killing companies, you’re not buying them to shut
them down and sell their assets. You are simply
killing off the bureaucracy and letting the
companies inside the conglomerate free.”
They would transform the political structure of Europe as
well as the stability of its societies.”
to a contract between the past,
the present and the future”
invest in improving the environment rather
than injuring it?”
the result of disequilibrium.”
Sir James Goldsmith: Financier, Politician, Thinker and Environmentalist
From humble beginnings as a small entrepreneur, Sir James became a formidable businessman and investor, undertaking some of the largest and most successful takeover bids of the 1980s. An inspiring orator, he also thought deeply on economics, politics, society and the media, and became a strong champion for the environment. His views, particularly on Europe and the Maastricht treaty, Global Free Trade, agriculture and the free market, led him to the political arena where he was just as dynamic, compelling and successful as he was in business.
Offering prescient warnings on the environment, globalization, and the global financial system, this multifaceted and colourful Renaissance man was, as Baroness Margaret Thatcher said, “a giant among men – great in his qualities and great in his impact, one of the most powerful and dynamic personalities that this generation has seen.”
A true leader and a charming maverick, Sir James was never one to run with the crowd, and surprised many with his takeover gambles and spectacular successes, his ability to read the stock market, his early passion for the environment, and his unconventional private life. His extraordinary energy, astute mind, and shrewd approach led many to consider him a financial genius.