Most Brits will probably instantly know who he was
One of the better BBC series that I really enjoyed was an early reality type multi episode creation of the one time Chairman of the UK's prestigious Imperial Chemical Industries, another Sir John but this time Sir John Harvey Jones , each programe saw him visiting a factory or other organisastion and troubleshooting it by using his busines acumen.
sometimes if he got exasperated at the ignoring of his advice he would use his catch phrase "well I'm going for a beer"
I remember the way he reprimanded a Soviet block glassware factory for stockpiling a particular range of poorly selling product because nobody would or could decide to curtail production which would have cost many workers their jobs. Sir John has just died at 83 the Daily Telegraph obit at:- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...C-new_11012008
has this photo
caption
"Harvey-Jones: 'Everyone says I’m a smart-arse who can solve any bloody problem. I’m not'"
I very much liked another quote too:-
""This strategic plan is a load of bloody cobblers," he told the South Yorkshire police force in one episode, to the evident discomfort of the chief constable"
I also enjoyed one of the few biographies I have ever bought in 1991
thanks to the wonder that is youtube you can now watch the BBC report on his death
I wonder just what he'd say if he could've gone to some of the American businesses & given them a piece of his mind. Somehow, I think he would die all over again, no pun intended.
The "Troubleshooter " dies at 83
