Stanley Kalms, Baron Kalms

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Harold Stanley Kalms, Baron Kalms (born 21 November 1931) is the life president of Dixons Group PLC. He was chairman until 2002. Dixons Group PLC owns Dixons, Currys, The Link and PC World outlets. He spent his entire career from 1948 working for Dixons.

Lord Kalms was educated at Christ's College, Finchley. He joined Dixons in 1948 at the age of 17 and over the years grew the company from a one-store family business into Europe's leading specialist electrical retailer. Stanley Kalms was appointed Chairman of the Dixons Group plc in 1971. He is also a Governor of Dixons Bradford City Technology College, a Director of Business for Sterling, and a Director of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research.

Lord Kalms is also involved in many private charitable activities including the setting up of the Stanley Kalms Foundation in London and the Stanley Kalms Readership in Business Ethics and Strategic Management at University of North London. He is also involved in the King's Hospital ISLET Diabetes Research Programme.

Lord Kalms has close connections to the University of Buckingham, Britain's leading private university. He received an honorary degree from Buckingham and Chris Woodhead is Sir Stanley Kalms Professor of Education.

Lord Kalms has written in the press on the subjects of European Monetary Union (EMU), and on Corporate Governance; and a book - A Time to Change - a review of the activities of the United Synagogue.

He received his Knighthood in the 1996 New Years Honours for his services to the electrical retailing industry and made a life peer as Baron Kalms, of Edgware in the London Borough of Barnet in 2004.

Lord Kalms was treasurer of the Conservative Party, 2001-3. Like many in the party, he opposes the Euro. Lord Kalms is a member of the Carlton Club.