Graham Layton

Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon Graham Layton (18 May 1917 – 7 March 1999) was a British Pakistani Army officer, businessperson, and philanthropist. As a businessman, he co-founded MacDonald Layton Company, one of the most prominent construction companies in Pakistan. The company started as a boat-building business, at West Wharf Yard in Karachi. They soon expanded the business into house building and construction under the name of McDonald, Layton & Company (MLC). He served in India and Burma attached to the Royal Indian Engineers, rising to the rank of Captain & temporary Major. He was appointed a Member of the Military Division of the Order of the British Empire ‘in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Burma and on the Eastern Frontier of India’

He received a mention in despatches ‘in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Burma’ in the London Gazette 27 September 1945.

Subsequently, in the London Gazette of 6 June 1946 he was promoted from Member to Officer of the Military Division of Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Burma.

After the war Layton relinquished his emergency commission in the Royal Engineers as a Lieutenant and substantive Major in the war, and was granted the honorary rank of Lieut.-Colonel.

In 1947 Layton co-founded MacDonald Layton & Company in Karachi, and it became one of the most prominent construction companies in Pakistan.

In 1982, he divested his investment in McDonald Layton & Company and retired to the United Kingdom.

On his death in 1999, Layton left the bulk of his estate for the benefit of the Layton Rahmatulla Benevolent Trust.