Norman Macfarlane, Baron Macfarlane of Bearsden

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Norman Somerville Macfarlane, Baron Macfarlane of Bearsden, KT, DL (born 5 March 1926) is a Scottish industrialist and Conservative member of the House of Lords.

Educated at the High School of Glasgow, he served in Palestine with the Royal Artillery from 1945 to 1947. He founded N. S. Macfarlane & Co. Ltd. in 1949, later becoming the Macfarlane Group (Clansman) plc in 1973. From 1973 to 1990 he served as Managing Director, and as Chair 1973-98, becoming Honorary Life President in 1999.He was a Trustee of the National Heritage Memorial Fund from 1984 to 1997 and of the National Galleries of Scotland from 1986 until 1997. Most recently he directed the fund-raising campaign for the Kelvingrove Art Gallery refurbishment.

He was a Member of the Council CBI Scotland from 1975 to 1981, a Board Member of the Scottish Development Agency from 1979 until 1987, and a Member of the Royal Fine Art Commission for Scotland from 1980 to 1982.

Macfarlane was raised a life peerage with the title Baron Macfarlane of Bearsden, of Bearsden in the District of Bearsden and Milngavie in 1991 and made a Knight of the Thistle in 1996.

He has held a number of commercial positions, including-

• Director, Edinburgh Fund Managers plc 1980-1997;
• Chair, Glasgow Development Agency (Formerly Glasgow Action) 1985-1992;
• Director, Clydesdale Bank plc 1980-96, Deputy Chair 1993-1996;
• Director, General Accident Fire & Life Assurance Corporation 1984-1996;
• Chair, American Trust plc 1984-1997,
• Chair, United Distillers UK plc 1987-1996, Hon. Life President 1996-,
• Chair, Guinness plc 1987-89, Joint Deputy Chair, 1989-92.

He was Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1992, 1993 and 1997.