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Former Jardine Matheson chief who shaped Asian trade dies at 86

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Long-time leader of historic Asian trading house passes away in London. Sir Henry Keswick guided Jardine Matheson through major changes while owning The Spectator and building strong political ties

Sir Henry Keswick‚ a key figure in Asian trade who led Jardine Matheson for many years died this week at 86. Born in Shanghai during pre-war times he witnessed his familys trading empire face big changes in China (including his fathers shooting by a Japanese person in 41)

His early life mixed privilege and challenge: studying at Eton being a royal page for the Queens coronation about 70 years ago‚ and watching his familys company leave mainland China. After military service and Cambridge he went to Hong-Kong in the early 60s where he started by “selling make-up in Borneo jungles“

As the youngest-ever taipan – head of Jardines operations – Keswick ran the company with old-school style from 70 to 75. The firm owned many things in Hong-Kong:

  • Hotels and ferries
  • Big office buildings
  • Food stores
  • Banking business

Moving back to London he bought The Spectator for £75k; picking his Eton friend Alexander Chancellor as editor – the only journalist he knew. The magazines reader numbers were low but Chancellor made it popular again. After about 6 years Keswick sold it for £100k when his political dreams didnt work out

With his brother Simon Keswick they moved the company to Bermuda before Hong-Kongs return to China. Their business choices werent always good – like losing money on Trafalgar House – but the companys main work kept making profits. He stepped down from running things about 5-6 years ago

At his Wiltshire home he had a special building made by I.M Pei; and owned Scottish land where sadly thieves took a Henry Moore statue worth £3m about 9 years ago. His wife Tessa (who helped the Conservative party) died couple years back

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