John Lewis (businessman) explained

Sir John Henry James Lewis, OBE (born 1940) is a British businessman, solicitor and charity executive. He has been chairman of Photo-Me International since 2010 and the Attingham Trust since 1990.

Early life and education

Born in 1940, Lewis is the son of Leonard Lewis, QC, and his wife Rita.[1] He attended the independent boarding school Shrewsbury School and then University College London, graduating from the latter with a law degree.[1]

Career

Law and business

Lewis was admitted a solicitor in 1966;[1] he became a partner at Lewis Lewis and Co., which merged with Jacques and Co. to form Lewis and Jacques before merging finally in 1995 into Eversheds,[2] [3] where Lewis was a consultant between 1995 and 2020.[1] Lewis was also chairman of Cliveden Plc between 1984 and 2002, and has been chairman of Photo-Me International since 2010,[1] having joined its board of directors in 2008.[4]

Public and charitable service

Lewis served on the British Tourist Authority's board in the 1990s.[1] He has been chairman of the Attingham Trust since 1990 and the Public Monuments and Sculpture Association since 2013.[1] He chaired the Wallace Collection between 1997 and 2004, and the Hertford House Trust for ten years until 2014,[1] and has been a trustee for a number of charitable foundations relating to art and the preservation of historic buildings or gardens.[1]

Honours and awards

Lewis was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2004 for "services to Arts" in connection with work with the Wallace Collection.[5] He was knighted in the 2019 New Year Honours for "services to the Arts and Philanthropy".[6]

Notes and References

  1. https://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/10.1093/ww/9780199540884.001.0001/ww-9780199540884-e-292007 "Lewis, Sir John (Henry James)"
  2. https://advance.lexis.com/api/permalink/c6f9b4ef-769c-4f16-a2aa-dd729ac1b055/?context=1519360 "Prime People PLC Acquisition 3"
  3. https://www.eversheds-sutherland.com/documents/global/Eversheds-history.pdf "Eversheds Sutherland History"
  4. https://photo-me.com/about/board-of-directors/ "Board of Directors"
  5. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/57315/supplement/11 Supplement to the London Gazette
  6. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/62507/supplement/N2 Supplement to the London Gazette