Out of the gloom

I have only ever met Gerald Ronson once, and that might be overstating it. He was standing in the dock at Southwark Crown Court, accused of his involvement in something older readers will remember as the Guinness scandal.

It was famous in the 1980s, as a range of the great and good, in City terms, were accused of being involved in a share support scheme to help Guinness. Ronson was one of those caught up in the case and during a break in proceedings I cheekily asked him whether he was guilty or not, because my news editor at the time had asked me to do so. He ‘politely’ told me where to go and I have never spoken to him since, but always followed his career with interest. Gerald Ronson is what you would call a ‘bruiser’ in business terms. He has survived recessions, property booms and busts, and ban...