Description
In 1977 Michael Edwardes, a little-known businessman from South Africa, was asked at short notice to take on the awesome task of running British Leyland and of bringing about its recovery. His twenty-six years at the Chloride Group, latterly as Chief Executive, had been both demanding and successful but in matched the challenge of no way putting Britain's ailing car industry back on its feet, and overcoming the inherent weaknesses of enforced State
ownership. Others would have been daunted; Edwardes agreed to take the job and started work within the month.
In October 1982 he finished his five-year term as Chairman scarred by battle but with great
achievements to his credit. He had built up enormous commitment within the company and support from the workforce that was often vital in his dealings with the unions. He had maintained, against great odds, government support and managed to prevent what he felt would be disastrous privatisation. He had planned and produced the Mini Metro, a success both for BL and for Britain, and had laid the basis for cooperation with Honda of Japan. The years were beset with problems and set-backs and a great deal remains to be done, but few would deny that the energy and determination of Michael Edwardes's management have brought a new spirit of enterprise to British industry as a whole.
This book tells of his five years at BL; of the determination of those in the company to ensure its survival and success; of the confrontations and breakthroughs; of the political manoeuvres and Edwardes's relations with Jim Callaghan and Margaret Thatcher; of the ebb and flow of public support. The story had to be told from the inside if it was to add anything to the mountain of press reports already published, and Sir Michael Edwardes is at last in a position to write with total objectivity of the issues and events with which he was so closely involved. ISBN:9780002170741 
