Martin Adeney

Martin Adeney has had a privileged insight into British industry and politics for over 40 years on both sides of the media. Reporting for 'The Guardian' in the 60s and 70s, his specialisms included community affairs and industrial

relations and assignments in Asia.

From 1977-8 he was Industrial Correspondent of the 'Sunday Telegraph' before joining BBC TV News where he became its first (and only) Industrial Editor. He planned and presented daily news coverage and made films for programmes like 'Newsnight' and 'The Money Programme' over a decade in which industrial relations was at the top of the political agenda.

In 1989 he moved to Imperial Chemical Industries where he became Vice President of Public Affairs. From 2000 to 2013 he ran his own consultancy.

His experience is reflected in a book published in June 2016, 'Baggage of Empire. reporting politics and industry in the shadow of Imperial decline'. His other books are 'The Miners' Strike-loss without limit' (with John Lloyd), 'The Motormakers - the turbulent history of Britain's car industry' and Nuffield; a biography'.

He contributes to 'The Guardian's' obituary columns and The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.

His latest book, 'Grave Concerns' reflects his experience as Chair of the Friends of Highgate Cemetery, which operates and owns Britain's most celebrated Cemetery. It is a diary of the two years it took to shepherd a private Bill through Parliament to reclaim ancient grave-space to keep the Cemetery alive and solvent. It follows the events of the years, the unexpected challenges, which included Covid, and includes reflections about the life and times of the Cemetery.