Chancellor, by the authority of Council, I present to you this person, on whom the
Council desires you to confer the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science (Economics)
Sir David Brewer CMG JP
In his Who’s Who entry, Sir David Brewer lists his recreations as ‘Music (especially
opera and choral music), golf, mechanical gardening, chocolate and paranomasia’.
Now in such an august and educated gathering such as this, it might seem a bit
unnecessary to define the last of these recreations – but there may be a few people
here, who, like me, need this explained.
Paranomasia is described neutrally as the use of words that sound similar to other
words, but have different meanings – or to be more blunt – puns or punning. So, for
example, when engaging in another of his recreations Sir David may have seen a sign
in a golf-cart shop: "When drinking, don't drive. Don't even putt."
Putting paranomasia as one of your recreations is an open invitation to litter an entire
speech with atrocious puns – in fact it is so obvious I half expected to be greeted with
the sound of a hooter, as on the TV programme QI, as soon as I mentioned this. But in
fact Sir David is so interesting, has made such an immense contribution and is so
deserving of the honorary degree he is to receive today, that this is a speech best
played straight. So no more puns for you today, David.
Sir David Brewer showed his cosmopolitanism from his earliest choices. When he
finished School he went to the University of Grenoble to do a course in French for
foreign students. Whilst he had originally thought he might follow his father into
medicine, in the event he decided to make a career in marine insurance, which he tells
me means insuring ships and their cargoes, and dealing with the liabilities of ship
owners. He joined Sedgwick Collins and has stayed with the same company for 50
years – its name has changed a number of times during this period. In 1976 he went to
Tokyo to open the Sedgwick Group’s Japan office and lived there for three years
becoming pretty good at speaking Japanese. Not long after that he set up the Group’s
office in China. He has visited China over 100 times.
As a businessman, David sees his biggest contribution as building, not relationships,
but friendships all around the world. Insurance involves dealing with people - with
clients and with underwriters. And the people David has done business with over the
year have become friends, forming a huge network around the world of people who
work together to get things done.
In addition to his work as a businessman, Sir David Brewer has made an exemplary
and varied contribution to the community – and you will wonder, as I describe what
he has done, how he has found time for this (though you might understand why he
needs chocolate to keep him going).
He is best known as the Lord Mayor of the City of London in 2005-2006. The Lord
Mayor essentially acts as an ambassador for all UK-based financial services, whether
in the City or elsewhere in the UK. During his year in office he concentrated on two
things: connecting with young people in the City (during his year in office he spoke to
over 1000 of these) and reaching out to communities, such as the Asian community,
who are not as involved in the City as they could be. The thing that gave him the
greatest joy was the fountain opposite the Old Bailey that he inaugurated. This is
linked to an anemometer so that on fine days the jets are high and on windy days, the
jets drop down so that no one gets wet. I think this appeals to Sir David as it
exemplifies the kind of consideration for others that is second nature to him.
In April 2008 he was appointed her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London, in
which role he represents the Queen and plays an important role in Royal visits in the
area. One of the areas he has energetically pursued is the promotion of reserve forces
and cadet forces in the capital.
He is Chairman of the China-Britain Business Council, and a Vice President of the
Great Britain-China Centre, having previously been Chair of the latter for 7 years.
The GBCC, under Sir David’s leadership, has done an immense amount of work to
improve relationships between the two countries, working away before these became
commercially relevant. So, with the help of the TUC, help was provided to China’s
trade unions, for example providing advice on collective bargaining, and a huge
amount of assistance was provided on legal reform.
Sir David maintains his interest in India through his membership of the Board of the
UK India Business Council and his interest in Japan by being a Trustee of the Daiwa
Anglo-Japanese Foundation. And all of his interest in Asia is expressed in his work as
a Governor of the School of Oriental and African Studies, where I have had the
privilege to see him in the role of critical friend. SOAS was originally based in the
City, and the City of London nominates a member of the SOAS Governing Body. Sir
David is the embodiment of that link between the City and SOAS, one of the reasons
that I am so pleased to present him today.
And let us just conclude by mentioning some of the other activities he is involved in.
He is a JP; he is the President of the London Cornish Association; he is a member of
the London Symphony Orchestra Advisory Council; he is a Director of the City of
London Sinfonia; he is a Treasurer of the Sons of the Clergy and he has been heavily
involved in the City’s Guilds for many years.
In sum Sir David is an exceptional man, who has devoted his life to making a
difference whenever he can. So Chancellor, it is with great pleasure that I ask you to
confer the degree of Doctor of Science (Economics) honoris causa on Sir David
Brewer
Delivered by Professor Paul Webley, Director and Principal, The School of
Oriental and African Studies