Michael Young (businessman)
Encyclopedia
Michael Alan Young facilitated the end of apartheid in South Africa
. He secretly organised the meetings between the South African Government and the leadership of the African National Congress
(ANC). These led to the end of the apartheid system and the release of Nelson Mandela
. He is a businessman with a political background.
in PPE in 1972, Young started his career in 10 Downing Street
, the Prime Minister
's office and in the Foreign Office when Edward Heath
was Prime Minister. He moved to ARC Ltd
and then to its parent Consolidated Gold Fields as Public Affairs Manager where he worked under the Chairman Rudolph Agnew. It was under Agnew that Young organised secret meetings at Mells Park House, a building designed by Edwin Lutyens
in Somerset
. The Meetings were attended by various delegates from the South African Government as well as leaders of the ANC such as Thabo Mbeki
and Oliver Tambo
. The Meetings were very successful and led to the collapse of South Africa's apartheid regime. In 2001 he was appointed OBE
for his contribution to human rights
.
In 2009 Michael Young was the subject of a TV drama called Endgame produced by Channel 4
, a national Television Network in the United Kingdom.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. He secretly organised the meetings between the South African Government and the leadership of the African National Congress
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
(ANC). These led to the end of the apartheid system and the release of Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
. He is a businessman with a political background.
Career
After graduating from the University of YorkUniversity of York
The University of York , is an academic institution located in the city of York, England. Established in 1963, the campus university has expanded to more than thirty departments and centres, covering a wide range of subjects...
in PPE in 1972, Young started his career in 10 Downing Street
10 Downing Street
10 Downing Street, colloquially known in the United Kingdom as "Number 10", is the headquarters of Her Majesty's Government and the official residence and office of the First Lord of the Treasury, who is now always the Prime Minister....
, the Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
's office and in the Foreign Office when Edward Heath
Edward Heath
Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
was Prime Minister. He moved to ARC Ltd
Amalgamated Roadstone Corporation
Amalgamated Roadstone Corporation was a British stone quarrying company.- History :Amalgamated Roadstone Corporation Ltd. was formed on 23 April 1935 to acquire a number of quarries in Britain. In 1947 ARC acquired the majority of the shares of the British Quarrying Co Ltd and its associated...
and then to its parent Consolidated Gold Fields as Public Affairs Manager where he worked under the Chairman Rudolph Agnew. It was under Agnew that Young organised secret meetings at Mells Park House, a building designed by Edwin Lutyens
Edwin Lutyens
Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens, OM, KCIE, PRA, FRIBA was a British architect who is known for imaginatively adapting traditional architectural styles to the requirements of his era...
in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
. The Meetings were attended by various delegates from the South African Government as well as leaders of the ANC such as Thabo Mbeki
Thabo Mbeki
Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki is a South African politician who served two terms as the second post-apartheid President of South Africa from 14 June 1999 to 24 September 2008. He is also the brother of Moeletsi Mbeki...
and Oliver Tambo
Oliver Tambo
Oliver Reginald Tambo was a South African anti-apartheid politician and a central figure in the African National Congress .-Biography:Oliver Tambo was born in Bizana in eastern Pondoland in what is now Eastern Cape...
. The Meetings were very successful and led to the collapse of South Africa's apartheid regime. In 2001 he was appointed OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
for his contribution to human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
.
In 2009 Michael Young was the subject of a TV drama called Endgame produced by Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
, a national Television Network in the United Kingdom.