Rod Aldridge

Sir Rodney Malcolm Aldridge OBE, FRSA (born 7 November 1947[1]) is the founder and former executive chairman of Capita, a British company specialising in business process outsourcing. He founded and led Capita from a start up in 1984 to become a member of the FTSE 100 index. He is a former Chair of V, the charity launched in May 2006 which aims to inspire and engage over 1 million new youth volunteers. Aldridge is a patron and, former trustee of the Prince’s Trust and is currently Chairman of the Aldridge Foundation, an educational charity which sponsors academy schools in England and champions entrepreneurial education.[2]

Present work

As well as chairing the Aldridge Foundation, in January 2007 he was appointed Chairman of The Lowry, a theatre and arts venue in Salford.[3] He is also a member of the Prince's Charities Council at the invitation of the HRH Prince of Wales, a patron of the Prince’s Trust, Non-executive Director of Equiniti, a Director of Cornerstone and a Director of Constellation Healthcare Technologies.

Background

Aldridge founded and led the Capita Group from its formation in 1984 until 2006. During his time as chair the group expanded to a FTSE 100 company employing 27,000 as well as profits increasing each year to almost £200 million in 2006. In 1987 he led the management buyout (MBO) of the group from the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) and the flotation of Capita on the unlisted securities market (USM) in 1989 valued at £8 million.

In 2006 Aldridge resigned as Executive Chairman of Capita after it was revealed that he had lent the Labour Party £1 million.[4] The loan, which was secret at the time it was made,[5] was controversial, in part, because Capita is a major public sector supplier. Aldridge retired from his position as Chairman of Capita in July 2006.[6] Prior to Capita, Aldridge worked in local government for 10 years with East Sussex County Council, Brighton Borough Council, Crawley Borough Council and West Sussex County Council, joining CIPFA in 1974, ultimately becoming its Technical Director.[6] At the launch announcement of Ada, the National College for Digital Skills, he was also listed as Chair.

Aldridge is a former Chair of V, the charity launched in May 2006 which aims to inspire and engage over 1 million new youth volunteers. He is a patron and former trustee of The Prince's Trust and was the Chairman of the Confederation of British Industry’s (CBI) public services strategy board at its inception in 2003 through to July 2006. He is a former Non- Executive Director on the Ministerial Advisory Board of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Services, an Executive Agency of the FCO. In 2009, he took up a role as Chair of the Department of Health (United Kingdom) 'Dance Champions Group',[7] aiming to encourage 100,000 more adults to take up dance as a form of physical activity, with members such as Arlene Phillips and Lisa Snowdon.

Recognition

In the 2012 New Year Honours Aldridge received a knighthood for his services to young people and in the 1994 New Year Honours,[8] he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to the computer industry.[9]

He was given the Freedom of the City of London in 1996. He is on the Court of the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists.

Aldridge was elected fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 2006 and is a Founder Freeman of the Guild of Entrepreneurs.[10]

References

  1. ↑ Islam, Faisal (15 September 2002). "Capita punishment". The Observer. Guardian News and Media. Retrieved 15 April 2009.
  2. ↑ Benjamin, Alison. "Interview: Rod Aldridge". the Guardian. Retrieved 2015-10-19.
  3. ↑ "Lowry chair in £400k donation to attraction". men. Retrieved 2015-10-19.
  4. ↑ "Capita boss quits over Blair loan". BBC News. 23 March 2006. Retrieved 15 April 2009.
  5. ↑ "Labour reveals secret loans list". BBC News. 20 March 2006. Retrieved 15 April 2009.
  6. 1 2 Benjamin, Alison. "Interview: Rod Aldridge". the Guardian. Retrieved 2015-11-02.
  7. ↑ "The Dance Champions Group". www.dancing-times.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-10-19.
  8. ↑ "New Year Honours include knighthood for Aldridge | Public Finance". www.publicfinance.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-11-02.
  9. ↑ "The London Gazette".
  10. ↑

External links

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