The Right Honourable The Lord Nickson
KBE DL FRSE
David Wigley Nickson was born in Eton in November 1929 where his father was a House Master. Educated at Eton himself, he then went on to train at Sandhurst before being commissioned into the Coldstream Guards in 1949 to serve in Tripoli and Egypt. After leaving the Army in 1954, he joined William Collins, the publishing and printing business in Glasgow, rising through the ranks to become Group Managing Director from 1979 to 1982. Based in Glasgow, he would travel frequently to London (often staying at the Flyfishers’ Club) and also had several trips to the USA, Australia and New Zealand. After Collins he became Chairman of Scottish and Newcastle plc and of the Clydesdale Bank before becoming President of the CBI in 1986.
David lived for forty years in Aberfoyle with his family before moving to Doune where he now lives, and during this time developed a strong attachment to the Scottish countryside - its birds, flowers and fish. Salmon fishing in particular has been a great passion, a lifelong recreation since boyhood, and one that has been the driving force for many of his voluntary activities. He was Chairman of the Atlantic Salmon Trust (1988-1995), the North Atlantic Salmon Fund UK (1993-1996), Chairman of the Cromarty Firth District Fishery Board (1992-2006) and President of the Association of Scottish District Fishery Boards from 1997 onwards.
He has had various public sector roles, including being Chairman of the Countryside Commission for Scotland (1983-1985), Chairman of the Scottish Development Agency, later Scottish Enterprise (1989-1993), and taking on the thankless task - which he found, surprisingly, both interesting and fulfilling - of being Chairman of the Top Salaries Review Body (1988-1995) after being appointed by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
He was also the first Chancellor of Glasgow Caledonian University, and Deputy Lieutenant, then Vice Lieutenant for Stirling and Falkirk (1982-2004). In 1978 he became a member of the Queen’s Bodyguard for Scotland, the Royal Company of Archers, retiring from the active list as Captain in 2008.
In 1981 he was awarded the CBE and in 1987, when he was Knighted, became a KBE. In the New Year Honours List in 1994 he became a Life Peer and sat in the House of Lords as a Crossbencher until his retirement in 2015.
KBE DL FRSE
David Wigley Nickson was born in Eton in November 1929 where his father was a House Master. Educated at Eton himself, he then went on to train at Sandhurst before being commissioned into the Coldstream Guards in 1949 to serve in Tripoli and Egypt. After leaving the Army in 1954, he joined William Collins, the publishing and printing business in Glasgow, rising through the ranks to become Group Managing Director from 1979 to 1982. Based in Glasgow, he would travel frequently to London (often staying at the Flyfishers’ Club) and also had several trips to the USA, Australia and New Zealand. After Collins he became Chairman of Scottish and Newcastle plc and of the Clydesdale Bank before becoming President of the CBI in 1986.
David lived for forty years in Aberfoyle with his family before moving to Doune where he now lives, and during this time developed a strong attachment to the Scottish countryside - its birds, flowers and fish. Salmon fishing in particular has been a great passion, a lifelong recreation since boyhood, and one that has been the driving force for many of his voluntary activities. He was Chairman of the Atlantic Salmon Trust (1988-1995), the North Atlantic Salmon Fund UK (1993-1996), Chairman of the Cromarty Firth District Fishery Board (1992-2006) and President of the Association of Scottish District Fishery Boards from 1997 onwards.
He has had various public sector roles, including being Chairman of the Countryside Commission for Scotland (1983-1985), Chairman of the Scottish Development Agency, later Scottish Enterprise (1989-1993), and taking on the thankless task - which he found, surprisingly, both interesting and fulfilling - of being Chairman of the Top Salaries Review Body (1988-1995) after being appointed by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
He was also the first Chancellor of Glasgow Caledonian University, and Deputy Lieutenant, then Vice Lieutenant for Stirling and Falkirk (1982-2004). In 1978 he became a member of the Queen’s Bodyguard for Scotland, the Royal Company of Archers, retiring from the active list as Captain in 2008.
In 1981 he was awarded the CBE and in 1987, when he was Knighted, became a KBE. In the New Year Honours List in 1994 he became a Life Peer and sat in the House of Lords as a Crossbencher until his retirement in 2015.