John became the Firm's non-solicitor Chairman in 1992. Another appointment in a career that has embraced the engineering, pharmaceuticals/fine chemicals, biotechnology, hotels, property, racing, mining, retail and media industries. Since 1980, he has served on the boards of a number of companies. He is currently Chairman of Four Oxford Technology Venture Capital Trusts, and a director of Instore (formerly Brown & Jackson) and a number of other unlisted companies. He was previously Chairman of Hilton Group (1994 - 2001) and Deputy Chairman of BHP Billiton from its creation as a dual-listed company until November 2002. He is also a director of openDemocracy and a council member of Unlock Democracy. In 2003, he retired as Chairman of Celltech Group and Wyndeham Press Group and in 2004 as a director of WPP Group though continuing as a member of the latter's Advisory board.

John studied law at Cambridge University where he held the law faculty's Squire Scholarship from 1949 to 1953. He was called to the Bar in 1954 but has never practised the law professionally. His early career was spent working for Philips UK, becoming a Board Director in 1966 and continuing in this capacity until 1994. His private business activities include the rescue of the magazine, "History Today" of which he became one of three owners in 1981. He also has a particular interest in helping high technology start-ups.

Articles and Publications

John chaired the committee that produced the “Changing Work” report published by the Fabian Society in 1996. He is also an author, having written a book on rural self-sufficiency entitled “A Little Piece of England”.

John has also written chapters in 'Even Paranoids Have Enemies', Unlocking Democracy and numerous articles on constitutional affairs for openDemocracy of which he is a director.