Michael Bishop (businessman)

Sir Michael Bishop (b. February 10, 1942) CBE, is a British businessman who has spent his working life in civil aviation.

He was born in Bowdon, Cheshire, and educated at Mill Hill School in north London. In 1963 he joined Mercury Airlines, which was taken over by British Midland Airways in 1964. He rose to become General Manager in 1969 and Managing Director in 1972, and in 1978 was appointed Chairman after leading a management buy-out.

In 1986 he was awarded the CBE, and in 1991 he was knighted.

Between 1993 and 1997 Sir Michael was the chairman of Channel 4 Television Corporation.

Currently Sir Michael is Chairman of bmi. He is also chairman of the Board of Trustees of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, which presented the operas of Gilbert and Sullivan.

In an annual survey by The Independent of the UK's most influential gay and lesbian people, Sir Michael was ranked as number 5 in 2005 and number 6 in 2006.