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Mark Watson-Gandy

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Professor
Mark Watson-Gandy
of Myrton OBE
Born November 8, 1967
Buckinghamshire, England
Alma mater Essex University (LLB)
Occupation Barrister-at-law
Known for Corporate law
Spouse Emanuella Johanna Christina née Giavarra (m. 1997)
Children 1 son, 1 daughter
Relatives Admiral Alec Tyndale-Biscoe;
Anthony Watson-Gandy;
Gyles Brandreth
Awards OBE
CStJ

Mark Watson-Gandy (born 8 November 1967), is a British lawyer and educationalist, specialising in UK insolvency law, company law and private international law.[1]

Since 2019, Watson-Gandy serves as chairman of the Science and Technology Ethics Advisory Committee at the Home Office.[2][3]

Early life and education

Born in 1967 to Alastair Watson-Gandy and Barbara née Mądry, scion of the Watson-Gandy-Brandreth gentry family,[4] he was educated at Dr Challoner's Grammar School before graduating Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Essex.

Watson-Gandy inherited the Scottish Barony of Myrton,[5] but does not use the title professionally.[6]

Career

Watson-Gandy was called to the Bar in 1990 at the Inner Temple and in 2013 to the Eastern Caribbean Bar (British Virgin Islands). He is a member of Three Stone chambers.[7] A visiting professor of the University of Westminster since 1999, he has pioneered its Master of Laws degree in corporate finance law,[8] and is a special lecturer at Cass Business School.[9]

In 2000, Watson-Gandy was appointed by Gareth Williams, Baron Williams of Mostyn as a Junior Counsel to the Crown serving until 2012.[10] In 2010, he was counsel to the Conference of Bishops for the state visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United Kingdom.[11] He then advised Gurkha veterans for the inquiry of the all-party parliamentary group on Gurkha welfare.[12]

In 2013, Watson-Gandy represented Craig Whyte in litigation over the financing of his ill-fated acquisition of Rangers Football Club.[13] He also served as counsel to the court-appointed trustee in litigation leading to the overturning of the UK bankruptcy of Tom McFeely.[14] He was counsel for the court-appointed amicus curiae in litigation over the collapse of the Stanford International Bank in Antigua and of Fairfield Sentry in the British Virgin Islands. He later successfully represented the court-appointed administrators of Cambridge Analytica.[15]

A member of the Home Office Science Advisory Council,[16] beginning in 2019, Watson-Gandy serves as chairman of the Biometrics and Forensic Ethics Group.[3] He is also the former chairman of Mental Health First Aid England[17] and the Pure Cremation Group.[15]

In 2022, the Catholic Herald featured Watson-Gandy in its list of "Catholic Leaders of Today", the UK's 100 most influential lay Roman Catholics.[18]

Publications

Books

  • Simple Contract Law - published in London 2020
  • KidsMBA: How to build a successful business - published in London 2018
  • Personal Insolvency Practice: Litigation Procedure & Precedents 2nd Edition - published by Wildy & Sons, London, 2018
  • Corporate Insolvency Practice: Litigation Procedure & Precedents 2nd Edition - published by Wildy & Sons, London 2017
  • Tolley's Company Secretary's Review – Corporate Precedents: Directors - published by Wildy & Sons, London 2013
  • Personal Insolvency Practice: Litigation Procedure & Precedents – published by Wildy & Sons, London 2012[19]
  • Corporate Insolvency Practice: Litigation Procedure & Precedents – published by Wildy & Sons, London 2010[20]
  • Watson-Gandy on Accountants – Law, Practice and Procedure, 2nd Edition, published by Wildy & Sons, London 2008[21]
  • Watson-Gandy on Accountants – Law, Practice and Procedure, 1st Edition, published by Wildy & Sons, London 2000[21]
  • Beyond the Peradventure, published in London 1991.[22]

Editorships

Watson-Gandy has co-edited Butterworths Corporate Law Service, LexisNexis (Company Law: co-editor since 2008), having previously been assistant editor of the Family Court Reporter, local government editor of Justice of the Peace magazine and editor of Litigation, the legal journal.[1]

Writing and speaking

Watson-Gandy contributes a monthly column to Business Money, the commercial finance magazine.[23] He also writes and speaks regularly in the media on legal matters and business education.

Civic appointments and charitable service

Watson-Gandy's appointments to boards of companies as well as not-for-profit organisations include:

Honours and arms

Invested as Commander of the Most Venerable Order of Saint John (CStJ) in 2020,[28] Watson-Gandy was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2024 New Year Honours for "public and voluntary service".[29]

Coat of arms of Professor Mark Watson-Gandy of Myrton
Adopted
Grant (Heralds' College, England) and matriculated, Lyon Court, Scotland (2005)[36]
Coronet
Chapeau of a Scottish feudal baron


Crest
Upon the Battlements of a Tower Proper a Lamb passant Or holding in its dexter foreleg a Staff also Proper flying therefrom a Pennon Argent charged with a Cross Gules[37]
Escutcheon
Quarterly, 1st and 4th, Per pale Sable and Or five Mascles in cross counterchanged (for BRANDRETH); 2nd, Per pale Argent and Or on a Chevron Azure between in chief a Crescent of the Last between two Martlets Sable and in base a Crescent of the Third a Martlet between two Crescents of the Second (for WATSON); 3rd, Per fess nebuly Gules and Argent in chief two Pairs of Swords in saltire Proper pommel and hilts Or and in base a Saltire couped of the First (for GANDY)
Motto
(Above) Esto quod esse videris (Latin)
Orders
The circlet of the Order of St John surrounding the Shield and suspended beneath the OBE decoration



Other elements
As Master Scrivener, Professor Watson-Gandy could impale the Scriveners' arms (dexter) with those of his family (sinister)[38]

References

  1. Back to citation occurrence 1.0 Back to citation occurrence 1.1 "Mark WATSON-GANDY OF MYRTON". Debretts. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  2. Back to citation "Professor becomes chairman for Biometrics and Forensics Ethics Group | Planet Biometrics News". www.planetbiometrics.com. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  3. Back to citation occurrence 3.0 Back to citation occurrence 3.1 "Biometrics and Forensics Ethics Group announces new chair". GOV.UK. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  4. Back to citation Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition 2003, Volume 2, page 2848
  5. Back to citation "Change of Name and/or Arms". www.thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  6. Back to citation "Burke's Peerage". Burke's Peerage. 1 August 2024. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  7. Back to citation "Mark Watson-Gandy | Barristers". Three Stone.
  8. Back to citation "Prof Mark Watson-Gandy - University of Westminster - Academia.edu". westminster.academia.edu.
  9. Back to citation "Cass Professor nominated for 2009". www.cass.city.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 27 September 2016.
  10. Back to citation "Attorney General's Civil Panel Counsel: appointments, membership lists and off panel counsel". GOV.UK. 27 September 2023.
  11. Back to citation "In the City: Edward Fennell". The Times. 28 September 2023.
  12. Back to citation "LT Col Hamish Adams". Gurkha Welfare Inquiry. “Can be seen in the overall list by scrolling down”
  13. Back to citation "Ex-Rangers owner Craig Whyte begins appeal against Ticketus ruling". HeraldScotland. 28 November 2013.
  14. Back to citation "Developer McFeely bankruptcy overturned following challenge". The Irish Times.
  15. Back to citation occurrence 15.0 Back to citation occurrence 15.1 "Getting to Know You: Professor Mark Watson-Gandy, founder, KidsMBA". Business Matters. 22 November 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  16. Back to citation "Professor Mark Watson-Gandy announced as new Chair for Biometrics and Forensics Ethics Group". University of Westminster.
  17. Back to citation "MHFA England Chair Mark Watson-Gandy writes for Legal Week". MHFA England.
  18. Back to citation "UK Catholic Leaders of Today 2022". Catholic Herald. 2 November 2022.
  19. Back to citation "In the City: Addleshaw Goddard bucks a trend". The Times. Archived from the original on 17 May 2015.
  20. Back to citation Fennell, Edward (28 September 2023). "In the City: happy days are here again — or is that just for the legal profession?". The Times.
  21. Back to citation occurrence 21.0 Back to citation occurrence 21.1 "Wildy & Sons Ltd — The World's Legal Bookshop Search Results for isbn: '9781858116006'". www.wildy.com.
  22. Back to citation "Beyond the peradventure | Books | Encyclopedia of law".
  23. Back to citation "City barrister Professor Mark Watson-Gandy explains about early neutral evaluation". www.business-money.com.
  24. Back to citation Singh, Rani. "'We Need An MBA For Kids,' Says Advocate". Forbes.
  25. Back to citation "Professional Conduct". www.bookkeepers.org.uk.
  26. Back to citation "Simple Contract Law Stripping English Law of Complexity". Hampshire Legal.
  27. Back to citation "Scriveners Company in London". www.scriveners.org.uk.
  28. Back to citation www.thegazette.co.uk
  29. Back to citation "No. 64269". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 2023. p. N13.
  30. Back to citation "Fra' Andrew Bertie". The Times. 23 April 2025. Retrieved 5 June 2025.
  31. Back to citation "ACTA APOSTOLICAE SEDIS" (PDF). The Vatican. 3 November 2007. “Can be verified on page 54 or by searching "Mark Watson-Gandy"”
  32. Back to citation "The Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St George: investitures of new knights in Britain". Roman Christendom. “Shows in third paragraph as someone who, based on the page title, would be receiving knighthood for the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St George”
  33. Back to citation "The Guild of Young Freemen Issue 9" (PDF). The Guild of Young Freemen. “On page 18 or search "Mark Watson-Gandy" and verifies he is a freeman of the City of London and "OBE CStJ (past Master, Worshipful Company of Scriveners)”
  34. Back to citation "The Goldsmiths' Review". The Goldsmiths' Review. “Verification found on page 41 of the PDF or search for "Mark Watson-Gandy" and is shown under "New Freemen" appointments”
  35. Back to citation "Roll of Masters". The Scriveners Company. “Listed on the roll of masters when you scroll down on the page”
  36. Back to citation "Change of Name and/or Arms". www.thegazette.co.uk.
  37. Back to citation "Armorial familis: a directory of gentlemen of coat-armour". ebooksread.
  38. Back to citation www.college-of-arms.gov.uk
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