George Marsh
Chancellor, distinguished friends, colleagues, graduands and guests.
George Marsh has been a leading figure in education and business support in Coventry and Warwickshire. He has made outstanding contributions to education, training, construction and business support over the last forty years and has been a tireless supporter and advocate of Coventry University for nearly twenty years.
Born in Marston Green, George went to King Edwards School Birmingham, before gaining a first class degree in Civil and Structural Engineering from the University of Sheffield in 1971. As a student he was awarded the Alfred McAlpine Scholarship, the Mappin Medal and the Institute of Civil Engineers Prize – recognition at an early stage of his outstanding ability and promise.
George began his career in design consultancy, supervising the construction of highways, bridges and other structures. This led to later work on a number of major construction projects, including the M42 motorway, the National Exhibition Centre, and the Rover factory at Solihull – literally shaping the landscape of the West Midlands during the 1970s. He went on to join the Galliford Group, working his way up through the ranks from site-agent to various management roles. In 1985 he was appointed as Managing Director of one of the main subsidiaries of the Galliford Group, leading it with such success that within three years he joined the Group Main Board and was soon promoted to Group Managing Director. In 1993 he became Group Chief Executive, and for the next seven years led the company towards its eventual position as a £300 million per year business with a huge construction portfolio and an innovative approach to training and development. The Group eventually merged with Try Group PLC to form one of the top 25 UK construction companies.
George’s commitment to training and development has permeated his whole career. Within the Institute of Civil Engineers he has over the years sat on the National Graduates and Students Committee, the Education and Training Group and various other related associations until becoming a member of the National Council itself in 1990. He helped to make Galliford the first construction company in the region to gain Investors in People status and the winner of three National Training Awards. Over the subsequent years he has participated in a range of various related boards, groups and committees, including the West Midlands Regional Skills Partnership and the West Midlands Learning Skills Council.
Through all this he has contributed substantially to shaping the standing of civil engineering and construction as a professional career. He was instrumental in the merger of the Coventry and Warwickshire Training and Enterprise Council and the Chamber of Commerce, and became the founding Chairman of the newly merged body, also chairing Business Link in its earliest phase.
Following his retirement from Galliford in 2002, he has continued to support and advise businesses as the non-executive director or chairman of a number of regional concerns, as well as chairing the West Midlands Centre for Constructing Excellence and Sustainability West Midlands.
Throughout his life George’s other enduring passion has been his involvement with the Territorial Army. He joined the Officers’ Training Corps when he went to University since then he has maintained a lifelong commitment to the TA Royal Engineers. He has progressed through the ranks from Captain all the way up to his eventual position as Honorary Colonel of the Royal Engineer Specialist Units, and is now a Board member of the West Midlands Reserve Forces and Cadets Association.
In the midst of this impressive range of achievements and contributions, George also found time to be a member of Coventry University’s Board of Governors from 1993 until 2002, and was Chair of the Board from 1999 to 2002, contributing enormously through his passion for excellence, his enthusiasm for academic values and his commitment to sound business practice. In 2003 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Business Administration from the University. He has served as a Pro-Chancellor of the University from 1996 until this year, when he will complete his final term of office.
In recognition of his outstanding contribution in support of the University as a Governor and as Pro-Chancellor, Coventry University, by decision of the Academic Board, has the privilege of conferring Honorary Life Fellowship of the University on George Marsh.