Sir Charles Annand Fraser (born 16 October 1928) is a Scottish businessman and former Chairman, Lothian and Borders Enterprise,
Scottish Enterprise
Scottish Enterprise is a non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government which encourages economic development, enterprise, innovation and investment in business. The body covers the eastern and central parts of Scotland whilst similar ...
network.
Early life
The son of the
Very Revd John Fraser John Fraser may refer to:
Politics
*John Simon Frederick Fraser (1765–1803), commanded the Fraser Fencibles in Ireland and was (M.P.) for Inverness-shire
*John James Fraser (1829–1896), 5th Premier of the Canadian province of New Brunswick, 18 ...
who was
Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the ministers and elders of the Church of Scotland, minister or elder chosen to moderate (chair) the annual General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, which is held for a week i ...
1958–59, Charles Annand Fraser was born on 16 October 1928 at
Humbie
Humbie is a hamlet and rural parish in East Lothian, Scotland lying in south-east of the county, approximately south-west of Haddington and south-east of Edinburgh. Humbie as it is known today was formed as the result of the union between Kei ...
in
East Lothian
East Lothian (; sco, East Lowden; gd, Lodainn an Ear) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, as well as a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area. The county was called Haddingtonshire until 1921.
In 1975, the histo ...
, Scotland, and educated at the former
Hamilton Academy
Hamilton Academy was a school in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland.
The school was described as "one of the finest schools in Scotland" in the Cambridge University Press County Biography of 1910, and was featured in a 1950 Scottish Seconda ...
. His father was at that time Minister at
Hamilton Old Parish Church
Hamilton Old Parish Church is a Church of Scotland parish church serving part of the Burgh of Hamilton, Scotland, Hamilton in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is notable for its Georgian architecture and the church and grounds are Category A listed ...
. Charles Fraser was to continue his studies at the
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...
, graduating
MA and
LLB
Bachelor of Laws ( la, Legum Baccalaureus; LL.B.) is an undergraduate law degree in the United Kingdom and most common law jurisdictions. Bachelor of Laws is also the name of the law degree awarded by universities in the China, People's Republic ...
.
[Frost’s Scottish Who’s Who – Charles Fraser]
Retrieved 28 October 2010
Business career
A partner (1965 to 1992) in the Edinburgh solicitors W. & J. Burness , Fraser is a former director of
British Assets Trust PLC;
Scottish Media Group
STV Group plc (formerly known as Scottish Television plc, Scottish Media Group plc and SMG plc) is a media company based in Glasgow, Scotland. Beginning as a television broadcaster in 1957, the company expanded into newspapers, advertising and r ...
(formerly
Scottish Television
Scottish Television (now, legally, known as STV Central Limited) is the ITV network franchisee for Central Scotland. The channel — the largest of the three ITV franchises in Scotland — has been in operation since 31 August 1957 and is the ...
PLC); Scottish
Business in the Community
Business in the Community (BITC) is a British business-community outreach charity promoting responsible business, CSR, corporate responsibility, and is one of the Prince's Charities of King Charles III (formerly the Prince of Wales).
BITC work ...
and Stakis PLC. He was also non-executive Vice-Chairman of
United Biscuits
United Biscuits (UB) is a British multinational food manufacturer, makers of McVitie's biscuits, Jacob's Cream Crackers, and Twiglets. The company was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. In Nove ...
(Holdings) between 1986 and 1995 and Chairman of the banks
Morgan Grenfell
Morgan, Grenfell & Co. was a leading London-based investment bank regarded as one of the oldest and once most influential British merchant banks. It had its origins in a merchant banking business commenced by George Peabody. Junius Spencer Morgan ...
(Scotland) and
Adam and Company
Adam and Company is a trading division of The Royal Bank of Scotland plc catering for the needs of private bank customers based in the United Kingdom. It offers a range of private banking services including discretionary investment management ...
. Fraser has also served as a director of the
Scottish Widows
Scottish Widows is a life insurance and pensions company located in Edinburgh, Scotland, and is a subsidiary of Lloyds Banking Group. Its product range includes life assurance and pensions. The company has been providing financial services to the ...
Fund, (1978–94).
Other appointments
From 1966 to 1972 Fraser served as a member of the Council of the
Law Society of Scotland
The Law Society of Scotland is the professional governing body for Scottish solicitors. It promotes excellence among solicitors through the support and regulation of its members. It also promotes the interests of the public in relation to the ...
, and from 1969 to 1988, as Purse Bearer to the
, serving also, from 1972 to 1978, on the Court of
Heriot-Watt University
Heriot-Watt University ( gd, Oilthigh Heriot-Watt) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was established in 1821 as the School of Arts of Edinburgh, the world's first mechanics' institute, and subsequently granted univ ...
.
In 1991, Fraser was appointed Chairman of Lothian & Edinburgh Enterprise, part of the
Scottish Enterprise
Scottish Enterprise is a non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government which encourages economic development, enterprise, innovation and investment in business. The body covers the eastern and central parts of Scotland whilst similar ...
network, a post he held until 1994, from which year, to 1997, he served as Chairman of the
Secretary of State for Scotland
The secretary of state for Scotland ( gd, Rùnaire Stàite na h-Alba; sco, Secretar o State fir Scotland), also referred to as the Scottish secretary, is a Secretary of State (United Kingdom), secretary of state in the Government of the Unit ...
's Advisory Committee on
Sustainable Development
Sustainable development is an organizing principle for meeting human development goals while also sustaining the ability of natural systems to provide the natural resources and ecosystem services on which the economy and society depend. The des ...
. From 1997 to 2000, Fraser was also a Trustee of the
World Wildlife Fund
The World Wide Fund for Nature Inc. (WWF) is an international non-governmental organization founded in 1961 that works in the field of wilderness preservation and the reduction of human impact on the environment. It was formerly named the Wo ...
(UK).
Honours
Charles Annand Fraser was appointed
LVO
The Royal Victorian Order (french: Ordre royal de Victoria) is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the British monarch, Canadian monarch, Australian monarch, or ...
in 1968;
CVO in 1985 and knighted, as
KCVO in 1989. He was also appointed a
Deputy Lieutenant for
East Lothian
East Lothian (; sco, East Lowden; gd, Lodainn an Ear) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, as well as a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area. The county was called Haddingtonshire until 1921.
In 1975, the histo ...
in 1984
and elected a Fellow of the
Royal Society of Edinburgh
The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity that operates on a wholly independent and non-partisan basis and provides public benefit throughout Scotland. It was established i ...
in 1993.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fraser, Charles
1928 births
People educated at Hamilton Academy
Alumni of the University of Edinburgh
Businesspeople awarded knighthoods
Deputy Lieutenants of East Lothian
Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
Scottish knights
Scottish businesspeople
Scottish bankers
Scottish solicitors
Living people