Michael White

“It’s a pleasant life where one can daydream to one’s heart’s content”. So wrote Michael White of Vence in the South of France where he spent his latter years. The photograph was taken in 2009 when Peter Warburton and Patricia Ranken accepted an invitation to visit him.

Despite the debilitating effect of his progressive illness he spent hours talking about world affairs and impending troubles that memorable Spring weekend.

Michael was one of the first of a new breed of global strategists and for many years he was in great demand as a consultant. He had a terrific network of diplomatic and senior civil service friends and contacts, including Xavier de Villepin, a French senator until 2004, and father of Dominique de Villepin, Prime Minister of France 31 May 2005 – 17 May 2007 under President Jacques Chirac.

Michael championed the cause of geopolitics and the importance of political and economic history in the interpretation of likely economic developments and international tensions. His dictum: business cycles end in recessions: credit cycles end in depressions.

To many, especially Teddy Butler-Henderson he was confidant and adviser: most of all a stalwart friend. His contribution to Halkin Services and to Teddy’s Naydale Services was colossal.