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Ray Horrocks

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Ray Horrocks
CBE
Born
Raymond Horrocks

(1930-01-09)January 9, 1930
DiedJuly 15, 2011(2011-07-15) (aged 81)
EducationBolton Municipal Secondary School
Known forCEO of BL Cars
SpousePamela Russell

Raymond Horrocks CBE (9 January 1930 - 15 July 2011)[1] was a businessman from Lancashire, and a chief executive of British Leyland (BL) through the turbulent late 1970s and early 1980s.

Early life

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He attended Bolton Municipal Secondary School (Bolton County Grammar School from 1947, now known as Bolton St Catherine's Academy).

Career

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From 1944-50 he worked in the Lancashire textile industry. From 1948-50 he completed his National Service with the Intelligence Corps.

From 1953-58 he was a merchandiser for M&S.

Ford

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From 1963-72 he worked for Ford of Britain, later becoming a director of Europe and the Middle East (Ford of Europe).

British Leyland

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He joined BL in 1978 being head hunted by the new chairman Michael Edwardes.[2] He was managing director from 1980-81 of BL Cars, becoming chairman and chief executive from 1981-82.

On 1 October 1982, BL was restructured into two main divisions,[3] and from 1982-86 he was group chief executive of BL (Cars).[4] He left BL at the end of April 1986 and was critical of the government's handling of the proposed privatisation.[5]

Personal life

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He married Pamela Russell in 1953; they had three daughters. He was awarded the CBE in the 1983 Birthday Honours. He lived in Pangbourne.

References

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  1. ^ Companies House
  2. ^ "Business Diary: BL's Horrocks · Morgan and BR". The Times. No. 60192. 22 December 1977. p. 17.
  3. ^ The British Motor Industry, 1945-94: A Case Study in Industrial Decline, page 366
  4. ^ Industrial Policy and the Motor Industry, page 210
  5. ^ "Government slammed by Austin Rover chief". The Guardian. 10 April 1986. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
Business positions
Preceded by
New division
Group Chief Executive of British Leyland (Cars)
October 1982 - April 1986
Succeeded by