends. When he
isn't there, the island is available to rent to the likes
of Steven Spielberg, Harrison Ford, Robert DeNiro - and you
if you have the odd $14,000 a day to spare on a holiday.<br>
<br>
He still holds the record as fastest to cross the Atlantic
ocean by boat, and hopes to be first to circle the globe in
a balloon. It is a success that was never expected for a dyslexic,
nearsighted boy. </font></p>
<p><font size="1"><br>
</font></p>
<p><font color="#ffffff" size="1"><b><a href="../../kensington/community-localnews-mar2001/#railtrack">Branson
Threatens To Sue Railtrack</a> </b><font color="#000000">5 March
2001</font><br>
</font><font color="#000000" size="1">Sir Richard Branson's Virgin
Rail group has threatened to take Railtrack to court to recoup
the �100m of lost revenue due to the four months of chaos
caused by the Hatfield rail crash. </font></p>
<p><font color="#ffffff" size="1"><b><a href="/#branson">Blow
To Branson's Rail Franchise Bid</a></b></font><font color="#000000" size="1"> <font color="#ffffff">15 February 2021<br>
Kensington's<b> </b>most famous businessman Sir Richard Branson's
plan to take over the important East Coast Main Line has been
put on hold. </font></font></p>
<p><font size="1"><b><a href="http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4115522,00.html">Branson
Bows out of fight for Lottery</a> </b>11 January 2021<br>
Sir Richard Branson yesterday abandoned his long campaign
to win control of the national lottery, but not before a last
bitter swipe at the commission which frustrated his ambition.
The founder of the Virgin empire said he had decided not to
proceed with a judicial review to re-open the contest for
the next licence. He said he feared that further delays and
controversy could lead to good causes losing millions of pounds.
The decision, Sir Richard said, flew in the face of legal
advice suggesting he had a strong case for overturning the
national lottery commission's decision last month to award
the next licence to Camelot.</font></p>
<p><font size="1"><b><a href="http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4113794,00.html">Branson
looks at an alternative lottery</a></b> 8 January 2021 <br>
Sir Richard Branson is considering the launch of a non-profit
making game to rival the National Lottery. The plan is a fall-back
position for Sir Richard, whose People's Lottery lost out
in the contest against Camelot for the next licence to run
the national lottery at the end of last year.</font></p>
<p><font color="#000033" size="1"><a href="http://www.the-times.co.uk/news/pages/tim/2000/08/30/timnwsnws01032.html"><b>Judge
backs Branson over lottery</b></a> July 2000<br>
SIR RICHARD BRANSON was last night given the all-clear to
begin exclusive negotiations to take over the National Lottery
despite objections from Camelot, the present operator. </font></p>
<p><font color="#000033" size="1"><a href="http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,3929586,00.html"><b>War
of words over Virgin's naked rivalry</b></a> November 12 1999
<br>
Richard Branson's Virgin Group yesterday marched into Britain's
fast-growing mobile phone market and into an immediate slanging
match with the largest independent mobile retailer, Carphone
Warehouse. </font></p>
<p><font color="#000033" size="1"><a href="http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,3908668,00.html"><b>When
two airlines go to war</b></a><b> </b>October 03 1999 <br>
It could be the final ignominy for British Airways and its
embattled chief executive Bob Ayling. Upstart arch-rival Richard
Branson has revived plans to take a stake in the national
airline.</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"> </td>
<td valign="top"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"></td>
<td valign="top" bgcolor="#000000" height="1"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="TOP"> </td>
<td valign="top"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"></td>
<td valign="top">
<p><b><font color="#ffffff" size="1"><b><font color="#ffffff" size="1"><a name="chrise"></a>Dr Chris Evans</font></b></font></b><font size="1"><br>
At the age of 40, Chris Evans is one of Europe's leading biotechnology
entrepreneurs. He has established several high quality bioscience
companies and has successfully sold one, Enzymatix Limited,
and floated two others on the London Stock Exchange. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">Over the last five years his businesses have
raised over �300 million in the UK. His latest venture is
Merlin Ventures Limited which is a biotechnology seed investment
company focused on creating exciting start-up ventures.</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"> </td>
<td valign="top"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"></td>
<td valign="top" bgcolor="#000000" height="1"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="TOP"> </td>
<td valign="top"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"></td>
<td valign="top">
<p><b><font color="#ffffff" size="1"><b><font color="#ffcc00"><font color="#ffffff" size="1"><b><a name="marcop"></a>Marco Pierre White </b>- Chef & restauranteur</font></font></b></font></b><font size="1"><br>
</font><font color="#ffffff" size="1"><b><font color="#000000">17/01/01</font></b></font><font size="1"><br>
Marco Pierre White (who runs Kensington restaurant The Belvedere),
won damages thought to be as much as �1million in the High
Court yesterday. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">Rival restauranteur Tony Allan agreed to pay
his former friend's damages and both sides' legal costs after
the celebrity chef sued him for libel over claims that he
had once served a squid with real ink to a food critic.<br>
</font></p>
<p><font size="1">In a statement read out in court Allan accepted
the ink story was untrue and was the result of a joke that
had got out of hand. Allan said that he had apologised straight
away, offering to put the record straight. He went on to say
that he now deeply regretted the episode, not least because
it led to the end of his ten-year friendship with Mr White.</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"> </td>
<td valign="top"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"></td>
<td valign="top" bgcolor="#000000" height="1"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="TOP"> </td>
<td valign="top"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"></td>
<td valign="top">
<p><b><font color="#ffffff" size="1"><b><font color="#ffcc00"><font color="#ffffff"><b><font size="1"><a name="lordr"></a>Lord
Jenkins</font></b></font></font></b></font></b><font size="1"><br>
Roy Jenkins was born in Wales in 1920. He was educated at
University College, Cardiff, and at Balliol College, Oxford,
where he took First Class Honours in Politics, Philosophy
and Economics, proceeding to war service with the Royal Artillery
in 1942. It was as Captain Jenkins that he married in 1945
Dame Jennifer Jenkins. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">He first entered Parliament in 1948. He was
MP for the Stechford Division of Birmingham from 1950 until
1976, and later from 1982 to 1987 for the Hillhead Division
of Glasgow. He was Deputy Leader of the Labour Party from
1970 to 1972, resigning on an issue of principle. He has been
a member of the House of Lords since 1987. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">Roy Jenkins has held two of the great offices
of State-Chancellor of the Exchequer and Home Secretary, also
serving between 1975 and 1981 as President of the European
Commission, the first British citizen to have held that office.
</font></p>
<p><font size="1">Roy Jenkins is now an accomplished biographer
and historian.</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"> </td>
<td valign="top"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"></td>
<td valign="top" bgcolor="#000000" height="1"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="TOP"> </td>
<td valign="top"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"><img height="80" src="../../images/famous/denisekingsmillS.jpg" width="80"></td>
<td valign="top">
<p><b><font color="#ffffff" size="1"><b><font color="#ffcc00"><font color="#ffffff"><b><font color="#ffffff" size="1"><b><a name="denisek"></a>Denise Kingsmill </b></font></b><font color="#ffffff" size="1">- Deputy chairman of the Competition Commission</font></font></font></b></font></b><font size="1"><br>
</font><font color="#000000" size="1">Denise was born in New Zealand
where she spent most of her time on a sheep farm before emigrating
as a child to Croesyceilliog in Wales. After gaining a degree
at Girton College, Cambridge, she worked in fashion. Later
in life she decided upon law and became one of the most successful
lawyers in the country. She specialised in high-profile redundancies
and pay-offs - memorably securing �24 million for Direct Line's
Peter Wood - she took a serious drop in salary to work for
the Competition Commission and is best friends with Salman
Rushdie, the pair have been friends since they shared a house
after university.</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"> </td>
<td valign="top"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"></td>
<td valign="top" bgcolor="#000000" height="1"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="TOP"> </td>
<td valign="top"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"></td>
<td valign="top">
<p><b><font color="#ffffff" size="1"><b><font color="#ffffff" size="1"><b><a name="juliem"></a>Julie Meyer - </b></font></b><font color="#ffffff" size="1">Founder of firsttuesday.com</font></font></b><font size="1"><br>
What began as an informal pub gathering on the first Tuesday
of every month has turned into the web's top business forum,
with this glamorous San Franciscan expat at the helm. With
a degree in English from Valparaiso, and an MBA from Insead.
Meyer had to sacrifice a lot in order for Firsttuesday to
succeed. Her last proper holiday was in March 1999, however
she did manage to get four days off when Firsttuesday merged
with Yazam in July 2000. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">The sale of Firsttuesday netted her �12 million,
many more breaks to come I say!! </font></p>
<p><font size="1"><a href="http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4128179,00.html"><b>Network,
while you still can...</b></a><b> </b>1 February 2001- The
Guardian<br>
</font></p>
<p><font size="1"><b><a href="http://www.thestandard.com/article/display/0,1151,20708,00.html">Julie
Meyer's Dot-Com Support System</a></b> 8 December 2020 - The
Standard</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"> </td>
<td valign="top"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"></td>
<td valign="top" bgcolor="#000000" height="1"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="TOP"> </td>
<td valign="top"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"></td>
<td valign="top">
<p><b><font color="#ffffff" size="1"><b><font color="#ffcc00"><font size="1"><b><font color="#ffffff"><a name="sally"></a>Sally Clarke-</font></b><font color="#ffffff"> chef</font></font></font></b></font></b><font size="1"><br>
Her name may be not as recognisable as Jamie Oliver's but
those who know, know. Her London restaurant Clarke's in Kensington
Church Street is one of the best, where written menus do not
exist, the entire lunch and dinner menus change daily according
to what the vegetable and fish markets dictate. <br>
<br>
Not content in having a packed restaurant, Sally also owns
the delicatessen next door 'Clarke's &', which sells delicious
breads and cheeses - all made on the premises, or carefully
selected from producers. <br>
<br>
She has also just completed a book, which is a collection
of her dishes especially for cooking at home. Arranged by
season, to take advantage of the freshest and best quality
ingredients there are simple menus for lunch and supper.</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"> </td>
<td valign="top"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"></td>
<td valign="top" bgcolor="#000000" height="1"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="TOP"> </td>
<td valign="top"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"><img height="80" src="../../images/famous/portillo100.jpg" width="80"></td>
<td valign="top">
<p><b><font color="#ffffff" size="1"><b><font color="#ffcc00"><font color="#ffffff" size="1"><b>Michael Portillo MP</b></font></font></b></font></b><font size="1"><br>
Kensington & Chelsea MP hits the MyVillage Celebrity pages
... Coming soon news and views on your local prospective Tory
leader.<br>
</font><font size="1">When does a politician become a celebrity?
Well for MyVillage it's when he is spotted punching his hands
in the air at the Madonna concert at Earl's Court, singing
along to his favourite song La Isla Bonita. This on the very
day that former Tory cabinet minister Peter Lilley advocated
de-criminalising cannabis. New Tory here we come...<br>
<a href="../../kensington/celebs-portillo/"><b>read
more</b></a></font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"> </td>
<td valign="top"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"></td>
<td valign="top" bgcolor="#000000" height="1"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="TOP"> </td>
<td valign="top"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="85" valign="top"></td>
<td valign="top">
<p><b><font color="#ffffff" size="1"><b><font color="#ffcc00"><font color="#ffffff" size="1"><b><a name="gerryr"></a>Gerry Robinson</b></font></font></b></font></b><font size="1"><br>
Officially 'Gerrard Jude'-chairman of the Granada Group &
head of the Arts Council </font></p>
<p><font size="1">Robinson made his first millions with a management
buy-out at Grand Met, and then did it again by taking over
Trusthouse Forte with Granada. His post on the Arts Council
is unpaid, but that shouldn't matter as last year he was Britain's
highest-earning chairman. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">As well as his Granada and Arts Council portfolio,
Robinson is not only at the helm of</font><font size="1"> the
vast media, catering and hotels group, but he also controls
and allocates government arts funding.</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="85" valign="top"> </td>
<td valign="top"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="85" valign="top"></td>
<td valign="top" bgcolor="#000000" height="1"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="TOP" width="85"> </td>
<td valign="top"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="85" valign="top"></td>
<td valign="top">
<p><b><font color="#ffffff" size="1"><b><font color="#ffcc00"><font color="#ffffff" size="1"><b><a name="george"></a>George Soros</b></font></font></b></font></b><font size="1"><br>
George Soros was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1930. He emigrated
in 1947 to England, where he graduated from the London School
of Economics, and in 1956 to the United States, where he began
to accumulate a large fortune through an international investment
fund he founded and managed. While a student at the London
School of Economics, Mr. Soros became familiar with the work
of the philosopher Karl Popper, who had a profound influence
on his thinking and later on his philanthropic activities.
</font></p>
<p><font size="1">Mr. Soros established his first foundation,
the Open Society Fund, in New York in 1979, his first Eastern
European foundation in Hungary in 1984, and the Soros Foundation-Soviet
Union in 1987. He now funds a network of foundations that
operate in 31 countries throughout Central and Eastern Europe,
the former Soviet Union and Central Eurasia, as well as South
Africa, Haiti, Guatemala, and the United States. These foundations
are dedicated to building and maintaining the infrastructure
and institutions of an open society. Soros has also founded
other major institutions, such as the Central European University
and the International Science Foundation. In 1994, the foundations
in the network spent approximately $300 million; in 1995,
$350 million; and in 1996, $362 million. Projected giving
for 1997 is expected to be maintained at a similar level.
</font></p>
<p><font size="1">In addition to many articles on the political
and economic changes in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet
Union, Mr. Soros is the author of The Alchemy of Finance,
published by Simon & Schuster in 1987 and republished
in 1994 by John Wiley & Sons; Opening the Soviet System,
published by Weidenfeld & Nicholson in 1990; Underwriting
Democracy, published by The Free Press in 1991; and Soros
on Soros: Staying Ahead of the Curve, published by John Wiley
& Sons in September 1995. </font><font size="1">Mr. Soros's most recent book, The Crisis of Global Capitalism,
was published in November 1998 by Public Affairs. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">Mr. Soros has received honorary doctoral degrees
from the New School for Social Research, the University of
Oxford, the Budapest University of Economics, and Yale University.
</font><font size="1">In 1995, the University of Bologna awarded
Mr. Soros its highest honor, the Laurea Honoris Causa, in
recognition of his efforts to promote open societies throughout
the world. </font></p>
<p><font size="1">Mr. Soros is Chairman of Soros Fund Management
LCC, a private investment management firm that serves as principal
investment advisor to the Quantum Group of Funds. The Quantum
Fund N.V., the oldest and largest fund within the Quantum
Group, is generally recognized as having the best performance
record of any investment fund in the world in its 28-year
history.</font></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="85" valign="top"> </td>
<td valign="top"> </td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="14" bgcolor="#330066"><font size="1" color="#FFCC00"><b>Extras</b></font></td>
<td bgcolor="#330066"><font size="1"><b><font color="#FFCC00"> <img src="../../images/homepage/cat/arts_spacer.gif" width="4" height="1"></font><font size="1" color="#FFCC00">Kensington
Features </font><font color="#FFCC00"></font></b></font></td>
<td bgcolor="#330066"><font color="#FFFFFF" size="1"><b><font size="1" color="#FFCC00"><img src="../../images/homepage/cat/arts_spacer.gif" width="4" height="1"></font><font size="1" color="#FFCC00">National</font><font color="#FFCC00">
Features</font></b></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" bgcolor="#F8AC04"><font size="1"><b>Kensington Classifieds</b></font><font size="1"></font><font size="1"><br>
<script language="JavaScript" src="http://www.mykensington.co.uk/java/classifieds.txt" type="text/javascript"></script>
<br>
<br>
<b>Local links</b><br>
<script language="JavaScript" src="http://www.mykensington.co.uk/java/local_links.txt" type="text/javascript"></script>
<br>
<br>
<b>Search</b> <br>
<script language="JavaScript" src="http://www.mykensington.co.uk/java/search_celebs.txt" type="text/javascript"></script>
</font><br>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<table width="271" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="right">
<tr valign="top">
<td>
<script src="../../java/celebs/kensington/archive.txt.js"></script>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<p>
</td>
<td valign="top">
<table width="271" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="right">
<tr valign="top">
<td><b>
<script src="../../java/celebs/alist.txt.js"></script>
</b></td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
</table>
<div align="center"> <font size="1" color="#330066"><font color="#333366" size="1"><b><font size="1" color="#FFCC00"><b>
<script src="../../java/banner/bannerbig.txt.js"></script>
</b></font></b></font></font> </div>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="220" bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><!------- Start of Ad'LINK ADJ Tag - Javascript Format , size : 220x600 ------>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" width="220" height="600">
<tr>
<td valign="top" border="0" width="220" height="600">
<div align="center">
<script language="JavaScript">
if(typeof(adlink_randomnumber)=="undefined"){var adlink_randomnumber=Math.floor(Math.random()*10000000000)}
document.write('<scr'+'ipt language="JavaScript" src="http://ad.uk.doubleclick.net/adj/myvillage.co.uk/london/superskyscraper220x600;sz=220x600;ord='+adlink_randomnumber+'?"><\/scr'+'ipt>');
</script>
<noscript> <a href="http://ad.uk.doubleclick.net/jump/myvillage.co.uk/london/superskyscraper220x600;sz=220x600;ord=1234567890" target="_blank">
<img src="../../ad/myvillage-co-uk/london/superskyscraper220x600_sz_220x600_ord_1234567890.gif" border="0" width="220" height="600">
</a></noscript></div>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<!------- End of Ad'LINK ADJ Tag - Javascript Format, size : 220x600 ------></td>
</tr>
</table>
<!-- START RedMeasure V4 - Java v1.1 $Revision: 1.9 $ --> <!-- COPYRIGHT 2000 Red Sheriff Limited -->
<script language="JavaScript"><!--
var pCid="uk_myvillage_0";
var w0=1;
var refR=escape(document.referrer);
if (refR.length>=252) refR=refR.substring(0,252)+"...";
//--></script>
<script language="JavaScript1.1"><!--
var w0=0;
//--></script>
<script language="JavaScript1.1" src="../../a1.js">
</script>
<script language="JavaScript"><!--
if(w0){
var imgN='<img src="http://server-uk.imrworldwide.com/cgi-bin/count?ref='+
refR+'&cid='+pCid+'" width=1 height=1>';
if(navigator.userAgent.indexOf('Mac')!=-1){document.write(imgN);
}else{
document.write('<applet code="Measure.class" '+
'codebase="http://server-uk.imrworldwide.com/"'+'width=1 height=2>'+
'<param name="ref" value="'+refR+'">'+'<param name="cid" value="'+pCid+
'"><textflow>'+imgN+'</textflow></applet>');
}
}
document.write("<COMMENT>");
//-->
</script>
<noscript> <img src="../../cgi-bin/count_cid_uk_myvillage_0.jpg" width="1" height="1">
</noscript> <!-- END RedMeasure V4 -->
</body>
</html>