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Roland Jarvis
• The record of Roland Jarvis's career, from grammar school educated bank clerk to financial director of Crane Fruehauf Trailers Ltd and chairman of Crane Western Finance at 38 years of age, would provide some jusification for one to describe him as a "whiz-kid," but his quiet and friendly manner dispels any idea of the tough, calculating executive image synonymous with highpowered business. However, it is true to say that he has climbed the career ladder by design rather than good luck.
After his start in banking, he progressed through financial positions in the Beecham Group, became cost accountant of Macleans of toothpaste fame, advanced from cost analyst for the Ford Motor Co's Woolwich plant to manager of the cost control department and later of the profit planning function for the whole of Ford in this country, and then joined AEI where he learnt a great deal about mergers when GEC took over.
In 1968 after deciding to return to the motor industry he became financial controller for the UK operations of Rootes until Chrysler arrived when he went to the USA to head the profit planning department for the Corporation's worldwide activities.
When he decided that he wished to return home he was determined to secure a position on the board of a British public company offering a challenge of growth and progress. Crane Fruehauf offered him such a position—hence, as I said, he arrived by design.
At CF he has found the challenge he sought and after only eight or nine months with the company he has completed the three initial objectives which he proposed to the board when he arrived. These were to improve the funding position by raising additional medium-term money to give the company the capability to grow more rapidly; to reorganize the financial operations; and to offer better financial support to customers. From this latter objective Crane Western Finance was born.
Mr Jarvis has arrived at the top by sheer determination and enthusiasm for his work. The lack of a university education has not hampered his quite startling rise to a seat of power in industry, a position which he occupies with serenity rather than with Power Game hustle.
Business, to Mr Jarvis, is a fascinating subject and he rates it as one of his hobbies. In fact he spends part of his spare time—besides golfing, playing badminton and gardening—in devising business games. He hopes to market his ideas one day because he believes people can learn a lot from these
games. D.L