Sydney Lipworth

Sir Maurice Sydney Lipworth KC (Hon) (13 May 1931 – 27 June 2025) was a South African lawyer, businessman, public servant and philanthropist.

Life and career Lipworth was born in Johannesburg, South Africa on 13 May 1931, and was educated at King Edward VII School, Johannesburg.

Lipworth was a co-founder of Hambro Life Assurance with Sir Mark Weinberg and Lord Joffe in the UK (subsequently called Allied Dunbar Assurance and now Zurich Financial Services) (1971–1988).

From 1988 to 1993, he served as Chairman of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in the UK (now the Competition Commission). He subsequently served as Chairman of Zeneca plc (now AstraZeneca plc) and Deputy Chairman of National Westminster Bank plc. He also served as Chairman of the Financial Reporting Council and founding Trustee of the International Accounting Standards Committee Foundation (until 2005).

He was also President of the Philharmonia Orchestra Trust, as well as holding several other directorships and charitable appointments involved with the arts.

Lipworth was knighted in 1991. He was called to the London Bar, appointed QC (hc) (1993) and was a Bencher, Inner Temple. He was a member of the Chambers at One Essex Court. He was awarded an honorary LL.D from the University of the Witwatersrand in 2003.

Lipworth died on 27 June 2025, at the age of 94.