The CEO
The Rise and Fall of Britain's Captains of Industry
Published on 19. June 2025
Book
Hardback
296 pages
978-1-009-48952-2 (ISBN)
Description
The CEOs of Britain's largest companies wield immense power, but we know very little about them. How did they get to the top? Why do they have so much power? Are they really worth that exorbitant salary? Michael Aldous and John Turner provide the answers by telling the story of the British CEO over the past century. From gentleman amateurs to professional managers, entrepreneurs, frauds, and fat cats, they reveal the characters who have made it to the top of the corporate ladder, how they got there, and what their rise tells us about British society. They show how the quality of their leadership influences productivity, innovation, economic development and, ultimately, Britain's place in the world. More recently, issues have arisen regarding high CEO pay, poor performance, and a lack of professionalisation and diversity. Are there lessons from history for those who would seek to reform Britain's flagging corporate economy?
Reviews / Votes
'This is a treasure of a book. It is outstandingly well researched, deeply insightful and beautifully written. It holds important lessons for anyone interested in the rise and decline of one of the world's major industrialized nations in the 20th century.' Colin Mayer, author of Capitalism and Crises: How to Fix Them 'This is a fascinating journey through the history of the CEOs and iconic names of British business. The authors' research shows that the strategic vision, emotional intelligence, long-term commitment and independence of thought that once characterised captains of industry are in short supply among today's university-educated managers, explaining much about the decline of UK plc.' Diane Coyle, author of The Measure of Progress 'The CEO dives into history to reveal how Britain's business leaders shaped - and sometimes stalled - economic progress. Aldous and Turner connect past and present, calling for new leadership pathways, stronger corporate governance, and robust market competition. An essential read for anyone invested in the future of Britain.' Tom Nicholas, author of VC: An American History 'Michael Aldous and John Turner skilfully combine statistics and typologies with emblematic business figures. A timely, lively and perceptive revisiting of the CEO and their controversial role in the successes and failures of the British economy in the last 120 years - with important lessons for both business and government.' Youssef Cassis, author of Crises and Opportunities: The Shaping of Modern Finance 'Society and the business world would be better off if more of us learnt more about business history. Too few people are interested in business history nor study it. The CEO features some fascinating well-chosen figures that show why corporate leadership matters.' Luke Johnson, Chairman, Risk Capital Partners 'a wonderful economic & social history of the individuals who have led British companies since the Victorian era onward.' Alex Newman, Investor's Chronicle 'A rich history of British Chief Executives' The Sunday TimesMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Illustrations
Worked examples or Exercises
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 160 mm
Thickness: 22 mm
Weight
568 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-009-48952-2 (9781009489522)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Michael Aldous is a business historian and Senior Lecturer at Queen's Business School, Queen's University Belfast. He is a founder and co-director of the Long Run Institute (LRI), which uses historical analysis to help senior executives and policy makers make better decisions. John D. Turner is Professor of Finance and Financial History, Queen's Business School, Queen's University Belfast, and a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. His previous book Boom and Bust: A Global History of Financial Bubbles (2021) was named an Economics Book of the Year by the Financial Times.
Content
List of Figures, Tables and Portraits; 1. Heroes and Villains; 2. Gentlemen vs Players; 3. Families and Founders; 4. The Managerial Revolution?; 5. The Buccaneers; 6. Fat Cats; 7. Captains of Industry; Acknowledgements; Notes; Bibliography; Index.