Here is the latest nomination in our series highlighting people David Cameron should consider appointing to the House of Lords.
If you would like to nominate someone, please email Jonathan Isaby with your suggestion, ideally including key arguments for the nomination as well as biographical information. The sources of nominations will be treated confidentially where requested.
No. 17: Tony Caplin
A reader from London writes:
"Tony Caplin is a business turnaround expert, well known in the City, who has given a significant amount of his time in support of the public sector and the Conservative Party over recent years. He was appointed Chairman of the investment bank, Panmure Gordon, in May 2008, having served on the Board as a non-executive director for a number of years. He has helped numerous companies on the road to success and has also held a number of senior management positions with Manchester News Ltd and Pacific Telesis, amongst others.
"He worked for Sir Ian MacGregor at First City Bank, of which time he once remarked: "Sir Ian suggested we do turnaround, workouts, and difficult situations. With Sir Ian as Chairman and I as Chief Executive we tried to save small pieces of corporate UK." In the current economic climate, his skills have an obvious appeal.
"He is currently chairman of North West London Hospitals NHS Trust and previously held the same role at Ealing, which became one of the most improved hospitals in the country under his leadership.
"Prior to the last election, Tony worked tirelessly to put together the team which delivered the James Review identifying government waste, exhibiting the energy levels which led Sir Ian to once remark: "Tony, when everyone else has fallen down, you are always still standing." Shortly after the election, Tony voluntarily served in CCHQ as a senior advisor to the Party Chairman, drawing on his network to bring in professional financial and HR leadership, and drive corporate disciplines into the organisation.
"While another specific programme of efficiency savings is not currently in vogue, his political, public and private sector experience in government, not to mention his drive and determination to fix our broken economy, would be invaluable to the upper House."
> Yesterday's nomination: Matthew Parris
