Sir George Bull 1936-2024

Sir George Bull, who died 21 July, 2024, aged 88, was the businessman behind creation of Diageo, a salesman who climbed the corporate ladder to become one of the UK’s leading marketeers.

Bull was chairman of J Sainsbury PLC 1998-2004; at IDV Ltd he was a director from 1972, Deputy Managing director 1982-84; Chief Executive 1984-92; Chairman 1988-92; Chairman and Chief Executive of Grand Metropolitan , Food Sector 1992-93, Groupn Chief Executive 1993-96, Chairman 1996-98, Grand Metropolitan PLC; Joint chairman of Diageo 1997-98; non executive director, United Newspapers, 1993-1998, &c. Was President of the Advertising Association, 1996-2000.

Bull was appointed a Chevailier, Legion d'Honneur (France 1994), and knighted 1998.

George Jeffrey Bull was born 16 July, 1936 in London, younger son of Michael Herbert Perkins Bull, QC (1906-1962), and his wife the Hon Noreen Madeleine Mary Hennessy (1909-2004), who was daughter of the first Baron Windlesham, OBE (1877-1953), and worked for Dorling Advertising. Their elder son, Matthew Bull (1932-2002), was a major in the Coldstream Guards who served in Northern Ireland and Cyprus, and later managed the regimental band.

Michael Bull returned to Canada, his birthplace, to defend his own father successfully against a murder charge in 1939, leaving Noreen to bring up the boys. He never returned. Fortunately, her family were wealthy, enabling her to stay in wings of large houses, or in smaller houses on the family’s estates. George’s uncle, the Hon Frederick Hennessey (1906-69), an executive in the family brandy firm, became a substitute father figure. 

In 1954 entered National Service with the Coldstream Guards. He became a second lieutenant, served in Germany and the UK and took a short service extension to be available to go to the Suez Canal zone.

He married 7 January, 1960, Thérèse “Tessa” Freeland, daughter of Patrick Freeland, of Zimbabwe. His wife was a floor model at Fortnum & Mason whom he had met at a House of Lords ball. They had four sons and a daughter. Sebastian and Justin went into banking, Rupert followed his father into the drinks industry, Cassian was a logistics manager for a piano company and Tamsin went into advertising.

 In 1992 Tessa suffered a catastrophic accident when accompanying Bull to a drinks industry conference in Palm Springs, California. Out on a stroll, a palm tree fell on her, breaking multiple bones and putting her in hospital for six months. Doctors thought she would never walk again, but she determinedly overcame her injuries despite lifelong pain. She died 4 October, 2023, aged 86.

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