Jeffrey Sterling, Baron Sterling of Plaistow

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Jeffrey Sterling, Baron Sterling of Plaistow, GCVO, CBE, is a British businessman. He was executive chairman of the shipping line P&O from 1983 to 2005, having joined the board of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company as a non-executive Director on 6 February 1980. He is now Life President of P&O Cruises.

He founded Motability, a charity providing cars for people with disabilities in 1977 and today is Chairman of the organisation.

He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1977 and was knighted in the 1985 New Year’s Honours List, for public services and services to industry. He was created a life peer as Baron Sterling of Plaistow, of Pall Mall in the City of Westminster in 1990 peer in Mrs Margaret Thatcher’s resignation honours list. He holds an honorary commission in the Royal Naval Reserve of Commodore and is associated with HMS President.

In 2002, he served as Chairman of the Golden Jubilee Weekend Trust, in commemoration of The Queen's reign of 50 years as sovereign.

In March 2007 Lord Sterling announced that he would be buying the Swan Hellenic brand from Carnival Corporation & plc.

In April 2007, Lord Sterling brokered a deal with Roger Allard's All Leisure Holidays, operator of cruise company, Voyages of Discovery to purchase his Brand Swan Hellenic. Together they acquired cruise ship Explorer 2 to be renamed Minerva 1. Swan Hellenic will begin its new Summer season in March 2008 with Lord Sterling to remain as Chairman.