Barrie Pettman

Barrie Owen Pettman, Baron of Bombie (22 February 1944 – 2 June 2017) was a British author, publisher, and philanthropist. He was the co-founder and chairman emeritus of Emerald Group Publishing. A professor emeritus at the University of Hull, he was the author of a dozen books on industrial relations. He was president emeritus of Burke's Peerage and a patron of opera in England and New Zealand.

Early life Pettman was born on 22 February 1944. He received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Hull, followed by a Master of Science, a Masters in Business Administration, and a doctorate from the Cass Business School.

Career In 1967, Pettman co-founded Emerald Group Publishing, a publisher of academic journals and books, and served as its chairman. He became a multi-millionaire as a result.

He was a lecturer in industrial relations in the Department of Social Administration of his alma mater, the University of Hull, from 1970 to 1982. As a result, he is one of their top 20 donors as of February 2015.

Philanthropy Pettman endowed a £20,000 fellowship for graduate students from New Zealand at his alma mater, the Cass Business School in London, which lists him and his wife as "major donors".

With his wife, he established in 2010 the Pettman Dare Scholarship at the Dare Foundation, a non-profit organisation which supports Opera Studies at the University of Leeds in collaboration with Opera North. Additionally, they have made charitable gifts to Opera North, the Buxton Festival, and the East Riding of Yorkshire Choir in England. Over that eight-year period Pettman and his wife donated $1.1 million to the Academy, which was split into $4000 scholarships for students. In 2011, they agreed to donate £1 million over the next five years to the Pettman Junior Academy at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand. Two years later, in 2013, the Academy was split from the University of Canterbury at their request. Additionally, they have donated to the Lazarus String Quartet and the 2015 International Akaroa Music Festival.

Personal life Pettman was married to Maureen Pettman, Lady of Bombie.