Biography
King was born on 22 July 1947 to Aubrey and Mona King. He attended the University of the Witwatersrand, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Law, and a higher diploma in tax law.
From 1961 to 1964 he was a practicing attorney. From 1965 to 1979 he was an advocate to the Supreme Court of South Africa, specializing in commercial law; he was appointed senior counsel in 1975. He became a judge of the Supreme Court of South Africa in 1977. He resigned that post in 1980 – reportedly after an altercation with Prime Minister P. W. Botha – and entered the commercial arena.
He became executive chairman of Frame Group Holdings, a textile giant, and executive chairman of First National Bank’s corporate and investment banking group. In later years, he chaired and was a director of Capital Alliance Ltd and Metro Cash & Carry Ltd.
From 1981 to 1989 he was the first chairman of Operation Hunger, a South African charity which aimed to feed children in rural areas; he is now honorary life president of that organization.
Read more about this topic: Mervyn King (judge)
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