Background
Born in the Salvation Army Hospital in Hackney, a suburb of London, his father was a docker under the Casual Labour Scheme, while his mother was a seamstress making ties in an East End garment factory.
Businessman Chief Executive of Racal
Born in the Salvation Army Hospital in Hackney, a suburb of London, his father was a docker under the Casual Labour Scheme, while his mother was a seamstress making ties in an East End garment factory.
The family moved to Holloway, where he was educated at Trinity Grammar School, Wood Green, and he gained a lifelong love of Arsenal F.C.
Evacuated at the start of World World War II, in 1944 he joined the Fleet Air Arm in Canada, to perform his National Service. On release, he trained as an accountant with Harker Holloway, qualifying in 1950. Wanting to get into industry he was turned down by Smiths Industries in Cricklewood, London After a brief spell at George Touche, he became the 13th employee of newly formed Harrison joined, then based in Neasden, as an accountant on a salary of £650, but later held the positions of chief buyer, personnel director and contract negotiator.
He joined the board in 1958, and as deputy managing director from 1961 helped to obtain a Stock Market listing.
The major deals he undertook were: Negotiation of a British Army battlefield radio contract which secured the future of Led the merger between and British Communications Corporation, that bolstered ’s radio business Buying the British Rail Telecommunications network, to form the basis of Telecom Creation and spin-out of Vodafone Stopping the proposed takeover by Williams Holdings by demerging Chubb Investing in National Lottery company Camelot Group Selling Telecom to Global Crossing Selling "s remaining defence and industrial electronics divisions to Thomson-Cerebrospinal fluid of France for £1.8 billion Under Harrison, £1,000 invested in in 1961 would have been worth £14.5 million when he retired in 2000. Harrison received an estimated £25 million from the sale of in 2000, and is estimated to have died with an accumulated total wealth of £40 million.