An evening with Lord Glendonbrook - entrepreneur and trailblazer

Old Millhillian, Michael David Bishop, Baron Glendonbrook CBE AM, is a renowned British-Australian entrepreneur best known for transforming British Midland Airways (BMI) into one of the UK’s leading independent airlines. From modest beginnings to negotiating a landmark sale to Lufthansa in 2009, Lord Glendonbrook's career is a masterclass in vision, resilience, and strategic risk-taking. As the key force behind BMI’s expansion, he built a route network spanning four continents and secured a significant share of Heathrow’s coveted landing slots, second only to British Airways.

His entrepreneurial journey began early. Born in Cheshire and educated at Mill Hill School, Bishop developed a fascination with flight as a child. He started his aviation career in 1963, working in ground operations for Mercury Airlines, before rising rapidly through British Midland’s ranks. In 1978, he orchestrated a management buyout, securing financing through unconventional means famously from a Californian dentist, when venture capital proved unviable. His leadership over the following decades turned BMI into a global competitor and a case study in entrepreneurial growth within a heavily regulated industry.

Beyond aviation, Lord Glendonbrook has made his mark in media and philanthropy, serving as chairman of Channel 4 and supporting numerous charitable causes. He was appointed CBE in 1986, knighted in 1991, and created a life peer in 2011. In 2023, he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his philanthropic work. Lord Glendonbrook is a trailblazer for diversity in leadership, his story offers powerful insights into the entrepreneurial mindset and the courage to seize opportunity in the face of challenge.

Lord Glendobrook will join us at the Hoxton Hotel in Holburn for a 'talk' followed by a Q&A session. 

We look forward to seeing you there.