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Graham Hall was born into a mining family in 1943 while Britain was still at war. At an early age he learnt the value of money, the importance of hard work and the need to play to his strengths. After a challenging childhood he secured an apprenticeship with British Rail, followed by a career in the electricity industry that culminated in becoming chief executive of Yorkshire Electricity in 1998. Alongside his day job, Graham was active in his professional institutions as an engineer, a manger and a captain of industry, always promoting the interests of the Yorkshire region. This led to his appointment as the first chairman of the regional development agency, Yorkshire Forward, followed by a string of strategic appointments including a position on the court of the Bank of England and chairman of Leeds Bradford International Airport. Graham was knighted in 2003 for services to businesses in Yorkshire and Humberside and never lost his affinity with the working people of his region.