trenchard

Tuesday, November 08, 2022

Sir Evelyn Robert de Rothschild 1931-2022

 Sir Evelyn Robert Adrian de Rothschild, who has died aged 91, was a financier and a member of the Rothschild family, and a cousin of the the 4th Baron (Peerage of the UK, cr 1885).

Evelyn de Rothschild was born on 29 August 1931. The son of Anthony Gustav de Rothschild (1887–1961) and Yvonne Lydia Louise Cahen d'Anvers (1899–1977), he was named after his uncle Evelyn Achille de Rothschild who was killed in action in World War I. Evelyn de Rothschild spent several of his boyhood years in the United States during World War II. He was a pupil at Harrow School and then studied history at Trinity College, Cambridge, but dropped out before gaining a degree.

Evelyn de Rothschild was appointed a director of Paris-based de Rothschild Frères in 1968 while Guy de Rothschild from the French branch of the family became a partner at N M Rothschild & Sons. In 1976, he took over as bank chairman from Victor Rothschild and in 1982 became chairman of Rothschilds Continuation Holdings AG, the co-ordinating company for the merchant banking group. He became co-chairman of Rothschild Bank A.G., Zurich in 1994, serving until 2003 when he oversaw the merger of the family's French and UK houses. David René de Rothschild of the French branch took over as executive chairman of Rothschild International after the different branches had been merged and Sir Evelyn continued as non-executive chairman of N M Rothschild & Sons. In 2003, he founded with his wife, Lynn Forester de Rothschild, a holding company, E.L. Rothschild, to manage their investments in The Economist and various enterprises in India.

His company directorships include: Deputy Chairman - Milton Keynes Development Corporation (1971–1984); Chairman - The Economist (1972–1989); Director - IBM United Kingdom Holdings Limited (1972–1995); Chairman - United Racecourses (1977–1994); Director - De Beers Consolidated Mines (1977–1994); Chairman - British Merchant Banking & Securities House Association (1985–1989). He also served as a Director of the newspaper group owned by Lord Beaverbrook. Years later, he served for a time as a Director of Lord Black's Daily Telegraph newspaper. An owner of thoroughbred racehorses, he was a past chairman of United Racecourses.

Rothschild served as Queen Elizabeth II's financial adviser. He was a Governor of the London School of Economics and Political Science as well as an active patron of the arts and supporter of a number of charities. He served as Chairman of the Delegacy of St Mary's Hospital Medical School from 1977 to 1988. He was a Member of the Council of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, a trustee of the Shakespeare Globe Trust, and in 1998 was appointed Chairman of The Princess Royal Trust for Carers. Sir Evelyn was the founding chairman in 1990 of The European Association for Banking and Financial History in Frankfurt, Germany, a position he held until retiring in 2004. He was a board member of the Snowdon Trust, founded by the Earl of Snowdon, which provides grants and scholarships for students with disabilities.

Evelyn de Rothschild married firstly, 30 September, 1966 (div 1971), Jeannette Ellen Dorothy Bishop (who died 1981), daughter of Ernest Bishop, and a niece of Sir Stanley Hooker, the jet-engine engineer. Rothschild married secondly, 1 July, 1973 (div 2000), Victoria Lou Schott (1949 -2021), the daughter of Florida property developer Lewis Schott, and his wife Marcia W. Schott (née Whitney), by whom he had issue, three children. He married 3rdly, 30 November 2000, as her second husband, the American lawyer and entrepreneur Lynn Forester, who survives him.

Rothschild had homes in London, New York City, Martha's Vineyard, and Ascott House, a country estate owned by the National Trust in Buckinghamshire about 46 miles north of London. 

Rothschild was appointed a Knight Bachelor in the 1989 New Year Honours.

From his second marriage he leaves issue, two sons, Anthony and David, and a daughter, Jessica.

-=-





No comments: