Hugh Barton
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Hugh David MacEwen Barton, CBE (17 January 1911 – 16 April 1989) was a British Hong Kong businessman who served as chairman and managing director of Jardine Matheson from 1953 to 1963.[1]
Biography
Barton was born on 17 January 1911 in Ireland. After graduating from
A persistent and flamboyant character, he was appointed Taipan of Jardines, replacing Sir John Keswick. During his tenure, he oversaw the incredible growth of the company in Hong Kong and throughout Asia after the devastating war years and continued trade with China. He also served as a director of the
He is best remembered for the historic and landmark event of leading Jardines to its initial public offering. Initially distributing the shares at $2.78, within a week it shot up to $5.22, having been oversubscribed 56 times.
During his tenure, Jardines owned much of the richest land in Hong Kong, controlled two of the island's three profitable English newspapers, and has substantial interests in banking, shipping, insurance, utilities, streetcars and airlines and being agent for 77 major companies, trading products ranging from machine tools to fine Scotch throughout Asia. He sat in Hong Kong's governing bodies and the boards of its richest banks. He presided over a time when Jardine Matheson was at the peak of its economic and political power over Hong Kong.
He founded the Penta Hotel Chain, supported by five airlines:
In a Time article in 1961, he was described as "Tall (6 ft. 3 in.), suave and social, University of Cambridge educated Hugh Barton joined Jardines in 1933 as a tea taster, scrupulously lives up to the company's cherished traditions, including the raising of ponies that race under the Jardines' silks." After retiring in 1963, he became an influential diplomat in Europe, representing Hong Kong businesses' interests there.
In 1965, he became a director of