Jonathan Marland, Baron Marland

The Right Honourable The Lord Marland
Chairman of Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 July 2014
Personal details
Born	Jonathan Peter Marland

Jonathan Peter Marland, Baron Marland (born 14 August 1956) is a British businessman and entrepreneur, former Prime Minister's Trade Envoy, Minister for Energy and Climate Change and Business, Innovation and Skills and Treasurer of the Conservative Party. He was awarded a life peerage on 8 June 2006 as Baron Marland, of Odstock in the County of Wiltshire. In December 2015, he was awarded the Order of Merit of Malta.

Education

Marland was educated at Shrewsbury School, an independent school for boys (now co-educational) in the county town of Shrewsbury in Shropshire.

Business career

Marland was one of the founding directors of Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group plc, a multinational insurance business. He led the acquisitions or investment of Janspeed Ltd, Hunter Wellington Boots, Insurance Capital Partners, Jubilee Holdings Ltd, WH Ireland Ltd, The Cricketer magazine, Tamara Mellon LLC, Tricouni Brand Ltd Tand Eco World Management and Advisory Services (UK) Ltd.

In 2014 he became Chairman of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council.

He is a Co-Chairman of the Kuwait British Business Council Supervisory Board and a member of the Investment Advisory Committee of the Kuwait Investment Authority.

Political career

Government posts

In 2010, Marland was made a Minister at the Department of Energy and Climate Change, serving on Her Majesty's Government frontbench.

In May 2011 he was appointed as the Chairman of the British Business Ambassadors by UK Trade & Investment (UKTI)

In 2012, Marland was made a Minister for Intellectual property in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

He was the Prime Minister's Trade Envoy between 2013 - 2014.

Party and parliamentary roles

In 2003, Marland was appointed as Treasurer to the Conservative Party, fulfilling the role until 2007, and subsequently became a key part of the team which saw the election of Boris Johnson as Mayor of London.

A Conservative, Marland was the Parliamentary Candidate for the target seat of Somerton and Frome at the General Election 2001, coming second to the incumbent Liberal Democrat MP, David Heath.

Opposition posts

In 2009, Marland was made an opposition Whip in the House of Lords, as well as an opposition spokesman for the Cabinet Office, and the Department of Energy and Climate Change.

Political and business interests

There is an extensive list of Marland's political and business interests in the UK Parliament website.

Other interests

Away from business and politics, Marland has interests in the arts and sport.

He is the Chairman of The Churchill Centre UK, Chairman of Tickets for Troops, a Trustee of The Guggenheim UK Charitable Trust and Atlantic Partnership, President of The Commonwealth Youth Orchestra and Choir, a Patron of Salisbury and South Wiltshire Cricket and Hockey Club and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

He was formerly Chairman of The Sports Nexus Trust and Harnham Water Meadows Trust. He was President of Salisbury City F.C., and is a member of the MCC. In January 2009 he challenged Giles Clarke for the chairmanship of the ECB. He failed, despite having pledged to raise a £100m capital fund for development across all 18 counties if elected as chairman.

Personal life

Marland is married to Penny, a probation officer, and they have four children.

Titles

• Mr Jonathan Marland (1956–2006)
• The Rt Hon The Lord Marland (2006- )

Arms

Coat of arms of Jonathan Marland, Baron Marland

Adopted 2007 Coronet Coronet of a Baron Crest A Lion sejant erect Or gorged with a plain Collar attached thereto a Line terminating in a ring Sable and holding between the forefeet a Bobbin also Sable the Yarn Or Escutcheon Azure on each of three Bars wavy Or two Martlets respectant Sable Supporters On either side a Labrador Sable gorged with a plain Collar Or and holding in the interior forepaw three Bulrushes Sable slipped and leaved Or Motto FORTIOR LEONE JUSTUS Badge Two Martlets respectant that on the dexter quarterly Sable and Or and that on the sinister quarterly Or and Sable Symbolism The Arms are a variation on those hitherto borne by the family without proper authority. Black labradors have been increasingly popular in heraldry; and in this instance they are shown holding bullrushes as the grantee is Chairman of a marshland environmental project. The bobbin in the Crest refers to the grantee's wife Penelope. The classical Penelope was associated with weaving a winding sheet during the absence of her husband Odysseus.