Terence Beckett


Sir Terence Norman Beckett was a British businessman, who was chairman of Ford and later became director-general of the Confederation of British Industry.

Early life

Beckett was born on 13 December 1923 in Walsall, Staffordshire, England. He was educated at the independent Wolverhampton Grammar School. He then went on to study mechanical engineering at Wolverhampton and Staffordshire Technical college.
On 14 July 1945, Beckett was commissioned in the British Army as a second lieutenant of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. He was given the service number 352178. He saw active service in India and Malaya. He was promoted to lieutenant on 1 January 1949 and granted the honorary rank of captain. He took a BSc in economics at the London School of Economics.

Honours and decorations

Beckett received the General Service Medal with Malaya clasp for his service during the Malayan Emergency.
He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1974. He was knighted in 1978. He was promoted to Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1987.
Beckett also received an Honorary Doctorate from Heriot-Watt University,along with Sir Sean Connery, in 1981