The High Sheriff of Hertfordshire for 2010/11: Gerald Corbett

Gerald has lived in Hertfordshire all his married life (34 years). His wife Virginia is 4th generation Hertfordshire and is an artist. They have 4 grown up children and live on a farm outside Redbourn. A particular focus of theirs in the year will be the smaller charities working closing with the Hertfordshire Community Foundation. Main events include “the High Sheriff’s Three Choirs Concert” in St Albans Abbey on 15 May at 7.30pm (Box Office 01727 860780) featuring the two Abbey Choirs and the Christchurch College Oxford Choir and the Justice Service, at 11.15am on Sunday 21 November, again in St Albans Abbey.

“Being High Sheriff is a great opportunity to make a contribution to the community in which we have been fortunate enough to raise our family. We plan to focus very much on the smaller charities, working closely with the Hertfordshire Community Foundation, as well as the traditional High Sheriff duties of supporting the judiciary, the courts, youth and crime prevention. Hopefully we can make a difference, even if only in a small way” said Gerald.

Gerald’s career has been (and still is) primarily in business. Since 2005 he has been Chairman of SSL International plc and Britvic plc. Britvic is one of the two leading soft drinks companies in Britain whose major brands include Robinsons, Tango, Pepsi, Fruit Shoot and J20. SSL International is the rapidly growing international consumer healthcare group whose major brands Durex and Scholl are sold in over 50 countries with manufacturing facilities primarily in India, China and Thailand. Gerald is also Chairman of Moneysupermarkets.com, the leading price comparison website which floated in July 2007. He is Chairman of the Royal National Institute of the Deaf, the UK’s largest Charity representing the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. He is also a Non Executive Director of the investment bank and stock broking business, Numis Securities.

He was Chairman of the Woolworths Group plc from March 2001 when he led the demerger of Woolworths from the Kingfisher Group and its subsequent flotation up until June 2007. Prior to joining Woolworths, Gerald was Chief Executive of Railtrack plc, which he joined in 1997. He was Group Finance Director of Grand Metropolitan plc from 1994-97, and of Redland plc from 1987-94. From 1982-87 he was with Dixons Group plc initially as Group Financial Controller, and then Corporate Finance Director. He was with the Boston Consulting Group between 1975-82. He was a non-Executive Director of the property group MEPC plc from 1994-97, Burmah Castrol plc from 1998-2000 where he Chaired the Audit Committee and Greencore plc, the Irish food company based in Dublin, between 2004 and 2010. He was Chairman of Holmes Place, a chain of fitness and health clubs between 2003-2006.

He was educated at Tonbridge School and then Pembroke College, Cambridge University where he was a Foundation scholar and read History. His MSC with distinction in Business Studies was from the London Business School and Harvard Business School where he was an exchange scholar.

He was Chairman of the Governors of Abbots Hill School, Hemel Hempstead between 1997 and 2002 and has been a Governor of Luton University. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He is a member of the MCC and the Oxford & Cambridge Club. His personal interests include watching cricket, golf, country pursuits and playing bridge. He is on the council of the High Sheriffs Association.