Mark Watson-Gandy

Mark Watson-Gandy (born 1967) is a Barrister, UK law professor, author and the chairman of Essex TV ."^[1]

Career

Watson-Gandy was called to the Bar of England and Wales at Inner Temple in 1990 and was admitted to the Eastern Caribbean Bar (British Virgin Islands) in 2013.^[2] He practices as a Barrister at Three Stone Chambers. He was a Junior Counsel to the Crown between 2000-2012. In 1999 he was made a Visiting Professor at University of Westminster, where he created and taught their pioneering LLM in Corporate Finance Law.^[3] He is also a special lecturer at Cass Business School.^[4]

As a barrister, Watson-Gandy has been instructed in many high-profile cases. He represented Craig Whyte in the litigation over the financing over his ill-fated acquisition, Glasgow Rangers Football Club ^[5] and was counsel for the court appointed trustee in the overturning of the UK bankruptcy of property developer and former IRA hunger striker, Tom McFeely.^[6] He was counsel for the Bishops Conference on the state visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United Kingdom.^[7] He advised the Gurkha veterans in the All Party Parliamentary Group Inquiry into Gurkha Pensions.^[8] Watson-Gandy is presently instructed in litigation in Antigua arising out of the liquidation of Stanford International Bank.^[9]

In 2015, Watson-Gandy called for children to receive basic business education at schools and formed KidsMBA Ltd to provide courses at schools.^[10] Watson-Gandy himself is an active member of a number of corporate and not-for-profit boards. He is chairman of Essex TV, Pure Cremation Ltd, a Non-Executive Director and Trustee of Apostleship of the Sea.^[11] He is chairman of Mental health first aid England ^[12] which in 2016 was on the "Fortuna 50" list of the 50 fastest growing woman-led companies in the UK.^[13] He is listed an Executive Producer ^[14] of the British film, Vendetta (2013 film). He is the Head of Professional Standards for the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers.^[15] He is a liveryman and member of the Court of Assistants of the Scriveners' Company.^[16]

Publications

Watson-Gandy's books include:

• Tolley's Company Secretary's Review – Corporate Precedents: Directors, published London 2013
• Personal Insolvency Practice: Litigation Procedure & Precedents – published London 2012 ^[17]
• Corporate Insolvency Practice: Litigation Procedure & Precedents – published London 2010[13] ^[18]
• Watson-Gandy on Accountants – Law, Practice and Procedure, 1st Edition, published London 2000, 2nd Edition, published London 2008 ^[19]
• Beyond the Peradventure, published London 1991

He is co-editor of Butterworths Corporate Law Service, Lexis Nexis (Company Law: co-editor since 2008) .

In addition to his books, Watson-Gandy has written widely on legal issues. His past editorships have included assistant editor of the Family Court Reporter, Local Government Editor, Justice of the Peace Magazine and Editor, of the legal journal, Litigation.^[20] Since 1997 he has written a monthly column for the commercial finance magazine, Business Money ^[21]

Personal life

Watson-Gandy ^[22] lives in Blackheath, London with his wife and two children. He owns the ancient monument, Myrton Castle, in Scotland.

Honours and decorations

• Holy See: Knight of the Order of St. Gregory the Great
• SMOM: Sovereign Order of Malta – Knight of Malta
• SMOM: Sovereign Order of Malta – Cross – Order pro merito Melitensi
• House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies: Knight of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George

Freedoms

• Freedom of the City of London ^[23]

References