Malcolm J Prowle
Professor of Business Performance
Nottingham Business School

Malcolm Prowle was brought up in Trecynon and attended Park School before transferring to ABGS in 1960. He is the son of the late Mervyn Hardie Prowle and his wife Bernice (née Jones). His father County Councillor, later Alderman, M.H. Prowle, was closely associated with the school for many years, when he was both a governor and chairman of governors during the grammar and comprehensive years.

Malcolm has provided us with a summary of his career spanning years since he left school to the present day —

Currently I am Professor of Business Performance at Nottingham Business School and Visiting Research Professor at the Open University Business School although I still reside in South Wales (Pontypool).

I attended ABGS from 1960 to 1967 and made the transition from the old school at the Gadlys to the new school in 1965. I left to go to Swansea University graduating in Chemistry in 1970 and playing rugby for the university and a few games for Swansea Athletic. At this point I changed direction and trained as an accountant qualifying in 1974. I worked as an accountant in several organisations and subsequently did postgraduate study at Lancaster University playing a full season of rugby for the first XV and (unsuccessfully) standing for election as Student Union president. I also spent several months in Israel working on a kibbutz.

I spent several years in academic life at the Universities of Warwick and Wolverhampton but then left for greener pastures. For almost twenty years I worked for two international firms of consultants (KPMG and PWC). Clients included a range of private and government organisations both in the UK and in several overseas countries. During this time I maintained academic links and was a visiting fellow/professor at several universities. In 2007 I decided to leave consulting and rejoined the academic world at Nottingham where I now work on a part-time basis.

My main areas of interest are the economics, finance and management of the public sector and the performance of business organisations. I have worked at the highest levels of government having advised Ministers, Ambassadors, senior civil servants, public service managers and service professionals. I was financial adviser to the House of Commons Select Committee, an adviser to two shadow ministers and a consultant to the World Health Organisation.

I have been the author or co-author of many publications including five books and numerous research reports and papers. I am also a regulator contributor to national and local media covering television, radio and newspapers on issues concerned with: business, economic recession and public finances and public services. I have spoken and presented papers at a wide range of events and conferences including that of: the Prime Ministers Policy Unit, the Government Accounting Service, the CBI, the World Health Organisation and the Karolinska Institute (Sweden).

I am married to Alison and have two daughters (Caitlin aged 12 and Lowri aged 9, in 2010). Both girls are now fluent Welsh speakers having been educated in the Welsh medium education system. I also have a son (Owen, 26) from a first marriage who is now in the Royal Navy.

I keep fit by playing golf (which I have just taken up) and practising martial arts. I am a black belt in jujitsu and recently re-started karate to accompany my younger daughter at her class. Both my parents have now died so my visits to Aberdare are infrequent although I still have family there.

Some articles written by Malcolm here: here (https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/author/malcolm-prowle)