Dear Member,
Happy Christmas. I hope you are all able to get a well-earned rest and some time with family and friends over the holiday period.
December’s dinner was a fine kick-off to the festive season. We were treated to operatic renditions of traditional carols by musicians from Holland Park Opera. We were well fed by Claridge’s with Christmas dinner and all the trimmings. And we were entertained by the wonderful Mary Portas OBE with a variety of personal life stories – from the heart-rending to the side-splitting. Mary was interviewed by Kenya Hunt, Editor-in-Chief of Elle, and they certainly maximised the Chatham House conditions of MGGB, not holding back on any of the details. I felt it was an example of the Club at its best and I hope those who attended would agree.
We have now opened all the dinners until the summer break for booking ahead. We will take our traditional January break to allow you to work off the excesses of the Christmas season, so our next dinner will be on Wednesday 4th February, when our speaker will be Jason Tarry, Chair of John Lewis Partnership. Jason is a true retail expert, having previously led Tesco UK & Ireland, and a great speaker. We sold out the last dinner and had a waiting list, so please book early to avoid disappointment.
Later in the season I will continue to my mission to bring you the most diverse range of speakers (so far we’ve had an entrepreneur, the Deputy Prime Minister, and a fashion visionary) by welcoming Allison Kirkby, the first female CEO of BT, Irene Tracey CBE, Professor of Neuroscience and Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, and David Gandy, male supermodel and entrepreneur. Let’s just say that my approach is to ensure there’s something for every taste! All dates are open for booking.
I can’t tell you what a privilege it is to Chair this wonderful Club, now three-quarters of a century old. On which note, to keep the Club going we need to ensure that members do attend the stipulated 3 dinners a year, so please come along and join the fun.
Have a wonderful break, and see you in 2026.
Zaid