Sutherlands Early Years
For years the most prominent public role for Peter Sutherland as chairman of BP PLC was hosting the company’s annual meeting. But after a run of oil spills, nasty accidents and an energy-trading scandal at BP, the 60-year-old one-time rugby player has rushed into the scrum. It would be accurate to say Peter Sutherland is a physically robust man with wide strong shoulders having captained the UCD team as a prop in his early years. He played for Lansdowne and was captain there as well.
A tough, domineering forward, his nose was broken several times. He is a character who does not mind being in the thick of it, something his early years are clearly indicative of. One of his biggest regrets was that he wasn’t picked for Ireland (it’s one of two – the other is that he wasn’t president of the European Commission). School, college and rugby – they were the three main passions of his youth. Even now, after all the money he has earned, his home is in Donnybrook, just a mile from each, he also has a flat in South Kensington and a house near Marbella.
Everyone who has met Peter Sutherland would agree that his unique mix of great charm and directness has served him well over the course of his illustrious career. It would be an astute observation to say it is these rare mix of qualities which have played an important role in getting him where he is today. Looking at an individual’s formative years is often a useful way to cast light on their how they have developed and evolved as individual as they grow up.
Mr. Sutherland’s higher profile also underscores a trend that goes beyond BP: a transition in the boardroom dynamics at many of Europe’s biggest publicly traded companies. Nonexecutive directors here have in the past been criticized for leaving too much decision-making in the hands of powerful executives. In recent times, many firms are moving to shore up their boards with strong and independent directors. If there is anything which can be deduced from looking at Peter Sutherlands early years it’s that to describe him as an independent and strong character would be an accurate description.
