Tiny Rowland

Roland "Tiny" Rowland (1917 - 1998) was a British businessman and chairman of the Lonrho conglomerate from 1962 to 1994. He gained fame from a number of high-profile takeover bids, in particular his bid to take control of Harrods.

Related Topics:
1917 - 1998 - Lonrho - 1962 - 1994 - Harrods

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Rowland, originally Roland Walter Fuhrhop, was born November_17, 1917, in an Indian World War I detention camp for aliens, as the child of an Anglo-Dutch mother and a German father. At first denied access to the United Kingdom after the war, he and his family moved to Great Britain in 1937, where Rowland attended the renowned Churcher's College, Petersfield, Hampshire. After working for his father's merchant business, he was again detained as an alien on the outbreak of World War II. In the post war years, Rowland moved to Rhodesia.

Related Topics:
November_17 - 1917 - World War I - United Kingdom - Great Britain - 1937 - Churcher's College - Petersfield, Hampshire - World War II - Rhodesia

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Rowland was recruited to the London and Rhodesian Mining and Land Company, later Lonrho, as chief executive in 1962. Under his directorship, the firm expanded out of its origins in mining and became a conglomerate, dealing in newspapers, hotels, distribution, and textiles, and many other lines of business. In Britain, he became chairman of The Observer in 1983. However, he failed to to gain control of Harrods department store in Knightsbridge, which was eventually bought by the Egyptian-born tycoon Mohamed Al-Fayed for £615 million in 1985, leading to a well-publicised feud between the two men.

Related Topics:
1962 - The Observer - 1983 - Harrods - Knightsbridge - Mohamed Al-Fayed - 1985

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In 1996, Rowland was awarded the Order of Good Hope, the highest honour awarded by South Africa.

Related Topics:
1996 - Order of Good Hope - South Africa

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