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Colin Marshall

Colin Marsh Marshall, Baron Marshall of Knightsbridge (16 November 1933— ) is a British businessman and member of the House of Lords.

Marshall was hired by Lord King in 1983 as CEO of British Airways and was instrumental in the reform of the company prior to its successful privitsation in 1987.

During the late 1980s and early 1990s British Airways was witnessing the emergence of a dangerous rival, Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic. Virgin, which began with one route and one Boeing 747 in 1984, was beginning to emerge as a serious threat on some of BA's most lucrative routes. Following a highly publicised mercy mission to Iraq to fly home hostages of Saddam Hussein in 1991, King is reported to have told Marshall and his PA Director David Burnside to "do something about Branson" ¹. This began the campaign of "dirty tricks" which ended in Branson suing King and BA for libel in 1992. King countersued Branson and the case went to trial in 1993. The court found in favour of Branson and Virgin and ordered King and BA to pay damages to Sir Richard of £500,000 and a further £110,000 to his airline, further BA was to pay the legal fees of up to £3 million.

In the aftermath of the case King was appointed President while Marshall was promoted to Chairman, a role he combined with that of CEO. Bob Ayling became managing director. In 1996 Ayling became sole CEO, his tenure was to be one of the most turbulent in the airline's history. In 1997 he dropped the Union Flag design from BA's livery in favour of the unpopular ethnic art livery. In 1999 British Airways reported a 50% slump in profits, its worst since privitisation. In March 2000 Marshall removed Ayling from his postion and in May announced Rod Eddington as his successor.

Marshall retired from the role of Chairman in July 2004 and was succeeded by Martin Broughton, former Chairman of British American Tobacco.

Last updated: 08-19-2005 07:25:08