John Anthony Harvey CBE
Encyclopedia
John Anthony Harvey CBE is a British entrepreneur and logistician whose seminal contribution was to lead (as Chairman & Chief Executive, later Executive Chairman) the intercontinental logistics service provider Tibbett & Britten Group plc during a 20-year period of diversification and growth. He is a Trustee, and former Chairman of the Trustees, of Transaid Worldwide - the international transport charity.
in 1957 as a graduate trainee after receiving a First Class Honours degree from the University of Cambridge
and held a variety of appointments before becoming Managing Director of SPD Ltd (‘Speedy, Prompt Delivery’), its UK logistics subsidiary. In 1968 he was (significantly) responsible for Unilever making its original investment in the clothing distribution specialist Tibbett & Britten. From 1971 he went on to hold various SPD Board appointments in subsidiaries and joint ventures in North America, Scandinavia, Hong Kong, Italy and Ireland. He also became a member of Unilever's UK Policy Committee. In 1982 Harvey joined The Institute of Grocery Distribution Board (and the Policy Issues Council from mid-2001). In 1983 he became Chairman of SPD Group.
In 1984 Harvey led the management buy-out of Tibbett & Britten from Unilever and the Dutch Railways, becoming Chairman & Chief Executive of Tibbett & Britten. (SPD continued without him for another year, after which it was purchased by National Freight Corporation, which later combined it with BRS and NCL to create the proto Exel Logistics.) Harvey then led the flotation of Tibbett & Britten Group plc on the London Stock Exchange in 1986, following which the Group’s extraordinary growth began.
Under Harvey's leadership, Tibbett & Britten Group revenues rose from £30 million in 1984 to £2,300 million two decades later. The company was acquired by Exel
in 2004.
Harvey was awarded the CBE for services to the transport industry in 1992. In 1994 he received the Motor Transport Special Award for outstanding achievement in the Road Transport Industry. In 2002 Tibbett & Britten Group received The Queen's Award for Enterprise: International Trade (Export) (2002)
. In 2011 Harvey was named Freight Personality of the Year.
Harvey is also a former member of the DoE’s Environmental Committee, where he was involved with the application of environmental best practice in the logistics and consumer distribution industries.
Although he did not invent 'open-book contract
’ principles, Harvey developed and hugely popularised this type of commercial relationship between third-party logistics providers and their customers – where fixed management fees are charged and costs are transparent to both parties.
/Cranfield University
. In the same year he also became a Companion of The Institute of Management. In the following year he was made Chairman of the Cranfield Centre for Logistics & Transportation Advisory Board, Cranfield University, and he became a member of the CIES International Supply Chain and Logistics Forum. In 1999 he became a member of the DTLR Road Haulage Forum.
From 2000-2010 Harvey was Chairman of Trustees of Transaid Worldwide - the international transport charity - and remains a Trustee and staunch supporter. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Transport, the Institute of Grocery Distribution, the Institute of Logistics and Transport (Emeritus) and the Royal Society of Arts.
John Harvey still regularly addresses freight, logistics and supply chain management audiences across the world, and chairs conferences and seminars.
Early career
Harvey joined UnileverUnilever
Unilever is a British-Dutch multinational corporation that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products....
in 1957 as a graduate trainee after receiving a First Class Honours degree from the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
and held a variety of appointments before becoming Managing Director of SPD Ltd (‘Speedy, Prompt Delivery’), its UK logistics subsidiary. In 1968 he was (significantly) responsible for Unilever making its original investment in the clothing distribution specialist Tibbett & Britten. From 1971 he went on to hold various SPD Board appointments in subsidiaries and joint ventures in North America, Scandinavia, Hong Kong, Italy and Ireland. He also became a member of Unilever's UK Policy Committee. In 1982 Harvey joined The Institute of Grocery Distribution Board (and the Policy Issues Council from mid-2001). In 1983 he became Chairman of SPD Group.
In 1984 Harvey led the management buy-out of Tibbett & Britten from Unilever and the Dutch Railways, becoming Chairman & Chief Executive of Tibbett & Britten. (SPD continued without him for another year, after which it was purchased by National Freight Corporation, which later combined it with BRS and NCL to create the proto Exel Logistics.) Harvey then led the flotation of Tibbett & Britten Group plc on the London Stock Exchange in 1986, following which the Group’s extraordinary growth began.
Under Harvey's leadership, Tibbett & Britten Group revenues rose from £30 million in 1984 to £2,300 million two decades later. The company was acquired by Exel
Exel
DHL Supply Chain is a division of Deutsche Post providing contract logistics and value-added services.- History :On 14 December 2005 Deutsche Post announced the completion of the acquisition of Exel plc, becoming the global No. 1 in air freight, ocean freight and contract logistics...
in 2004.
Later career
In 2004 John Harvey formed Keswick Enterprises – a private equity company specialising in logistics and supply chain-related companies – with Geoff Gillo. In 2006 Keswick acquired Spatial Group – international freight forwarding and international mail services. In 2008 Keswick acquired Link Logistics – UK transport and distribution - and Strategy Group – contract packing and contract manufacturing. In 2010 Keswick acquired Delamode Logistics in Romania and the DHL Delamode joint venture in Romania – which were then rebranded as Tibbett Logistics.Harvey was awarded the CBE for services to the transport industry in 1992. In 1994 he received the Motor Transport Special Award for outstanding achievement in the Road Transport Industry. In 2002 Tibbett & Britten Group received The Queen's Award for Enterprise: International Trade (Export) (2002)
The Queen's Award for Enterprise: International Trade (Export) (2002)
The Queen's Award for Enterprise: International Trade was awarded on 21 April 2002, by Queen Elizabeth II.-Recipients:The following organisations were awarded this year.*AES Engineering Ltd of Rotherham for Mechanical seals....
. In 2011 Harvey was named Freight Personality of the Year.
Harvey is also a former member of the DoE’s Environmental Committee, where he was involved with the application of environmental best practice in the logistics and consumer distribution industries.
Although he did not invent 'open-book contract
Open-book contract
In an open-book contract, the buyer and seller of work/services agree on which costs are remunerable and the margin that the supplier can add to these costs...
’ principles, Harvey developed and hugely popularised this type of commercial relationship between third-party logistics providers and their customers – where fixed management fees are charged and costs are transparent to both parties.
Academic life and charity
In 1997 John Harvey became Visiting Professor at the Cranfield School of ManagementCranfield School of Management
Cranfield School of Management is part of Cranfield University and a leading business school in the world. Cranfield University has provided management training since the late 1940s...
/Cranfield University
Cranfield University
Cranfield University is a British postgraduate university based on two campuses, with a research-oriented focus. The main campus is at Cranfield, Bedfordshire and the second is the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom based at Shrivenham, Oxfordshire. The main campus is unique in the United...
. In the same year he also became a Companion of The Institute of Management. In the following year he was made Chairman of the Cranfield Centre for Logistics & Transportation Advisory Board, Cranfield University, and he became a member of the CIES International Supply Chain and Logistics Forum. In 1999 he became a member of the DTLR Road Haulage Forum.
From 2000-2010 Harvey was Chairman of Trustees of Transaid Worldwide - the international transport charity - and remains a Trustee and staunch supporter. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Transport, the Institute of Grocery Distribution, the Institute of Logistics and Transport (Emeritus) and the Royal Society of Arts.
John Harvey still regularly addresses freight, logistics and supply chain management audiences across the world, and chairs conferences and seminars.