Richard Sharp

Richard Simon Sharp (born February 1956)Richard Simon Sharp, Companies House, Accessed 2nd September 2016 is an influential former investment banker and Conservative Party donor, who was chairman of Goldman Sachs Principal Investment Area in Europe until 2006. 
In March 2013 he was handpicked by UK Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne to sit on the Bank of England’s independent finance policy committee, a new watchdog set up to protect the public from another financial meltdown. Sharp's appointment was criticised as 'wholly inappropriate' by John Mann MP, given his banking background and substantial donations to the Tories. He receives a £55,000 salary for the role. James Salmon, Goldman Sachs banker hand-picked by Osborne for top job in new finance watchdog gave £400,000 to Tory party, Daily Mail, 30 May 2013 
Sharp also sits on the board and is a director of the right-wing Centre for Policy Studies think tank. Richard Sharp, Centre for Policy Studies, accessed 16 march 2011 Robert Winnett, Conservatives: The 50 most influential figures on the new Right, The Telegraph, 11 May 2008 
==Career==
Sharp worked for Goldman Sachs for 22 years, leaving in 2006. As Chairman of Goldman Sachs’ Principal Investment Area in Europe, he had responsibility for European Private Equity and Mezzanine Funds. He was also a director of Goldman Sachs International. 
Sharp is a former director of Cognis AG, the German chemical company, and ISS, the Danish-based global outsourcing company.Richard Sharp, Non-Executive Chairman, Huntsworth website, accessed 11 April 2012 
==Activities==
===Government adviser===
In August 2010 Sharp was one of four City figures invited by UK chancellor George Osborne to join the HM Treasury Independent Challenge Group, whose remit is to “question the unquestionable” in the Treasury's austerity drive.
===Donations to the Conservative Party===
Sharp donated £404,000 to the Conservatives between 2002 and March 2010. Electoral Commission, [link], accessed March 2011 His donations entitled him to membership of David Cameron's elite Leader's Group.
He has also been a funder and supporter of London Mayor Boris Johnson, both personally and through his Sharp Foundation, and is a member of the Mayor of London’s Legacy Board of Advisors. Dave Hill, Johnson and Veronica Wadley: Victoria Sharp and the Mayor's Fund, guardian.co.uk, 18 June 2010, accessed 16 March 2010 
According to leaks to the Guardian, Sharp attended the Conservative's 2013 summer ball, where tickets cost up to £12,000 and attendees sit at tables with ministers relevant to their industry. Robert Booth, Nick Mathiason, Luke Harding and Melanie Newman Tory summer party drew super-rich supporters with total wealth of £11bn The Guardian, 3 July 2014, accessed 14 October 2014 
==Biography==
Sharp is married to Victoria, with whom he founded London Music Masters, a London based charity.
==Views==
==Affiliations==
*The Sharp Foundation (which has funded the Quilliam Foundation, the Institute for Policy Research and others)
*Royal Academy Trust - chairman
*Royal Academy of Arts - has been involved with since 2004. 
*Non-executive Chairman of Huntsworth since May 2008, and a member of its Nominations Committee Richard Sharp, Non-Executive Chairman, Huntsworth website, accessed 11 April 2012 
*Mayor's Fund for London - funder 
*Member of the Mayor of London’s Legacy Board of Advisors 
*Deputy Chairman of the Royal Marsden Cancer Campaign 
*Trustee of the Royal Marsden Hospital
*Director of the Institute of Cancer Research and a 
*Director of International Rescue Committee UK
==Resources==
*SpinWatch, Doing God’s Work: How Goldman Sachs Rigs the Game - SpinWatch investigation detailing Goldman Sachs’ secret lobbying activities in the UK and Brussels and links to politicians. March 2011.
==Notes==
Category: Financial sector lobbying
Category:Banking and Finance Industry
Category:Conservative Party Donors