I was born and brought up in Ewell, Surrey and my family had been involved in the London taxi trade since 1906 when the conditions of Fitness for motorised taxis were first introduced. After leaving school I went to the College of Aeronautical and Motor Engineering, where I did a diploma in vehicle engineering and garage management. I then worked for Wadham Stringer in Southampton as a management trainee for a year before returning to London to join Mann& Overton Married Carol in 1976 and subsequently had a daughter, Ruth, and a son, Tom. Lived in Surrey until 1990 and then moved to Kenilworth in Warwickshire to be based at LTI Vehicles, the manufacturer of the black cab. Retired from the London Taxi Company in January 2011 Background Mann & Overton Ltd was founded in 1899 by my grandfather, Tom Overton, and John Mann to sell motor vehicles in London. The company started to specialise in selling taxis to meet the London Conditions of Fitness from 1906 onwards. The company went public in 1935 and after a short spell in the ownership of Lloyds Bank between 1977 and 1984, it became a subsidiary of Manganese Bronze plc in 1984 when the name, London Taxis International (LTI), was created. Mann & Overton continued to be the trading name of the taxi dealerships in London, Manchester and Birmingham up until 2010. Career 1970: Joined Mann & Overton 1974: Appointed to the Board 1979: Appointed Managing Director 1987: Became UK Sales and Marketing Director for LTI 1991: Left LTI to run my own dealership 1993: Was bought out by LTI and brought back into the business as Market Development Director 1999: Joined the Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers 2003: Left full time employment to become a part time consultant for LTI. This involves lobbying Government and local authorities to improve standards for wheelchair accessible taxis and liaising with disability groups to improve access for all. I also sat on the London Taxi Board that oversaw the commercial development of the taxi business as a whole. 2008 Became Master of the Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers 2011 Retired from working for The London Taxi Company I remain an active member of the Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers, I am an honorary member of the Vintage Taxi Association and now live in Hornton Oxfordshire. I continue to be the Companies link with our affiliated school the Royal Docks Academy in Newham, where I am vice chair of Governors. I am also chair of Governors at Burnt Mill Academy in Harlow where the Academy Trust that runs Royal Docks is based. I am also on the governing body of our village Primary in Hornton, where I am also a Parish Councillor and Treasurer for our church. At 71 I remain fit and active, playing golf and cycling.