About John Preston
Lived 1950 – 2017 (aged 66–67). John Preston was a British psychologist and university teacher.
John O'Driscoll Preston (1950–2017) was a British music industry executive.
Early life John O'Driscoll Preston was born in Nottingham, the son of Major Ian Preston, a Royal Artillery officer who later worked for an Edinburgh brewery, and an actress mother who insisted on using her unusual middle name, Michael Preston (née Cochrane).
In 1984, he was managing director of Polydor Records UK.
Preston worked with musicians including Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart, M People and Take That. Music industry people he gave early career opportunities to include Simon Cowell, Hugh Goldsmith, David Joseph, Jeremy Marsh and Korda Marshall, and he was the first chairman of a record company to promote two women to the level of label managing director, Lisa Anderson at RCA, and Diana Graham at Arista.
Personal life Preston was married to Roz.
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Important facts
People in John Preston's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Related people
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Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped John Preston's
Frequently asked questions
Who was John Preston?
British music industry executive
When was John Preston born?
John Preston was born on 13 July 1950 in Nottingham.
When did John Preston die?
John Preston died in 2017.
What was John Preston's occupation?
John Preston was a psychologist and university teacher.
What nationality was John Preston?
John Preston was British.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: John Preston (music executive)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John Preston. https://biography.guide/john-preston-psychologist/
MLA: "John Preston." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-preston-psychologist/.
Chicago: "John Preston." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-preston-psychologist/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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