Island Life Magazine Ltd December 2009/January 2010 | Page 47

INTERVIEW
him an attractive proposition for

life

Toeing lines isn’t something Bill

the service. And that Kim Philby had

Bristow readily does. It was 1977

indeed been a great friend. “When

and he and a friend set up their own

Philby defected to Russia he sent

headhunting company in the City.

my father a postcard with the three

“What amazed me was coming across

kings on it: indicating he was indeed

school leavers who knew they wanted

the third man.”

to go into stock broking. I didn’t know

This was no ordinary ‘what did

what I wanted to do even then!”

you do in the war, Daddy’ story,

Bill is an affable chap, at ease

and by the time he was 15 Bill was

in company, and it was through

convinced his father should write it

a conversation with an American

down. The controversial publication

stockbroker that his next notable

of Spycatcher, by Peter Wright –

moment came about. At the time

whom his father had known – broke

London didn’t have a futures market

the taboo that secrets should remain

– despite the fact that its time zone

secrets, opening the way for others

means it is ideally placed to trade with

to follow.

both New York and the Far East. Bill’s

In the meantime Bill had left school

broker friend described the frustration

with some healthy A Levels, and

of dealing with London: that where

joined his father at De Beers. But a

English companies could trade freely

career in diamonds failed to sparkle

in the States, American companies had

for him. “Because I was the son of a

to buy part of an English company in

director my road was almost carved
out before I got there. I felt I’d have
to toe the line.”

order to trade.
Stunt double: The Hitcher

“So I ended up writing down my
thought