Leading from the Front [Audio Download]

I declare an interest. I worked for Heron Suzuki for 14 years and I knew Gerald Ronson (always known as GMR). But I haven't seen him for 15 years so I also declare some independence of thought and opinion. I owe him nothing but admiration; he owes me nothing at all.

Leading from the Front is an apt title for Gerald Ronson's autobiography whose own incredible work ethics became merely the aspirations of his managers. He worked tirelessly with his city business associates and yet also found the time to regularly visit his companies where he shook his managers' hands and recalled their names whilst snarling the odd criticism. You knew where you stood with Gerald Ronson; he didn't mince his words and had the gift of the subtle targeted riposte. He'd show interest in your work and your achievements. When he praised you it was brilliant. When he said nothing he was happy. When he asked you a question? Well Ronson was the master of asking you just one. The question you least wanted ANYONE - let alone the Chairman - to ask. Yet beneath all this, lurks a subtle yet wicked sense of humour.

This book is a detailed account of Gerald Ronsons public and private life; where he came from, his hatred of school and leaving before he was even fifteen years old. It includes a frank (some may say opinionated - but it's HIS biography) account of his business dealings. It's all here, from the time he managed his first factory building project at the age of seventeen, through creating the world's first self-service petrol station in 1966, to building the Heron Tower in the City of London in 2009. He describes how he met his wife (now Dame Gail), why her parents didn't attend their wedding and her solid support through his life's tumbles and turns. He is clearly a family man too doting on his four daughters.

This book was not written by Jeffrey Robinson and rubber-stamped by GMR; Gerald Ronson definitely wrote his own biography. He may not have typed it out or edited it - he dislikes technology - "I'm not interested in computers. I don't need one. My pen works. I can write things down...I don't have a Blackberry, blueberry, or whatever those things are called, because I'm not interested in them either." But he sure as hell spoke the words in his book. Anyone who has ever met him will confirm his unique no-nonsense style of talking where a message hangs on his every word. So there's no padding in his talk nor in his book.

"My word is my bond," he says. "Not everybody plays by that rule... When I give my word, my reputation is at stake and, for me, reputation is all-important." This is GMR's foundation value. When he shakes a hand on a deal, people know he won't renege.

Ronson paints his story on a huge canvas as he travels the world seeking business opportunities. He turns his passion for boats into a business, even selling a yacht to Colonel Gaddafi when he was still a pariah. And yet GMR has a soft spot. In 1967, he founded his own charity, the Ronson Foundation to benefit his own Community and many other deserving causes. He has since then poured millions into it.

This book's style is completely different from all the other business biographies I've read mainly because as he does in person, GMR calls a spade a spade in his book. Moreover, he explains why. He doesn't duck the Guinness affair with which everyone associates him. He puts forward his side of the action and spares no blushes when describing his adversaries and his time at Ford Open Prison.

GMR clearly had no hang-ups or taboos about what to put into his book. Nothing seems off-limits. For example, GMR recalls a remarkable psychic experience that could have been lifted from the pages of "The Da Vinci Code". Whilst awaiting sentence in a Southwark Crown Court cell, an unknown black-robed rabbi managed to persuade the guards - against all the rules - to allow him to visit GMR. Reluctantly GMR met the rabbi and together they said morning prayers and laid tefillin (a Jewish ritual). "I told him, `I'm not into this Orthodox religious business. I'm a middle-of-the-road Jew...I'm not someone who grasps at straws...I'm not very good at this.'" Afterwards, "I suddenly felt a jolt through my body...I suddenly felt strong. And as long as I live, I will never forget that feeling."

So picture this. Gerald Ronson - this irreligious, tough, feet-on-the-ground, city figure with a massive personality - is big enough to reveal that thereafter he prayed daily in the room he shared with two other inmates at Ford Open Prison. When Ernest Saunders, the Guinness Chairman he despised for the lies that had put him in jail later came into the same room asking Ronson's advice on how to shorten his own five year jail sentence, GMR told him (as another reviewer mentions):

"If you made out that you've got Alzheimer's, nobody could ever prove it, because if they looked inside your head, what are they going to find? .... It wouldn't be difficult for you, because, besides being a psychotic liar, you are mentally deranged." Oh yes, he doesn't mince his words.

Leading from the Front exudes everything that has made Gerald Ronson what he is; a perfect example of a self-effacing, hard-working, honourable businessmen. Would you like his money and material possessions? Sure you would. But you wouldn't want his lifestyle; his self-imposed workload and his financial risks. That's why GMR is unique. And the business lessons and detailed examples that leap from every page are the reasons why this book deserves to be read by every aspiring young entrepreneur the world over.

Leading from the Front is a compulsive, must-read book that I just couldn't put down.

This is a really good read. An honest down to earth account of a very able business man who was wronged by a gross injustice. His book is a fascinating insight into what really happened.

All I knew about Gerald Ronson was that he ran Heron and that he had been jailed after the Guinness affair. He isn't someone who appears to court publicity and appear on television or have constant interviews with him in the papers.

He started in his father's furniture business and learnt the hard way.He believes in leading from the front which is not that common in business. The bosses like to come in last and leave early.

As he says the best way to get people to work well for you is to set an example. He arrived at the building site at seven every morning and was always the last to leave at night.

In describing the property business in the late 50 and early 60 s he said a blind man with one leg could have made money in property. He says that some talk about their success as though they were men of genius.

If I have any criticism of his life story is that he claims he is entirely self made. It helped that his father and grandfather had been in business and they gave him the opportunity. The rest of us didn't have that luck however hard we have worked.

Like all property developers they did it on borrowed money and they did exactly what everyone was doing before the last slump. As the Americans would say it is all about leverage.

Developers did this during a time when everyone else in Britain was encouraged to pay off their mortgages and not borrow money. They knew better and in good years they did very well.

I did learn that Mark Ronson is his nephew which has added to the sum of my trivial knowledge and will be handy in quizzes.

When describing the Guinness affair he was at worst naive he said that it never occurred to him to ask lawyers whether or not it was legal. He said that when he is dealing with a CEO and chief financial officer of a major public company that whatever they do is within the law.

I find that hard to believe. He was a powerful rich person and must have know loads of lawyer who would have advised him. His defence was everyone else was doing it.

Unfortunately that was the same defence of all the banks recently and the M.P.s in the expenses scandal. Surely his business nouse would have told him to accept nothing. believe no one. and confirm everything.

He attributes a lot of the bad publicity and the fact that his group of defendants got time was because they were non establishment and mainly Jews. He might be right but plenty of establishment figures and non jews have gone down so he might be seeing anti Semites when it is really just envy of anyone who works hard and is rich.

He was also amazed that people lied in court . He needs to get out more. he discovered that prison officers contain a certain number of fascists and racist again not news to the rest of us.

The best bit was when Ernest Saunders spoke to him in Ford prison and Ronson said make out you are mentally ill it wouldn't be difficult for you because besides being a psychotic liar your are mentally deranged.

He got out and recovered.

He helps in his community and gives advice to youngsters as to how to get on.

Of all the business people I have read about Gerald Ronson is about the only one I would care to meet. As he says he is not a humble man but has done a lot with his life He isn't scared to give his opinion of those he has met unlike a lot of business books who claim to love everyone.

I read the book in under a day as it was a compulsive read. so I highly recommend it. he is currently building his monument the Heron Tower in London