Robert Margetts, chairman of BOC Group, yesterday refused to be swayed by an offer from Germany’s Linde, said to be worth more than £7.6 billion, for the industrial gases company.
Arguing against the bid on the ground that it fails to fully value the growth prospects of the British company, Mr Margetts now has to convince investors that it is in the best interests of the company to remain independent.
Educated at Highgate School, and then Cambridge, Mr Margetts, 59, joined ICI in 1969 as a process design engineer. He remained with the chemicals company for the next 31 years, becoming both a board director and vice-chairman. He moved to BOC in 2001.
He is a fellow of both the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Institution of Chemical Engineers, and also serves as chairman of Legal & General, the insurer.
A keen sportsman, who enjoys sailing, skiing, tennis and watersports, Mr Margetts is chairman of the Natural Environment Research Council. Additionally, he is a non-executive director of the mining giant Anglo American.
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His other activities include being a member of the Council of Science and Technology, a governor of Imperial College, London, where he is also an honorary fellow, and sitting on the Council for Industry and Higher Education. He is married to Joan, and has three sons and a daughter.