Michael Heller (businessman)

Sir Michael Aron Heller (15 July 1936 – 30 January 2023) was a British business executive and philanthropist.

Sir

Michael Heller
Born
Michael Aron Heller

(1936-07-15)15 July 1936
London, England
Died30 January 2023(2023-01-30) (aged 86)
NationalityBritish citizenship
EducationHarrogate Grammar School
Alma materSt Catharine's College, Cambridge
OccupationBusinessman
Known forBusinessman, philanthropist
SpouseMorven Heller

Early life

Michael Aron Heller was born in London on 15 July 1936,[1][2] and educated at the Harrogate Grammar School in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England.[3] He graduated from St Catharine's College, Cambridge, where he received a Master of Arts degree in 1955.[3][4]

Business career

Heller served as the Chairman of Bisichi Mining.[3] He also served as the Chairman of London & Associated Properties.[3][5] Additionally, he served as the Chairman of Electronic Data Processing.[3]

Philanthropy

Heller co-founded the Michael & Morven Heller Charitable Foundation in 1988.[6] Thanks to a charitable gift they made to the Magen David Adom UK Friend Society in 2006, a Mobile Intensive Care Unit which drives pregnant women in Israel to the nearest hospital was named in their honour.[7] Eight years later, in 2008, as a result of another donation, an ambulance was also named in their honour.[7]

In 2010, they attended a fundraising dinner for the British ORT, a Jewish charity.[8]

They also contributed to the Hampstead Theatre and the London Jewish Cultural Centre.[9][10] They donated to the Save Van Dyck for the National Portrait Gallery to acquire Anthony van Dyck's self-portrait.[11]

Heller served as the Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Friends of Israel.[12] By 2012, he had donated over GBP£100,000 to the Conservative Party.[12] In 2014, he attended a GBP£50,000 dinner with Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron.[13] He also served as the Deputy Chairman of the Centre for Policy Studies, a center-right think tank based in London.[3] He later served as a member of its Board.[14]

Heller was named a Fellow Commoner by his alma mater, St Catharine's College, in 2003.[4] He received an honorary degree from Sheffield Hallam University in 2010.[15]

Heller was knighted in the 2013 New Year Honours "for charitable services".[12][16]

Personal life and death

Heller was married to Morven Livingstone, Lady Heller (b. 1940), daughter of Dr Julius Livingstone, a family doctor, and Pearl (née Levy). Morven was raised with her younger sister, human rights lawyer Frances Raday, in Manchester.[17] Together they resided in Hampstead, north London.[12]

Heller was a member of the Royal Automobile Club, a private members' club.[3] He also collected modern art.[3]

Heller died on 30 January 2023, at the age of 86.[18]

References
  1. "Sir Michael Aron Heller". WHO'S WHO 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  2. "Bisichi Mining plc". Companies House. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  3. "Michael Aron HELLER". Debrett's. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  4. "Sir Michael Heller". St Catharine's College, Cambridge. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  5. "DIRECTORS & ADVISORS". London & Associated Properties. Archived from the original on 20 October 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  6. Drury, Flora (31 December 2012). "'Great treat' to be knighted, says Hampstead man". Ham & High. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  7. "Ambulance Dedication Ceremony – Sir Michael & Lady Morven Heller". Magen David Adom. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  8. "London diners collect £400K for Ort's schools". The Jewish Chronicle. 27 October 2010. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  9. "Current Patrons". Hampstead Theatre. Archived from the original on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  10. "Patrons". London Jewish Cultural Centre. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  11. "Van Dyck: A Master of Everyone: Supporters". National Portrait Gallery. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  12. Mason, Rowena (29 December 2012). "New Year Honours List 2013: Tory donors get gongs: Property tycoons who have given more than £160,000 to the Conservative Party have been given awards in today's New Year Honours List". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  13. Blanchard, Jack (12 November 2014). "David Cameron's Tories in 'cash for access' backlash as donors pay £50,000 to have 'Dinner with Dave'". The Mirror. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  14. "Sir Michael Heller". Centre for Policy Studies. Archived from the original on 8 November 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  15. "Leading philanthropist receives honorary degree". Sheffield Hallam University. 18 November 2010. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  16. "Knights Bachelor: Knighthood" (PDF). gov.uk. p. 2. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  17. "Frances Raday". Jewish Women's Archive. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  18. London & Associated Properties Plc - Sir Michael Heller, Chairman, Passes Away
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