Jardine Matheson announces passing of chairman emeritus Sir Henry Keswick

Jardine Matheson announced on Wednesday that its Chairman Emeritus Sir Henry Keswick had passed away at age 86 on Tuesday (Nov 5). 

"Recognised as one of the most successful British business leaders of his era, Sir Henry was a visionary who was instrumental in Jardine Matheson's transformative growth in Asia for over half a century," the company said.

Keswick was first appointed as Jardine Matheson chairman in 1972 and held the role for much of the period through to his retirement in 2018.

Over this time, Jardine Matheson's net assets grew from US$70 million to US$26 billion, and the company transformed its position in the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong while greatly extending its presence in Southeast Asia.

Ben Keswick, the group's executive chairman, said, "Sir Henry's legacy will continue to inspire us all, and his contributions to Jardines and the broader community will be remembered with deep respect and admiration."