Sir David Arculus

Our Guest Speaker at the Society's 2008 Annual Dinner is Sir David Arculus, media figure, businessman and adviser to the Government on regulation. The world’s press is announcing the end of the era of deregulation. Sir David, who was appointed by Tony Blair to ease the burden of regulation on business, will address the situation brought about by this totally changed environment where more, rather than less, regulation is demanded. Who will these regulators be, and who will regulate their freshly important powers?

A former Chairman of Severn Trent plc, Birmingham-born Sir David Arculus has run the International Spring Fair and other events at the NEC. He holds an Honorary Doctorate from Birmingham City University. Much of his life has been spent leading media organisations. He has served as a BBC producer, as MD of Emap, and as Chairman of IPC Magazines. He currently chairs three private equity backed media companies. As Chairman of O2, he oversaw its sale to Telefonica of Spain — at £18bn the largest cash deal ever done in Europe and the second biggest in the world. He remains a Director of both companies, as well as chairing the Advisory Council of The British Library. In August, he was appointed Chairman of ExCel London. He is also a non-executive director of several companies including Barclays Bank plc and Pearson plc.

From 2002 to 2006 Sir David was Tony Blair’s ‘Red Tape Czar’ as Chairman of the British Government’s Better Regulation Task Force where he helped bring about a number of regulatory initiatives to reduce burdens on business, including the Arculus Report. Now that Blair has left Number 10, David Cameron has asked him to carry out a review of regulation for the Conservatives as they prepare their election manifesto.

Sir David's Wikipedia entry is here.