Quick Facts
Biography
:For a list of other people with similar names, see Bill Gates
William Thomas George Gates CBE, 21 January 1908 – 23 November 1990 was a banker and expert on Africa.
Education: Ilford County High School, university of London.
Career
He began work with the National Bank of New Zealand at their London office, 1925-30.
He then moved to John Holt & Co. (Liverpool) Ltd, where he worked until his retirement in 1967. He was resident in Nigeria, 1930–46 and their General Manager there from 1940. He became their Managing Director in 1956 and their Deputy Chairman in 1964. He was also a director of the West African Airways Corporation, 1941-6.
Other posts held
- District Scout Commissioner, Northern Nigeria, 1940-2.
- Member, Liverpool District Committee, Royal National Lifeboat Institution, 1956–73
- Member, Board of Governors, United Liverpool Hospitals, 1958-70.
- Chairman, West Africa Committee (now the West Africa Business Association [1]), 1961-76.
- General Commissioner of Income Tax, 1967-73.
- Chairman, Royal African Society, 1975–77; Vice-President, 1978-87 (see Royal African Society).
He was awarded the CBE in 1967.
Keen on cricket and golf, he was a member of the MCC and the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake. He was also an enthusiastic angler and gardener.