One of Nottingham's most successful businessmen has played a role in the celebrations to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. Sir Ken Olisa, who was born in 1951 and grew up in Hyson Green, is The Queen's representative in London.
He was pictured sitting next to Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge during the Platinum Party at the Palace at Buckingham Palace on Saturday, June 5. The Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II is being celebrated from June 2 to June 5 in the UK and Commonwealth to mark the 70th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on February 6, 1952.
Sir Ken also made a speech before a Platinum Jubilee beacon was lit at Coutts bank in central London, on day one of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
His career started at IT firm IBM, who awarded him a scholarship to Cambridge, in about 1970 before going on to work at and found several firms. He was the first British black man to set up his own merchant bank and the first to be a board director of a public company - Reuters.
READ MORE:
An active philanthropist, he has also chaired several charities and a library at his old university college bears his name after a £2 million donation he and his wife Julia made.
Sir Ken previously told Nottinghamshire Live he has not returned to Nottingham too often since his school days but that his experiences helped to carve out his successful career.
Speaking previously, he said: "Life is all about trajectory. My trajectory started with a very good education in Nottingham, local and all state schools.
"They set me up for an interest in studying, academic life and life generally. I was a St John Ambulance brigade cadet when I was here, I was a boy scout. Being a young person in Nottingham made that all possible so I don't think there is any doubt that I am a product of the city."
