Draft:Anthony George Ball (businessman)

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  • Comment: Subject appears notable, but the article lacks citations for numerous assertions about Ball's life and achievements. The newspaper citations need more detail (it is not enough to give, say, the FT and a year - article title, journalist name, full date and page number would help with verification). Paul W (talk) 09:31, 11 March 2024 (UTC)
  • Comment: In articles on living people, every material statement, anything potentially contentious, and all private personal and family details must be clearly supported by inline citations to reliable published source, or else removed. Also, it is pointless to add citations into the 'References' section where they support nothing. In short, cite your sources inline and only inline, as well as comprehensively. DoubleGrazing (talk) 13:23, 15 January 2024 (UTC)


For other uses, see Ball (disambiguation).
Anthony George Ball
Born (1934-11-14) 14 November 1934 (age 89)
Bridwater, Somerset, England
NationalityEnglish
OccupationBusinessman • Professional Speaker

Anthony George "Tony" Ball, MBE (born 14 November 1934) is a former British automotive industry business executive, marketer, and public speaker.

Early life and education[edit]

Anthony George Ball was born on 14 November 1934 in Bridgwater, to parents Harry Ball and Mary Irene Ball. Ball attended the local Grammar School in Bridgwater.[1]

Career[edit]

Ball was an apprenticeship at Austin Motor Company from 1951 to 1955.[1]Ball's father, Harry, had run a small Austin dealership in Bridgwater and it was Ball's intention that he would eventually return home to take over the dealership after completing his apprenticeship. Ball was voted apprentice of the year in 1955.[2]

Ball was rapidly integrated into Austin's business and worked a variety of roles, helping to launch of the Mini in August 1959,[3][4] and later being appointed UK car sales manager from 1962 to 1966.[5]

Ball then took on the role of sales and marketing executive at British Motor Corporation from 1966 to 1967.[6] He then served as chairman and managing director of Barlow Rand UK Motor Group from 1967 to 1978, including a spell as managing director for Barlow Rand Ford in South Africa (1971-1973) and for Barlow Rand European Operations (1973-1978).[7]

Returning to British Leyland in 1978, Ball became managing director of Overseas Trading Operations. He was appointed deputy managing director of Austin Motor Company in 1979 and subsequently chairman and managing director of British Leyland Europe & Overseas until 1982.[1][8] During this period, he was also a director at BL Cars Ltd and was responsible for the launch of the Austin Metro in 1980.[7]

In 1983, Ball founded Tony Ball Associates plc,[9] a company specialising in industrial theatre, motivational conferences, and product launches.

Notable Responsibilities[edit]

  • Marketing Advisor for Secretary of State for Energy, 1984-87;[10]Secretary of State for Wales, 1987-91.[11]
  • The production and staging of the 1991 Rugby World Cup opening ceremony at Twickenham.[12]
  • The production and staging of both the opening and closing ceremonies of Euro '96, held at Wembley Stadium.[13]
  • Marketing Advisor for the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders for British International Motor Show [14].
  • The Creation and production of the Lloyds Bank's Playwright of the Year Awards[15]

Awards and honours[edit]

  • In 1980, he was appointed Freeman of the City of London and became a Liveryman of the Worshipful Co. of Coach Makers and Coach Harness Makers.[16]
  • In 1986, Ball became a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire MBE for services to the energy industry.[19]
  • In 2016, he received the Outstanding Lifetime Individual Achievement Award for his services to the motor industry from the Institute of Motor Industry.[20]

Private life[edit]

Ball first married Ruth Parry Davies in 1957. The couple had three children: Kevin (born in 1958), Michael Ball (born in 1962), and Katharine (born in 1970). Ball and Davies divorced in 1997.[1] Ball later married Jan Kennedy, a talent agent and managing director of Billy Marsh Associates in 2000.[21]

Notes and references[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d Robertson, Willie (2015-03-05). Michael Ball - The Biography. Kings Road Publishing. ISBN 978-1-78418-326-4.
  2. ^ Beckett, A. (2015). Promised You A Miracle: Why 1980-82 Made Modern Britain. United Kingdom: Penguin Books Limited.
  3. ^ "Magical Launch of the 'Car of the Century' 50 years ago". Birmingham Mail. 27 August 2009. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  4. ^ Bardsley, Gillian (2013-08-10). Mini. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7478-1412-2.
  5. ^ "Grasmere man's key role at launch of Mini car". The Westmorland Gazette. 4 September 2009. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  6. ^ Cole, Lance (2021-01-18). British Leyland—From Triumph to Tragedy: Petrol, Politics & Power. Pen and Sword Transport. ISBN 978-1-5267-4824-9.
  7. ^ a b "Tony Turns the Magic on Himself". Coventry Evening Telegraph. 9 January 1984. p. 18. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
  8. ^ "BL Chairman Steps Down". The Daily Telegraph. 2 March 1982. p. 2. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  9. ^ "About Us". Tony Ball Associates plc. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  10. ^ Stevens, Edward (17 May 1984). "Wales Sec of State - Energy". Black Country Evening Mail. p. 90. Retrieved 24 April 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Welsh Craft Industry". Hansard, UK Parliament. 21 March 1988. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  12. ^ Reyburn, Ross (27 August 1994). "The Man who pulled the mini from his hat". The Birmingham Post. p. 18. Retrieved 25 April 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Lavender, Andy (19 July 1996). "The Big Bang Theory". The Times. p. 31.
  14. ^ "The British International Motor Show". The Birmingham Post. 1992-10-20. p. 22. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  15. ^ International who's who of authors and writers 2010. Europa biographical reference series. London: Routledge. 2009. ISBN 978-1-85743-528-3.
  16. ^ "Award for Metro Launcher". Black Country Evening Mail. 25 June 1984. p. 24. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  17. ^ "Fellowship in the Institute of Marketing". Coventry Evening Telegraph. 1981-06-12. p. 23. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  18. ^ "Medal Award". Birmingham Evening Mail. 26 June 1984. p. 14. Retrieved 25 April 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Supplement to The London Gazette" (PDF). The Gazette. 31 December 1985. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  20. ^ "FMI Past President Tony Ball, MBE wins IMI Outstanding Individual Award at star studded dinner 2016". The FMI. 2016-03-26. Archived from the original on 2020-09-21. Retrieved 2024-02-13.
  21. ^ Forsyth, Bruce (2012-09-06). Bruce: The Autobiography. Pan Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-330-47594-5.

External links[edit]

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