Mark Watson-Gandy

Professor
Mark Watson-Gandy
of Myrton OBE
Born (1967-11-08) November 8, 1967
Buckinghamshire, England
Alma materEssex University (LLB)
OccupationBarrister-at-law
Known forCorporate law
SpouseEmanuella Johanna Christina née Giavarra (m. 1997)
Children1 son, 1 daughter
RelativesAdmiral Alec Tyndale-Biscoe;
Anthony Watson-Gandy;
Gyles Brandreth
Awards OBE
CStJ

Mark Watson-Gandy (born 8 November 1967), is a British lawyer and educationalist, specialising in UK insolvency law, company law and private international law.[1]

Since 2019, Watson-Gandy serves as chairman of the Science and Technology Ethics Advisory Committee at the Home Office.[2][3]

Early life and education

Born in 1967 to Alastair Watson-Gandy and Barbara née Mądry, scion of the Watson-Gandy-Brandreth gentry family,[4] he was educated at Dr Challoner's Grammar School before graduating Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Essex.

Watson-Gandy inherited the Scottish Barony of Myrton,[5] but does not use the title professionally.[6]

Career

Watson-Gandy was called to the Bar in 1990 at the Inner Temple and in 2013 to the Eastern Caribbean Bar (British Virgin Islands). He is a member of Three Stone chambers.[7] A visiting professor of the University of Westminster since 1999, he has pioneered its Master of Laws degree in corporate finance law,[8] and is a special lecturer at Cass Business School.[9]

In 2000, Watson-Gandy was appointed by Gareth Williams, Baron Williams of Mostyn as a Junior Counsel to the Crown serving until 2012.[10] In 2010, he was counsel to the Conference of Bishops for the state visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United Kingdom.[11] He then advised Gurkha veterans for the inquiry of the all-party parliamentary group on Gurkha welfare.[12]

In 2013, Watson-Gandy represented Craig Whyte in litigation over the financing of his ill-fated acquisition of Rangers Football Club.[13] He also served as counsel to the court-appointed trustee in litigation leading to the overturning of the UK bankruptcy of Tom McFeely.[14] He was counsel for the court-appointed amicus curiae in litigation over the collapse of the Stanford International Bank in Antigua and of Fairfield Sentry in the British Virgin Islands. He later successfully represented the court-appointed administrators of Cambridge Analytica.[15]

A member of the Home Office Science Advisory Council,[16] beginning in 2019, Watson-Gandy serves as chairman of the Biometrics and Forensic Ethics Group.[3] He is also the former chairman of Mental Health First Aid England[17] and the Pure Cremation Group.[15]

In 2022, the Catholic Herald featured Watson-Gandy in its list of "Catholic Leaders of Today", the UK's 100 most influential lay Roman Catholics.[18]

Publications

Books

Editorships

Watson-Gandy has co-edited Butterworths Corporate Law Service, LexisNexis (Company Law: co-editor since 2008), having previously been assistant editor of the Family Court Reporter, local government editor of Justice of the Peace magazine and editor of Litigation, the legal journal.[1]

Writing and speaking

Watson-Gandy contributes a monthly column to Business Money, the commercial finance magazine.[23] He also writes and speaks regularly in the media on legal matters and business education.

Civic appointments and charitable service

Watson-Gandy's appointments to boards of companies as well as not-for-profit organisations include:

Honours and arms

Invested as Commander of the Most Venerable Order of Saint John (CStJ) in 2020,[28] Watson-Gandy was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2024 New Year Honours for "public and voluntary service".[29]


Coat of arms of Professor Mark Watson-Gandy of Myrton
Adopted
Grant (Heralds' College, England) and matriculated, Lyon Court, Scotland (2005)[36]
Coronet
Chapeau of a Scottish feudal baron
Crest
Upon the Battlements of a Tower Proper a Lamb passant Or holding in its dexter foreleg a Staff also Proper flying therefrom a Pennon Argent charged with a Cross Gules[37]
Escutcheon
Quarterly, 1st and 4th, Per pale Sable and Or five Mascles in cross counterchanged (for BRANDRETH); 2nd, Per pale Argent and Or on a Chevron Azure between in chief a Crescent of the Last between two Martlets Sable and in base a Crescent of the Third a Martlet between two Crescents of the Second (for WATSON); 3rd, Per fess nebuly Gules and Argent in chief two Pairs of Swords in saltire Proper pommel and hilts Or and in base a Saltire couped of the First (for GANDY)
Motto
(Above) Esto quod esse videris (Latin)
Orders
The circlet of the Order of St John surrounding the Shield and suspended beneath the OBE decoration
Other elements
As Master Scrivener, Professor Watson-Gandy could impale the Scriveners' arms (dexter) with those of his family (sinister)[38]

References

  1. ^ a b "Mark WATSON-GANDY OF MYRTON". Debretts. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  2. ^ "Professor becomes chairman for Biometrics and Forensics Ethics Group | Planet Biometrics News". www.planetbiometrics.com. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  3. ^ a b "Biometrics and Forensics Ethics Group announces new chair". GOV.UK. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  4. ^ Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition 2003, Volume 2, page 2848
  5. ^ "Change of Name and/or Arms". www.thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  6. ^ "Burke's Peerage". Burke's Peerage. 1 August 2024. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  7. ^ "Mark Watson-Gandy | Barristers". Three Stone.
  8. ^ "Prof Mark Watson-Gandy - University of Westminster - Academia.edu". westminster.academia.edu.
  9. ^ "Cass Professor nominated for 2009". www.cass.city.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 27 September 2016.
  10. ^ "Attorney General's Civil Panel Counsel: appointments, membership lists and off panel counsel". GOV.UK. 27 September 2023.
  11. ^ "In the City: Edward Fennell". The Times. 28 September 2023.
  12. ^ "LT Col Hamish Adams". Gurkha Welfare Inquiry. Can be seen in the overall list by scrolling down
  13. ^ "Ex-Rangers owner Craig Whyte begins appeal against Ticketus ruling". HeraldScotland. 28 November 2013.
  14. ^ "Developer McFeely bankruptcy overturned following challenge". The Irish Times.
  15. ^ a b "Getting to Know You: Professor Mark Watson-Gandy, founder, KidsMBA". Business Matters. 22 November 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  16. ^ "Professor Mark Watson-Gandy announced as new Chair for Biometrics and Forensics Ethics Group". University of Westminster.
  17. ^ "MHFA England Chair Mark Watson-Gandy writes for Legal Week". MHFA England.
  18. ^ "UK Catholic Leaders of Today 2022". Catholic Herald. 2 November 2022.
  19. ^ "In the City: Addleshaw Goddard bucks a trend". The Times. Archived from the original on 17 May 2015.
  20. ^ Fennell, Edward (28 September 2023). "In the City: happy days are here again — or is that just for the legal profession?". The Times.
  21. ^ a b "Wildy & Sons Ltd — The World's Legal Bookshop Search Results for isbn: '9781858116006'". www.wildy.com.
  22. ^ "Beyond the peradventure | Books | Encyclopedia of law".
  23. ^ "City barrister Professor Mark Watson-Gandy explains about early neutral evaluation". www.business-money.com.
  24. ^ Singh, Rani. "'We Need An MBA For Kids,' Says Advocate". Forbes.
  25. ^ "Professional Conduct". www.bookkeepers.org.uk.
  26. ^ "Simple Contract Law Stripping English Law of Complexity". Hampshire Legal.
  27. ^ "Scriveners Company in London". www.scriveners.org.uk.
  28. ^ www.thegazette.co.uk
  29. ^ "No. 64269". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 2023. p. N13.
  30. ^ "Fra' Andrew Bertie". The Times. 23 April 2025. Retrieved 5 June 2025.
  31. ^ "ACTA APOSTOLICAE SEDIS" (PDF). The Vatican. 3 November 2007. Can be verified on page 54 or by searching "Mark Watson-Gandy"
  32. ^ "The Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St George: investitures of new knights in Britain". Roman Christendom. Shows in third paragraph as someone who, based on the page title, would be receiving knighthood for the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St George
  33. ^ "The Guild of Young Freemen Issue 9" (PDF). The Guild of Young Freemen. On page 18 or search "Mark Watson-Gandy" and verifies he is a freeman of the City of London and "OBE CStJ (past Master, Worshipful Company of Scriveners)
  34. ^ "The Goldsmiths' Review". The Goldsmiths' Review. Verification found on page 41 of the PDF or search for "Mark Watson-Gandy" and is shown under "New Freemen" appointments
  35. ^ "Roll of Masters". The Scriveners Company. Listed on the roll of masters when you scroll down on the page
  36. ^ "Change of Name and/or Arms". www.thegazette.co.uk.
  37. ^ "Armorial familis: a directory of gentlemen of coat-armour". ebooksread.
  38. ^ www.college-of-arms.gov.uk
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