The Last Change

By Mike Upton

Once again Sir Mark Watson, businessman and womanizer, is the primary character of this latest novel and the fourth in the series featuring him and his complex business and private life as he embarks on yet another major change of career direction, replacing the responsibilities of being chairman of several businesses, with the challenge of buying a number of companies that he will personally own.

Wheeling and dealing to make the acquisitions in spite of many pitfalls and challenges, he gradually begins to acquire a diverse range of companies while, at the same time, managing his convoluted love life, with affairs aplenty, as well as dealing with a personal health issue.

But following his divorce and now having passed sixty, he is becoming disenchanted with his convoluted single lifestyle and yearns for the comfort and satisfaction of married life again.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Sep 18, 2013
• ISBN: 9781491877449

Mike Upton

MIKE UPTON is a retired businessman who for many years worked extensively in industry as Managing Director or Chief executive running several companies in Britain and America. This, his second novel (like his first AMBITIONS END) is a work of fiction, but it again draws from his extensive knowledge of business and large multi-national corporations and their involvement and approach to selling off parts of their business, or acquiring competitors. Living in Norfolk he has been married to Brenda for 42 years and has tw daughters and one granddaughter.

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© 2013 Mike Upton. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 09/12/2013

ISBN: 978-1-4918-7743-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-7757-9 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-7744-9 (e)

CONTENTS

The Cast Of Characters

Foreword

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

References

Ambitions End©

Winners Never Lose©

Arrow Of Truth©

The Boss©

A Twist In The Tale©

Footprints In The Snow©

Vortex Rising©

Open To Persuasion©

The Last Change is dedicated to several people:-

46757.png As usual to my wife Brenda, my daughters Catherine and Victoria and my granddaughter Holly

46760.png To Sarah my delightful former pa who continues to help me when needed and whose sense of humour never fails to make me smile

46762.png All my friends continue to encourage me to go on writing

46764.png The entire team from AuthorHouse for their willing support, cheerful and efficient help in creating this book from my manuscript

46766.png And most importantly to all my readers. I hope you enjoy The Last Change.

MIKE UPTON.

THE CAST OF CHARACTERS

==========

Key:   CE   = Chief Executive

         MD   = Managing Director

         SD   = Sales Director

         FD   = Finance Director

FOREWORD

Sir Mark Watson, the lead character of this story having extracted himself from his foray into high powered politics detailed in Vortex Rising, returns solely to the world of Big Business where he is once again fully re-ensconced in surroundings and events with which he is most comfortable.

However now that he is approaching sixty years of age he finds himself increasingly dissatisfied with constantly pandering to the demands and wishes of Shareholders, Banks, Venture Capital Groups and other Financial Institutions. In spite of the excellent performance and financial results which he generates, their continual demands for even better monetary returns from the businesses of which he is Chairman increasingly grate upon him and become tiresome. So he begins to consider an alternative work environment. One that will continue to provide him with the business challenges on which he thrives, yet enable him to get away from their grasping requests for improved performance that dog his every working day.

However he recognises that the very success that he has achieved throughout his career is fuelling those unremitting calls upon him for even greater financial achievements, and so a plan forms in his mind to move away from this scenario and into a new business role.

In this new story we see how this change of belief in what he wants from business unfolds for him, while at the same time in his personal life he continues to enjoy affairs with various women while also becoming increasingly disappointed that he is single following the break-up of his marriage.

A complex and conflicting series of emotions and challenges runs throughout the story as Sir Mark Watson tries to balance the clashes between his business and personal lives, while looking for private fulfilment enabling him to come to terms with the challenges of his new business ventures as well as the tangled complex relationships which permeate every single facet of his life to which some personal problems related to his increasing age add further complexity.

It is not the strongest of the species that survives

nor the most intelligent.

It is the one that is most adaptable to change.

Charles Darwin.

CHAPTER 1

March 2016

Mark woke early as he usually did during the week. He was convinced that his body clock was geared to waking at six o’clock every weekday morning and even though he always set the alarm function on his Blackberry smart phone to be certain he didn’t oversleep, most days he woke and switched it off before it activated.

Turning to look at the pretty face of the young woman next to him who was still asleep and pondering whether to wake her now to instigate sex, his mind went back to the time when they’d first met.

It had been a few months ago at Louigi’s restaurant which was Mark’s favourite place to eat in London. He’d been going there for years and was close personal friends with the proprietor old man Louigi himself who only occasionally came into the restaurant as nowadays he mainly left it to his son to run the establishment.

But after the excitement of that day following the King’s announcement at The State Opening of Parliament of his fundamental disagreement with proposed Government policy and the subsequent media uproar ³ Mark had been looking forward to a quiet evening alone in his apartment with Alexandra with whom he’d been having a passionate affair for about a year. She practically lived with him and had been considering giving up her own apartment and moving in permanently when unfortunately she’d discovered that he’d been simultaneously having an affair with her younger sister. The resulting row had been short but extremely heated and Alex had vociferously dumped Mark for his treachery and stormed out of his life.

Thus alone in his swish apartment that night he’d decided to go to Louigi’s to cheer himself up. It was a night when the old man was there but while Mark was eating alone and contemplating Alex’s stormy departure together with the stupidity of her younger sister Lucy in blabbing to Alex about her and Mark’s clandestine sexual antics; a short sharp row erupted between a couple at another table following which the man stormed out leaving an attractive young woman in her early thirties alone.

As she glanced around the restaurant following the departure of her companion Mark had caught her eye, raised his glass in a silent toast to her, smiled and walked across to her table and was pleased when she introduced herself as Henrietta Symington and invited him to join her. He did and during the rest of the evening they chatted, got on well and found each other easy to talk to. She was pretty, had dark blonde hair with some lighter highlights, a low cut dress top showing plenty of cleavage, nice teeth and what he decided were extremely kissable lips. When they’d finished their coffee the two stopped talking and looked at each other.

‘Well that’s been a lovely evening’ she’d said with a smile. ‘Shame it’s over’.

‘Doesn’t have to be? In fact I can think of several things to prolong the enjoyment of the evening’.

‘Can you now?’ she’d replied raising a eyebrow and letting her eyes roam around his face.

‘I certainly can. But the question is whether we indulge ourselves at my apartment which is near Regents Park or… .’ he’d paused and looked intently into her unusually bright green eyes.

‘Or?’

‘Or whether you might feel more comfortable if we went to where you live?’

‘That might be miles away’.

‘It might but earlier on you told me it was only a short taxi ride to here so I guess you haven’t travelled far’.

‘How very perspicacious of you, but you’re right. I live in Chelsea Harbour. Not far from here. Walking distance actually but I prefer not to risk it at night’.

‘So which is it to be? Regents Park or Chelsea Harbour?’

‘Who said it would be either?’

‘Just me continuing to be perspicacious!’ he’d chuckled.

‘Clever clogs! But it is getting quite late and as my place is nearer than yours seems a pity to waste time travelling doesn’t it. After all while we’re in a taxi battling through London’s late night traffic all the way to Regents Park we could be, err what was it you said? Ah yes… . enjoying several ways of prolonging the enjoyment of the evening’.

‘Indeed!’

‘Let’s go then. But first how much do I owe you?’ she’d asked when he signalled for the bill.

‘Nothing. Have it on me’.

‘Are you sure?’

‘Absolutely’.

‘Thank you. Now I feel in your debt!’ she’d chuckled as the two of them walked out to the taxi which the elderly restaurateur had summoned for them.

After giving the driver her address she’d snuggled into Mark on the taxi’s back seat and they’d hardly started on the journey before she twisted his head round towards her and kissed him hard. Her tongue pushed his teeth apart and her hand ran up his thigh to rest on his crutch. Easing away she’d smiled at him.

‘You are going to stay the night with me aren’t you?’ she’d whispered as she eased his zip down a little and her forefinger probed inside.

‘I’d love to but in the mornings I am a very early starter so I’ll want to be away early’.

‘Oh I don’t do early mornings!’ she’d grumbled quietly removing her hand.

‘But given sufficient incentive I might be persuaded to lie in for a while’.

‘Well now what can I offer that might tempt you to stay in bed with me? How about when you wake up I give you a really slow and incredibly sexy blow job? Men tell me I’m really good at that!’

Dressed she was smart. Naked she was attractive. In bed she was innovative, at times sensuously passionate; at others wild and noisily multi-orgasmic sometimes bordering on insatiable and he needed to summon hidden reserves of strength to satisfy her seemingly unending demands to keep going, but eventually after his second climax she too had shuddered to a halt whispering ‘Thank you. I am so glad I brought you back here tonight’.

‘Me too’ he’d agreed peeling off the condom.

Reaching for it she held it up to study the contents, grinned and said ‘That’s quite a lot for your second output! I do like a man who can come several times. One time recently Patrick, he was the tosser in the restaurant earlier by the way, managed to ejaculate six times during an afternoon and evening session we had but the last time there was only the teeniest little dribble in the rubber. I laid all six out on the bedside table to compare’ she giggled sliding down to rest her face next to his now deflating penis as she knotted the rubber and dropped it on the floor. Mark watched as her tongue flicked out and slowly licked him. ‘I bet lots of women have told you what a beauty this is haven’t they?’

‘Some’ he’d admitted.

‘So do you want to go to sleep now, listen to some music, smoke something, have a drink, screw me again? You choose. You’re my guest’.

‘I don’t smoke cigarettes and by something I assume you mean dope? Well definitely no to that. One of the things that I do is work with a charity that helps young people who’ve had their lives ruined by drink or drugs, and smoking dope is often the way they’ve started on the slippery slope. If you’ve any sense you’ll stop it before it’s too late’.

She’d stared at him and shrugged.

‘You can shrug if you like but believe me you are putting yourself at risk’.

‘Inviting a strange man back to my apartment and shagging him after having just met him for the first time is a risk’.

‘Yes it is, but to some extent you can control that. Drugs you can’t because they will eventually take control of you. You are driven by them not the other way round’. He’d paused. ‘Right end of lecture. Now what other choices were there? A drink? Yes vodka if you have it? Music? Yes as long as it isn’t heavy metal or frantic rock? Screw you again? I think two is enough for an old man like me especially if you want to play again in the morning’.

She’d rolled out of bed and wandered over to a walk in wardrobe, found a bright red tee shirt which she pulled on, delved in again and brought out a white bath robe which she threw at him, then holding out her hand waited until he’d put it on.

‘Come on let’s get a drink and find some music you like. In fact you go and rummage for something you’d like to listen to and I’ll sort the drinks. What do you want with your vodka? Tonic? Red Bull? Ginger ale?’

‘Ice and a little sparkling water. No lemon’.

‘That all?’

‘Please’.

‘Righty-ho’ and she’d disappeared quickly returning with a full glass which she handed to him and a glass of red wine which she put on a table. ‘Shan’t be a moment. I just need the bathroom’.

‘Hurry back. I might get lonely’ he called as she walked away.

‘Come and watch if you like I’m not shy’.

‘I bet you’re not but no thanks. Do what you need to while I choose some music’.

He’d chosen some jazz from her extensive collection of cd’s and had just pushed a CD into the slot on the audio unit when she returned.

‘That’s better’ she’d announced cheerfully picking up the glass of red wine and dropping down onto the settee had invited him to join her. When he did she’d curled up alongside him as the music started to fill the room.

‘Hey that’s a great sound system you’ve got’.

‘Bloody should be. Cost Daddy loads of money. Two or three thousand I believe. There are speakers all round the room and if I flick some switches I can direct the music into other rooms including the bedroom. Hey do you like classical music?’

‘Yes as long as it’s not too heavy’.

‘Have you ever fucked to Beethoven’s eighteen twelve symphony?’

‘No never’ he laughed ‘mainly because Beethoven didn’t write it. Tchaikovsky did!’

‘Know all’ she pouted sticking her tongue out at him. ‘Well irrespective of who wrote it you know the end part when all the cannons go off?’

‘Yes’.

‘If you time it right then fucking so that the man and I come together and in time with that final part is absolutely mind blowing. Bit tricky to get the timing right, but worth it. Needs practicing’.

‘I’ll take your word for it’ he’d laughed.

‘Yeah well maybe we’ll try that some time?’ and twisting to look at him she’d kissed his lips. ‘Thanks for tonight. I needed something to take my mind off that stupid pratt Patrick. I don’t know what I ever saw in him’.

‘Have you been together long?’

‘Ages. Three… . no wait… . it must be four months at least’.

‘Four months? You call that long?’

‘It is for me. I don’t do long relationships. I do lots of one offs like tonight. I like to have a shag mate relationship with men’.

‘Shag mate?’

‘‘Umm where we’re mates, meet up for a shag from time to time. Perhaps if neither of us has anything fixed for a particular night. Bored, wanting a shag so that’s where a shag mate is the perfect solution’.

‘Ever thought of settling down?’

‘God no! Free and unencumbered that’s me. But what about you? You said in the restaurant that you were divorced but in a relationship until earlier today. What went wrong?’

‘Alex my girlfriend found out I’d slept with her younger sister Lucy a couple of times’.

‘Oh whoops! How did she find out? Catch the two of you at it?’

‘No actually Lucy told her in a fit of pique’.

‘Why?’

‘Because I’d told Lucy it was all over with us and that my sleeping with her had been a mistake and wasn’t going to continue. She got very upset and shortly afterwards grassed me up to her sister’.

‘What on earth for?’

‘I think she hoped that Alex would dump me and leave the coast clear for her. Well she got one bit right’ he smiled ruefully. ‘Alex chucked me alright. In fact she had something like a nuclear explosion about it and stormed out’.

‘So Lucy’s little plan didn’t work out then?’

‘No. I lost Alex but as I’ve no intention of shacking up with Lucy she lost out on her plan to get me. So we’re both losers, all through her stupidity!’

‘Was it serious with you and Alexandra?’

‘Actually it was. In fact the night she walked out she told me that she’d been thinking of selling up her flat and moving in with me lock stock and barrel. Even dreaming one day that we might get married. Have kids. Settle down together’.

‘Ooh that does sound as though she was serious. Is it salvageable?’

‘Doubt it’.

‘Shame. Still it means that you’re available to other women. Like me!’

‘Guess so’.

‘So what do you do work wise?’

‘Business. I am Chairman of several companies and a Director of a couple of charities including the drink and drug one I spoke about earlier. And you? How do you earn your living?’

‘Well luckily I come from a rich family. Daddy’s simply loaded. He bought me this apartment and furnished it and everything. I actually work in PR but I’ve also done some modelling’.

‘What sort of PR?’

‘That’s interesting that you should ask about that first and not the modelling. Most men can’t wait to ask me about that’.

‘Ah well I’m different. You can tell me about your modelling activity in a little while if you like but for now I’m interested in your PR work’.

‘Oh that’s pretty boring really. It’s a small firm called Rabbit PR. They’re based in Hammersmith, West London’.

‘And what do you do there?’

‘Client liaison. You know being nice to clients, acting as a link between them and the agency’.

‘Don’t you enjoy it? You said it was boring’.

‘Oh it’s alright some of the time but quite a bit is boring stuff. It depends on the clients’.

‘All business is a mixture of boring and routine on the one hand, and exciting and challenging on the other’.

‘I think we’ve got a bit more on the boring side than the exciting stuff. That’s why I like the modelling ‘cos that is interesting and exciting’.

‘I imagine it is. So would I have seen you in magazines or newspapers?’

‘You might. Depends on what sort of magazines you read?’ she grinned and with a smile unwound herself from the settee and went to the other side of the room. Opening a cupboard she extracted a pile of well known women’s magazines many of which had little stickers marking certain pages. ‘Here’ and she’d held several out to him. He paged through and complimented her as she did look attractive in the pictures where most showed her modelling various clothes or underwear outfits with a sultry kind of expression.

‘All very tasteful, nothing mucky’ she’d grinned.

‘Lovely. You photograph well’.

‘Thanks’. Then with a smile she said slowly ‘I’ve also done some other more risqué stuff. Wanna see?’

‘If you’d like to show me’ he grinned.

‘Ok’. Getting up she’d replaced the magazines in the cupboard then opening a different drawer pulled out some other publications which he could see as she came across to him were typical top shelf girlie magazines. ‘Here you are’. She pointed out where she appeared and in all the pictures she was nude or virtually nude but they were tastefully done with lots of soft focus shots. There was nothing overtly pornographic in any of them. ‘You have a lovely body’ he’d said handing the magazines back to her.

‘Thank you’. Replacing them in the drawer she’d looked at him and with a cheeky expression said ‘I’ve also done some other more naughty picture sessions and handing him a couple of smaller magazines grinned ‘Go on have a leer!’. There were markers indicating where she appeared in the magazines and he saw she was completely nude and disporting several different open leg close up pussy shots.

Glancing quickly at the pictures he’d commented. ‘Delightful’.

‘You didn’t spend much time looking at them. Most guys would have their eyeballs popping out and be getting a hard on’ she’d stated opening the front of his robe. ‘Not you though. Mind you this has been in action tonight already hasn’t it?’ and leaning forward she’d dropped a kiss onto his flaccid prick. ‘Like a close up of the real thing?’ and so saying she’d sat onto his lap facing him, then leaned right back legs apart so that her shoulders were on the floor exposing her open crutch to his gaze. ‘Help yourself. Feel free to play’.

He kissed his finger and placed it on her exceptionally pronounced clitoris. ‘You’ll hurt your back stretched like that. Come up here again’.

With a tinkling laugh she stood and holding out her hand asked ‘Give me my naughty mags back’.

When she’d returned them to the drawer she’d trotted back across the room and jumped onto the settee next to him.

‘Do you still do porno pictures?’

‘No I did it when I first started in London but I don’t anymore. Just the glamour shots like I first showed you plus occasional undies stuff but no more porno. Mind you it pays well so if I ever run short of cash I can always go back to it’ she’d giggled.

They’d stayed cuddled together for a while until she’d started yawning and looking at his watch he’d suggested bed. She’d nodded and once they were back in her extremely large and very comfortable bed gave another huge yawn but smiling asked ‘Sleep or another fuck?’

‘Sleep… . until I get that morning blow job that you promised’.

‘Okay. Night night’.

Now this morning some months later as he watched her sleeping, whether he moved or nudged her he didn’t know but suddenly his mental reminiscing stopped as she opened her eyes, smiled, said ‘Hello there’ and stretched up to pop a little kiss on his lips.

‘Morning’ he replied with a smile as he brushed her hair off her face and kissed her more deeply.

‘Umm nice’ she muttered. ‘Fuck? Or one of my blow job morning specials first?’ and peeling the duvet off him she wriggled down, took hold of his morning hard on and looked up at him. ‘Well?’

‘Guess’ he chuckled turning so he was flat on his back and his hands stroked her hair.

‘Okay’ and moments later her lips had engulfed him. She was skilled at oral loving and he enjoyed her ministrations until warning her that he was getting towards his climax she produced a condom from somewhere, rolled it down his length and quickly re-swallowed him. When he exploded inside the rubber he enjoyed hearing her making ‘Mmmmm’ sounds as she used her hands as well as her mouth to pump him out. Releasing him she gave a final squeeze and said ‘There I think that’s you all finished’.

‘Thanks you certainly know how to do that’.

‘Glad you enjoyed it. Now you just lie there until you’re ready to fuck me?’

One of the things he liked about young women in general these days was their upfront approach to sex and Henrietta was no exception.

‘No you’re very sweet but not now. Work calls’ and as he swung his legs out of bed she leant back against the headboard and began touching her nipples.

‘They’re going hard’ she called softly. ‘Have you really got to go to work?’

‘Yes I do I’m afraid’.

‘Not even got time for a quickie before you go?’ Sliding down to lie flat on her back she took her fingers from her nipples and started playing with her pussy. Holding her fingers out towards him she giggled ‘Look all ready wet. You sure I can’t tempt you?’

‘No my sweet I am going to get dressed and go but it has been a wonderful time. Thank you’.

‘Yeah it was great. Do it again soon?’

‘For sure!’

When he’d showered and dressed she was still lying naked on her bed so he popped a quick kiss on her lips, muttered ‘Bye’ and moved towards the door.

Once there she called his name and as he turned towards her she twisted round, swung her legs into the air and gripping her ankles spread her legs wide apart completely exposing herself to him in a classic porno pose. Peering through her legs and with a coquettish expression she crooked a finger to beckon him. ‘Sure you don’t want a quickie?’

‘No but thanks for the offer’.

‘Boring man! I’m still really horny so I’m going to bring myself off!’ she muttered lowering her legs. Reaching into the bedside table she extracted a large purple vibrator. Cooing ‘Hello baby’ she ran her tongue along it. ‘Wanna stay and watch Mark… . or help?’

‘Bye Henrietta. Enjoy yourself’.

Switching it on and holding the buzzing device close to her pussy she chuckled ‘I’m going to. Ring me sometime shag mate and don’t leave it too long. Sliding the gadget inside herself she gave a deep sigh. ‘Oh that is so-oo-oo good’.

Even with this morning’s bedroom activity with Henrietta he was still in his London office by eight forty five where Pam his secretary made an obvious point of looking at her watch as he passed her desk on the way into his own room.

‘Yes I know’ he grinned adding ‘busy night’.

‘And you’ve got a busy morning’ she reminded him with a piercing look ‘but your first meeting isn’t until nine thirty. I’ll bring you some coffee’.

‘Thanks’. Sitting down at his desk he immediately put Henrietta completely out of his mind as he considered his coming day’s activities.

Firing up his computer he started ploughing through his e-mails. Almost every time he used e-mail he remembered Lord Fotheringham, Alex and Lucy’s elderly father describing e-mail as one of the Devil’s inventions!

‘Seeing this lot he was right!’ he muttered deleting several junk items.

However thinking of the old Lord painfully brought to mind his daughter Alexandra of whom Mark had become really very fond during the twelve months that their affair had lasted but because of Lucy’s stupidity then it was highly unlikely that he and Alex would get together again. He remembered the vitriolic e-mail she’d sent him the day after the affair ended which for some odd reason he’d saved. Calling it back to the screen he re-read her bitter terse message.

I intend coming to your apartment next Monday afternoon to collect my things. Don’t be there as I definitely DO NOT want to see you under ANY circumstances!.

He’d replied with just a short message.

Ok understood—but I’m ready to talk if/when you might like to do so to see if we can work things out again.

It had been during that same afternoon that he picked up the two word response from her on his Blackberry which he hadn’t saved, but he remembered it well. It had been in capitals showing the depth of her feelings.

NEVER! EVER!!

And that was the last communication of any sort he’d had with her. Since then silence. Not a phone call. Not a text. Not an e-mail. Not a letter. Nothing.

Later that night after what had turned out to be a busy day he returned alone to his apartment where he stripped off, showered, dressed in casual clothes, rummaged in the freezer among the ready meals that his cleaner kept stocked up for him, found a prawn curry and while it was cooking in the microwave poured himself a glass of white wine.

As he ate he thought over his day’s activities before his mind flicked back to Henrietta and grinning he recalled her lying on her bed, legs in the air, wide apart.

After he’d eaten he did some more work until yawning he checked the time, saw it was almost midnight and went to bed.

CHAPTER 2

Next morning he was clearing his mind to focus on his first meeting of the day which was with the head of one of the two charities for which he was a Non-Executive Director. This one helped homeless youngsters get off the streets and into some sort of accommodation. It was closely correlated to the other charity of which he was also a Non-Executive Director which focussed on young people with drink and drug problems.

The connection between the two was that many of the homeless youngsters on the street were there because of drink or drug problems; or if they weren’t when they first went on the street they soon developed drink or drug habits. Conversely the drink and drug charity realised that many of the people it was trying to help, finished up living on the streets and so it was a kind of vicious circle in which the two charities operated. Homelessness often led to drink and drug issues. Drink and drug problems frequently led to homelessness.

On several occasions he’d suggested that the two charities should merge into one but although the people who worked for each of them were extremely dedicated in trying to help the unfortunate individuals that they worked with, unfortunately they were fiercely protective of their own particular charity’s aims and ideals and were unable to see the benefits of merging with each other.

Mark had originally been brought in a few years ago by the banks to sort out the finances of both charities which were then in a parlous state, primarily because the small teams running them were focussed on helping youngsters with problems and were not business orientated people managing the finances. Within a few months he’d changed their fund raising approach, tapped into his contacts and obtained several donations large and small, forced the two organisations to run differently and manage their money effectively and this approach had revolutionised their operation.

That position continued for some years but as the economic squeeze continued for much longer than anyone had originally envisaged, one after another organisations giving money to charities firstly reduced and then many completely stopped their donations. A few continued donating, but the level was insufficient to support these two small largely unknown charities. As a result both were now critically short of money and Mark felt that this might be the one chance he had of forcing through a merger.

However in spite of the economic squeeze and the two charities lack of fashionability, he had managed to arm twist some significant sums of money to pass on, however he had assured the people that he’d persuaded to stump up the money that costs would be cut by merging the two organisations and it was only on that basis that the money had been pledged.

He’d also talked at senior level with Royal International Bank which held the accounts of both charities and pointed out the benefits of a merger, the costs that would be saved and the improvement in operational efficiency through cutting out duplication especially at street level where the people from both charities actually interacted with the unfortunates on the street.

The bank reacted positively to the idea and pledged their support to Mark’s efforts to persuade the people at the top of each charity to merge, but also were prepared to stump up a donation of fifty thousand pounds but only on the condition that the two organisations merged.

Today Mark was seeing Reggie Proctor who headed the homeless youngster’s charity, Help For Homeless Young People (HFHYP). He had proved the most incalcitrant of the two charity heads but having a trump card up his sleeve, because as well as the Bank’s emotional and financial support, looking at the forward cash flow projections of the charity he knew that it was unsustainable and that neither charity could last more then another four or five weeks at the most before they ran out of money.

In conjunction with Mark the Bank had refused to extend the overdrafts but had also demanded that seventy percent was repaid immediately. If that couldn’t be done then they would force the charities into bankruptcy.

It was a risky strategy as with all the bad publicity that banks in general had received over the past few years, Royal International Bank in particular had received a great deal of bad press over the high salaries and enormous bonuses that it’s Chief Executive and other members of the Board of Directors received, as well as its apparent incalcitrant attitude towards lending to small businesses. Therefore if it became known that it had forced two charities into bankruptcy the adverse publicity would be immense. Thus although they’d agreed the plan with Mark there were a couple of nervous directors at Royal International that morning.

‘Reggie hello’ beamed Mark as Pam showed the Charity Head into his office. ‘Come and sit down. Coffee?’

The two men small talked for a little while until Mark put down his cup and looking directly into Reggie’s eyes spoke quietly but with great presence.

‘I have been spending time with Royal International Bank recently and they are not happy bunnies. So much so that sadly I have to advise you that they want the bulk of the overdraft paid back… . ‘

‘What? We can’t do that. We’re in dire straits financially as you know Mark. We need an increase to the overdraft not some bloody bank telling us to pay most of it back!’

‘That isn’t going to happen’.

‘Why?’

‘They don’t believe that there is a future for a small unfashionable and relatively unknown charity like yours and therefore they don’t want to be financially beholden to you’.

The other man exhaled deeply. ‘God whatever can we do? I mean a few years ago when you joined us as a Non-Exec Director in no time at all you’d sorted us out financially, got plenty of money coming in and put us on a sound footing’.

‘Yes I did but you know as well as I do that over the past two years access to funds for a small charity like yours has become more difficult’.

‘So what do we do?’

‘I know you won’t like what I’m going to say but it will come as no surprise when I tell you again to give up soldiering along on your own and merge with YPDDH which is the other charity I work with. Young Peoples Drink and Drug Help’.

‘You’re dead right. I don’t like the idea. I don’t like it at all. I don’t think they’re in any more stronger financial position that we are. Like us they’ve got a bloody overdraft hanging round their neck; they’re short of staff to fulfil what they’ve been trying to do on the streets; Henry their Chief Executive is making himself ill with the strain and worry. Surely we’d just be joining up with a basket case’. He paused and smiled ruefully ‘Another basket case!’

‘Actually I don’t think you would. Together you’d be a stronger charity and much more attractive to investors. Look what’s important to you and indeed to YPDDH is helping youngsters with problems. I believe that you should forget your idea of wanting to remain independent and focus on what’s best for the kids that you both help. YPDDH would be more than willing to merge with you. In fact they’d welcome it as they can see the synergy benefits, avoidance of duplication and improved ability to help kids on the street’.

‘But how would we go about it?’

‘Easy. I’ve probably done more mergers than you’ve had hot dinners’ smiled Mark reassuringly. ‘I’ll make it happen for you’.

‘But what about our staff and those at YPDDH? Wouldn’t many be redundant?’

‘Sadly some would have to go. Putting the two charities together means that we can cut costs. One head office, one Chief Executive, one small team so it’s in those areas that job losses will happen but for the workers on the street actually interfacing with the kids then I see them as all being retained until their numbers settle down. After all if you look at those street face to face workers there is quite a turnover. Some of course have been doing it for ages, but quite a few only stick it for a few months. Well that’s fine as when they leave we won’t replace them and we’ll soon have the numbers down to what we want with no pain, no-one being fired and no-one being made redundant’.

I don’t know Mark. It all sounds so simple’.

‘That’s because it is!’

‘What would the new charity be called?’

‘Well you could decide that with Henry but I thought something like LTH, Lost Teens Help, or Help For Lost Teens maybe. I don’t mind. My concern is to get you two charities out of your present financial bind and onto a sound footing so the new combined operation can focus its efforts on helping teenagers, not spending time worrying about where the next penny is coming from’.

Deciding it was now time to play his two trump cards he went on ‘I have over sixty thousand pounds sitting in a bank account which is destined for the two charities when they are merged’.

‘Where have you got that?’ Reggie gasped.

‘Donations that I’ve arm twisted from various benefactors, companies and other contacts that I have. But that’s not all. I’ve also got a commitment from Royal International Bank themselves that they’ll chuck a further fifty thousand into the pot providing we give them some publicity for doing so. But both of those sums of money are solely dependent on the two charities merging’.

‘One hundred and ten thousand? That’s unbelievable!’

‘Believe it. And there’s another thing’.

‘What?’

‘I want you to be the Chief Executive of the combined new charity’.

‘Me? But what about Henry?’

‘He wants to put his feet up. Semi-retire. As you know he retired early from industry to take up the YPDDH position and he’s done a great job there for the past five years, but he’s sixty seven years old and feels it’s time he started to take things easy. He’s got the offer of helping with a small local charity near his home in Canterbury two days a week and he’d like to do that.

So that’s one redundancy that doesn’t need to happen. You’ll be Chief Executive and together you and I will pare down the combined office teams. After all there’s only three in your outfit and four in YPDDH so we aren’t talking about masses of people being thrown out of work are we? My view is that you need a total of just four people maximum to support you’.

‘So three will have to go?’

‘Yes but you know in the way that these things work out I bet at least a couple of them will snap your hand off for the redundancy package so that just leaves one to sort out and I understand that old Beatrice in YPDDH would like to retire, so that’s that sorted’.

‘I suppose so’ responded Reggie in an uncertain tone of voice.

‘Look I know about these things. Trust me it’ll be alright’.

‘And I’d be Chief Executive?’ he asked with his eyes starting to sparkle.

‘Yes’.

It was at that point Mark knew he’d got his man hooked and that the merger would now go ahead. The combination of substantial funds being available and the lure of the top job, plus Mark’s offer of help in sorting out the people problems were all leading Reggie to agreeing with the planned merger. ‘And there’s one other thing’ Mark added.

‘What’s that?’

‘It’ll be rewarding again. No more worrying about whether you’ve got enough money in the bank to pay the wages at the end of each week. No more having the bank breathing down your neck. No more fears that you’d have to curtail your activities. No more worries that it was all going to go bang leaving the street kids alone and unhelped. So what do you say?’

There was a pause as a big grin spread across the charity man’s face. ‘I say yes Mark. Yes and thank you’.

‘One other thing. Your office here in Swiss Cottage, even though it’s the grotty part of Swiss Cottage is too expensive. It’s also on a short lease with a two month break clause. Henry’s office in Kilburn is not only much cheaper, it has more room but it’s on a five year non breakable lease. So we’ll close here and shift everything into Kilburn’.

‘Kilburn?’

‘Yep it’s not too far away so your staff here can easily switch to working there. No problem for them just a different journey into work each day’.

‘Right’.

‘Good well that’s sorted then isn’t it. Now here is my plan of how, when and what we’ll do’ and reaching into a desk drawer he handed over a folder. ‘Take that away, read it and then get on and implement it. You’ll find everything that you need is in there. Timings, draft announcements, new structures, briefing notes to office staff at both organisations and for the street workers, letters to the bank, public announcements, suggested notification to your landlord. Everything!’

Picking up the folder, Reggie glanced through a few pages before nodding and saying quietly ‘Again thank you’.

‘My pleasure. Remember the important thing is those kids out there’ and Mark waved his hand vaguely at the window ‘they’re what matters. You need to focus your thoughts on them. Implement the changes and get on with helping those unfortunates on the street. I’ll ring the bank and let them know that the merger is agreed. You ring Henry and get on with organising the detail’.

‘I will’ and with that Reggie Proctor stood up, squared his shoulders, took a deep breath and smiling shook Mark’s hand.

When he was alone again, Pam brought him in a fresh cup of coffee, handed him a pile of post and correspondence, took notes of some of the things he wanted done and then left him alone to contact the businesses of which he was Chairman.

He rang each of them and not only spoke to the heads of the various organisations but also to senior members of the management teams such as Finance Directors, Sales and Marketing Directors, Operations Directors and each person to whom he spoke found themselves as they always were when he rang them challenged, questioned, cajoled, complimented, motivated and stimulated by the discussions with their Chairman.

But as he conducted his business discussions once again he became aware of feelings of personal dissatisfaction. Not with the performance of the companies of which he was Chairman but with his own role in them.

Having decided a few years ago that he didn’t want to go on being a Chief Executive or Managing Director of any one specific company and that what he really wanted to do was utilise his expertise in a range of businesses, he’d approached Banks, Venture Capital Companies and others in the City of London, New York and elsewhere to explain that he wanted to become Chairman of a range of different businesses where he’d enjoy bringing his skills and expertise to a variety of companies.

As Chairman he’d be taking more of a back seat from the day to day running of the business but fully involved in the strategy, future direction, funding, expansion and development, investment and expenditure, but rather than having to handle the detail of implementation he’d be freed from that. His role would be to guide, challenge where required, steer and help. It would also be hiring and firing senior people in companies as he’d need to ensure that the management teams were of the highest order.

He was a man who set enormously high personal standards and had a simply phenomenal work rate and he expected his teams that he’d hand pick from the best available to match that.

The various financial Institutions were delighted with his intention because they’d seen the enormous benefit of having his unique brand of skill and success implemented across several businesses so they encouraged and helped him find the Chairman positions which he now held.

Mark had taken time to choose which ones to take on but he thoroughly enjoyed this new type of work that he’d generated for himself.

He was also approached to become Director General of ABB the Association of British Business which had been a run down and poor relation to the CBI (Confederation of British Industry) but under his leadership he quickly streamlined it and soon turned it into a dynamic supporter of British business and was frequently quoted in the press. He was also increasingly asked for a quote or comment on a particular topical issue on tv or radio programmes and in this role he became a scourge of Government policies.

But now some years after having embarked on being Chairman of several companies he was beginning to feel that he wanted to do something else with his business life.

Something for himself.

He was disillusioned with always having to satisfy Shareholders, especially the big Financial Institutions with constantly improving financial results from his portfolio of companies and at night alone in his huge swish apartment near Regents Park he would sit quietly brooding as he reflected on what he wanted to do next.

Night after night the disenchantment festered. It didn’t make him angry or particularly discontented, but rather generated a feeling of irritation that he