Henry Keswick (businessman)

Sir Henry Keswick
Born	Henry Neville Lindley Keswick Template:Birth date Shanghai, China
Died	November 5, 2024(2024-11-05) (aged 86) Wiltshire, England
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, Businessman
Years active	1961–2024
Known for	Chairman of Jardine Matheson

Sir Henry Neville Lindley Keswick (29 September 1938 – 5 November 2024) was a distinguished British entrepreneur and served as chairman of Jardine Matheson.

Early life

Keswick was born in Shanghai in 1938 into the influential Keswick family, known for their leadership in business. He was the son of Sir William Johnstone "Tony" Keswick and Mary Lindley. His education included time at Eton College followed by Trinity College, Cambridge. During the coronation of Elizabeth II, he held the role of a page and fulfilled his national service obligations with the Scots Guards between 1956 and 1958.

Business career

From 1975 until 1980, Keswick was the proprietor of the conservative publication The Spectator. His career at Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd began in 1961; he advanced to director in 1967, managing director by 1970, and assumed the position of chairman in 1972, overseeing one of Asia’s foremost conglomerates.

Other interests

He held the position of vice chairman at the Hong Kong Association, participated on the council of the National Trust, and formerly chaired the National Portrait Gallery, London.

Personal life and death

A devoted Roman Catholic, Keswick was affiliated with the Tablet Trust. In 1985, he wed Tessa Fraser, a public policy expert and former chancellor of the University of Buckingham. Their residence was Oare House, a rural estate located in Wiltshire.

During the 2017 General Election, the couple contributed £100,000 to the Conservative Party. In addition, Keswick made donations to Conservative parliamentarians Jacob Rees-Mogg and Danny Kruger in 2020.

He passed away at his home on 5 November 2024 at the age of 86.

Honours

In recognition of his contributions to British commercial interests abroad and charitable work within the UK, Keswick was knighted as part of the 2009 Birthday Honours.