A Bazaar Life: The Autobiography of David Alliance

(Hardback)

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This is the story of a long and event-filled life, of sixty-seven years in business and the lessons learned along the way by a remarkable man. Born in the Jewish quarter of a small Iranian town in 1932, David Alliance left school at thirteen, ran his own business in the bazaar in Tehran, emigrated to Manchester at the age of nineteen and, through some of the most spectacular City takeovers of the post-War era, created the biggest textile company in Europe, with over 60,000 employees. But until now little is known of the inner (now Lord) David Alliance, the forces that have driven him, the circumstances which have shaped him and the events which have at times taken him far beyond the borders of the business world. In this book he reveals stories, anecdotes and incidents which he had never even confided to his closest friends or family before: of his early days in Manchester when he had to drink water from the tap to fill his empty stomach before he went to bed at night. Or walking from warehouse to mill until his feet bled because he did not have the bus fare. Of how he slept on the street when his landlady locked him out because he didn't have the rent money. Now eighty, he describes his basic philosophy of life, originally formed in the bazaar, as: 'put your heart and soul into whatever you do, try to improve on and learn from what you did yesterday, and always believe you can find a way of overcoming any obstacle in your way. Never give up - there's always a way'.

Reviews

"I was told by an eminent Mancunian fifty years ago to 'keep an eye on this young man, as he'll go far'. How true a prophecy that was. David Alliance's life as an immigrant in Britain is quite remarkable." Anna Ford "A thirteen-year-old Jewish boy starts working in an Iranian bazaar and goes on to create the biggest textile empire in Western Europe - a compelling story with fascinating insights." David Owen "It's a remarkable story of determination and derring-do, filled with gripping insights and anecdotes, and is an inspiration to all who come to these shores seeking opportunity, fortune and a place they can call home." The Telegraph "[A] revelatory smorgasbord of adventures, with lessons for success in the cut-throat world of business. His is an inspirational tale for refugees." Jewish Chronicle "David Alliance's material gains make for a fascinating autobiography." Islington Tribune

Author Bio

LORD ALLIANCE of Manchester CBE has been one of Britain's foremost industrialists for more than half a century. He is the founder and former chairman of the online retailer N Brown Group and also of Coats Viyella, Europe's foremost textile company. He was made a peer in 2004. Lord Alliance also supports various charitable and educational foundations in Britain, Iran and Israel, and the world-renowned Manchester Business School will be named the Alliance MBS in honour and recognition of his historic and continuing support. He lives in Manchester and London. IVAN FALLON was for many years one of the leading financial journalists in Britain. He was City Editor of the Sunday Telegraph and Deputy Editor and Business Editor of the Sunday Times, and was twice named Financial Journalist of the Year. He is the author of six books, two of which, Billionaire: The Life and Times of Sir James Goldsmith and The Brothers: The Rise and Rise of Saatchi & Saatchi, appeared in the Sunday Times bestseller list. He was CEO of Independent News & Media UK until 2010 and now lives in Cape Town.