Andrew Cook (businessman)

Sir Andrew Cook CBE, LL.B is a British industrialist, philanthropist, historian and author. He is the owner and Chairman of William Cook Holdings Limited, one of Europe’s leading steel and engineering groups.^[1][2]

Early life and education

Andrew Cook was born in Sheffield, and attended High Storrs Grammar School and University College, London, where he studied Law. He graduated in 1971 and was called to the Bar at Gray’s Inn in 1972. Having completed a short pupillage and a technical apprenticeship, he joined the former family firm, William Cook & Sons.

Professional Background

In 1981, Andrew Cook became Chairman of William Cook^[3] and began a period of rapid expansion and refocusing on new markets. By 1986 sales exceeded £10 million and, following a series of acquisitions over the next five years, by 1991 they had grown to £120 million.^[4] In 1997, Andrew Cook defeated a hostile takeover bid from the now defunct industrial conglomerate Triplex Lloyd,^[5] and took William Cook into private ownership with the aid of venture capitalist Electra Investment Trust.^[6][7]

In 2004, he bought out Electra Investment Trust, thus restoring the Company to 100% family control for the first time in 50 years. Since 2004, Andrew Cook has consolidated his Company’s manufacturing activities in four factories in Sheffield, Leeds and Stanhope. Today the William Cook group employs approximately 600 people and has annual sales in the region of £60 million.^[8]

Awards and Recognition

In 1989 William Cook was elected the CBI ‘Company of the Year’. In 1991, the UK Monopolies Commission commended Andrew Cook for his perception in producing lasting solutions to the industry’s chronic structural problems.^[9] In 1996, Andrew Cook was made Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) by Her Majesty the Queen, in her New Year’s Honours List, for services to the steel casting industry.^[10] In 2008, Andrew Cook was awarded the E J Fox medal by the Institute of Cast Metals Engineers^[11] ALso in 2008, Andrew Cook was named 82nd in The Telegraph's Top 1,000 British Business People.^[12] In 2015, Andrew Cook and his family were named joint 52nd in the Yorkshire Rich List, with a stated £80m wealth.^[13] In 2016 he was knighted in David Cameron's Resignation Honours List.^[14]

Philanthropic Activities

Andrew Cook is a significant charitable donor. His recent donations include £1.5 million^[15] to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, of which his son, William, is an alumnus; £300,000 to University College, London, of which Andrew himself is an alumnus; and £250,000 to the South Yorkshire Community Foundation.^[16] Aside from these significant financial donations, Andrew Cook also makes annual donations totalling approximately £50,000 to various children, homeless, medical and welfare charities, including the Centre for Social Justice. He also donates his time to assist in person at homeless shelters during the Christmas period from time to time.

Political Activities

Andrew Cook is a major Conservative Party supporter and donor. Since restoring his Company to 100% family control in 2004, he has been able to donate substantially and frequently to the Party. To date, his donations total in the region of £2.5 million.^[17][18][19] He was also the principle funder of the ‘Conservatives IN’ referendum campaign and donated in excess of £300,000 to it.^[20]

Economics Activities

In November 2014, Andrew Cook took part in a public debate on Devaluation, hosted at the Judge Business School in Cambridge, arguing against Devaluation as a means of restoring the UK's manufacturing sector. His opponent was John Mills, founder of the Pound Campaign, and advocate for Devaluation. A vote from the audience at the conclusion of the debate confirmed that Andrew Cook won the debate, with 79% of audience members voting against devaluation, and in support of his argument.^[21] Andrew Cook is also occasionally called upon by the national press to comment on economic crises and situations.^[22][23]

Literary career

Andrew Cook is a published author, with several books and papers to his name. In 1999, his first book, Thrice Through the Fire, a history of the William Cook company from 1985 to 1998, was published as a sequel to Philip Hansen’s book, The History of the William Cook Company and the Cook Family,^[24] which covered the company’s history up to 1985 and to which Andrew Cook contributed substantially. Thrice Through the Fire was written after a thirteen-year period of exponential growth for the Company, seeing them become the world leader in steel castings, thanks to Andrew Cook’s successful “re-launch” of the company soon after he became Chairman in 1981. In 2008, concerned that there would be an energy crisis in the next decade and “on the Conservative watch” as he described it, Andrew Cook financed and co-wrote (with Professor Ian Fells CBE, an acknowledged energy expert) A Pragmatic Energy Policy for the UK.^[25] Following a private launch to Charles Hendry, then shadow energy secretary, the publication was launched nationally at the Royal Institution. Many of its predictions have come to pass. The year 2011 saw the publication of Andrew Cook’s second and third books: Ashes and Dust, a book of recollections and reflections, events and experiences, from various times to 2011; and Coal, Steam and Comfort- 141R568 and the Swiss Classic Train, an account of a train restoration project he had undertaken over the 5-year period 2005 to 2010. In 2015, he published his fourth book, The Doctors of Ulm and other stories.

References