Born in Grange-over-Sands in Cumbria, Alex attended the Lakes School in Troutbeck Bridge before leaving for university.

His early career was in finance and corporate communications in London and briefly Hong Kong before he joined his family’s business, headquartered in Kendal. His subsequent career saw the sale of that business and the creation of new initiatives in the financial services sector. He founded and grew the Applerigg group portfolio companies: Sandaire, an international multi-family investment office (recently purchased by Schroders); Yealand Administration, a fund administration company; and Horizons, a contemporary network and learning environment for the leaders of tomorrow.

Alex is a Trustee of the Grosvenor Estate, chairs the Wheatsheaf Group and a is a Non-Executive Director of several private companies.

He is a Director of the Family Business Network International, co-founded and is Joint Life President of the Institute for Family Business (UK) and a Trustee of the Kendal-based Francis C Scott Charitable Trust.

Alex graduated from Exeter College, Oxford with an MA in Philosophy, Politics & Economics and holds an MBA from IMD, Lausanne, Switzerland. He lives in Windermere with his wife Sam and three adult children. He enjoys hiking, country sports, cycling (including John o’Groats to Lands End and across France) sailing, skiing, expedition travel (he has walked the final degree to the South Pole and crossed Baffin Island in winter) and follows rugby union.