{{short description|American businessman (born 1954)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2016}} {{Infobox person | name = Michael Roney | image = | caption = | birth_name = Michael James Roney | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1954|07|13}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | death_cause = | education = | alma_mater = University of Michigan | occupation = Businessman | years_active = 1981– | title = former CEO, Bunzl | term = 2005–2016 | predecessor = | successor = Frank van Zanten | boards = Brown-Forman Corporation, Azelis Group, Next plc, Grafton Group | spouse = | children = }}
'''Michael James Roney''' (born July 13, 1954) is an American businessman. He was the chief executive of Bunzl plc, a British multinational distribution and outsourcing company, from 2005 to 2016. He has been the chairman of Next plc and Grafton Group since 2017.
==Early life== Michael Roney was born on July 13, 1954. He was educated in Roman Catholic private schools in Detroit, Michigan.<ref name="dailytelegraphtoveywerenotbuyingbrands">{{cite news|last1=Tovey|first1=Alan|title='We're not buying brands... but people and customer lists that give profits'|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/industry/12131601/Were-not-buying-brands...-but-people-and-customer-lists-that-give-profits.html|accessdate=September 15, 2017|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=January 30, 2016}}</ref> He graduated with an MBA from the Stephen M. Ross School of Business, University of Michigan in 1981.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.linkedin.com/pub/michael-roney/11/0/648 |title=Michael Roney: Chief Executive Officer at Bunzl |publisher=LinkedIn |date= |accessdate=November 16, 2012}}</ref>
==Career== Roney began his career as an accountant from 1978 to 1980.<ref name="dailytelegraphtoveywerenotbuyingbrands"/> He worked for the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company from 1981 to 2005.<ref name="dailytelegraphtoveywerenotbuyingbrands"/>
Roney became a non-executive director of Bunzl in June 2003. In October 2005 he became CEO. He stood down as CEO in April 2016, and was succeeded by Frank van Zanten.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2016/04/20/bunzl-feeling-the-heat-as-262pc-of-shareholders-reject-executive/|title=Bunzl feeling the heat as 26.2pc of shareholders reject executive pay deal|first=Rhiannon|last=Bury|newspaper=The Telegraph |date=April 20, 2016|publisher=|accessdate=September 15, 2017|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}</ref>
Roney was a non-executive director of Johnson Matthey plc from 2007 until 2014 and is a non-executive director of Brown-Forman Corporation.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=275855&ticker=BNZL:LN&previousCapId=407172&previousTitle=TRANSOCEAN%20LTD |title=Michael J. Roney: Executive Profile |publisher=BusinessWeek |date= |accessdate=November 16, 2012}}{{dead link|date=April 2023|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
In July 2016, Roney became a non-executive director of Azelis Group, the global speciality chemicals distributor.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.azelis.com/en/news-events/corporate-news/article/appointment-of-michael-roney-to-the-azelis-board-of-directors-460/|title=Appointment of Michael Roney to the Azelis Board of Directors|author=|date=|website=azelis.com|accessdate=September 15, 2017}}</ref> Roney has been the chairman of Next plc (succeeding John Barton) and Grafton Group since 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marketwatch.com/story/next-names-michael-roney-as-next-chairman-2017-02-14|title=Next names Michael Roney as next chairman|first=Razak|last=Musah|date=February 14, 2017|website=marketwatch.com|accessdate=September 15, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/profiles/people/2142967-michael-j-roney|title=Michael Roney, Next PLC: Profile & Biography|author=|date=|website=Bloomberg|accessdate=September 15, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/next-reveals-new-chairman-52z6575m5|title=Roney's Next move presents stern test|first=Deirdre Hipwell|last=Retail Editor|date=February 15, 2017|publisher=|access-date=September 15, 2017|via=www.thetimes.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.graftonplc.com/media/press-releases/yr-2016/pr-31-03-16.aspx|title=Appointment of Non-Executive Chairman|author=|date=|website=www.graftonplc.com|accessdate=September 15, 2017}}</ref>
==Personal life== Roney met his future wife in Argentina.<ref name="dailytelegraphtoveywerenotbuyingbrands"/> They have four children, and reside in St John's Wood, London.<ref name="dailytelegraphtoveywerenotbuyingbrands"/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Roney, Michael James}} Category:1954 births Category:Living people Category:American expatriates in England Category:American chief executives Category:American accountants Category:American corporate directors Category:Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company people Category:Businesspeople from Detroit Category:People from St John's Wood Category:Ross School of Business alumni Category:20th-century American businesspeople Category:Bunzl people
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