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Lord Browne

Sue Lawley's castaway is Chief Executive of BP Lord Browne.

Sue Lawley's castaway this week is the chief executive of BP, John Browne. His father had also worked for the company and through visits to Iran as a boy, he witnessed spectacular oil-well blow-outs which gave him a fascination for the business. He joined BP after leaving university, starting at the sharp end as a petroleum engineer in Alaska in the 1970s. For 20 years, he travelled the world, working his way up the ladder before permanently settling in London.

Almost 10 years ago, he said that oil companies must take seriously the threat of global warming and take measures to tackle the issue. He was knighted in 1998, and created a life peer in 2001 as Lord Browne of Madingley.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: An extract from the end of Act 1 of Cosi Fan Tutte by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Book: Other Men's Flowers: An Anthology of Poetry by Lord Wavell
Luxury: A lifetime's supply of great cigars

Available now

45 minutes

Last on

Fri 7 Jul 2006 09:00

Music Played

  • Francisco Repilado

    Chan Chan

    • Buena Vista Social Club.
    • World Circuit.
  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

      Cosi fan tutte, Act 1 (finale)

      Soloist: Montserrat Caballé, Janet Baker, Ileana Cotrubas & Richard Van Allan Orchestra: The Orchestra & Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Convent Garden Conductor: Sir Colin Davis

      • Cosi fan Tutte.
      • Philips.
  • Giacomo Puccini

    O mio babbino caro (from Gianni Schicchi)

    Soloist: Angela Gheorghiu Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra Conductor: Antonio Pappano

    • Il Trittico.
    • EMI Classics.
  • Edward Elgar

    The Wand of Youth Suite No. 1

    Orchestra: Orchestra of the Academy of St Martins in the Fields Conductor: Sir Neville Marriner

    • Elgar: Enigma Variations.
    • Capriccio.
  • Marshall Crenshaw

    My Back Pages

    • Bleeker Street - Greenwich Village in the 60s.
    • Astor Place Recordings.
  • Diana Krall

    Narrow Daylight

    • The Girl in the Other Room.
    • Verve.
  • Giuseppe Verdi

    Un di, felice (from La traviata)

    Soloist: Anna Netrebko & Rolando Villazon Orchestra: The Vienna Philharmonic Conductor: Carlo Rizzi

    • La Traviata.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
  • Richard Strauss

    Four Last Songs

    Soloist: Renée Fleming Orchestra: The Houston Symphony Orchestra Conductor: Christoph Eschenbach

    • Four Last Songs.
    • RCA.
  • Book Choice

    • Other Men's Flowers: An Anthology of Poetry - Lord A P Wavell

  • Luxury Choice

    • A lifetime's supply of great cigars

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Sue Lawley
Interviewed Guest Lord Browne

Broadcasts

  • Sun 2 Jul 2006 11:15
  • Fri 7 Jul 2006 09:00

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