Barry Stephen Townsley (born 14 October 1946) is a British financier and investor. He is married to Laura Wolfson, daughter of Leonard Wolfson, Baron Wolfson of the GUS retail company. He is the father of four children and an active support of education, health and fine art charities. Barry Townsley was educated at the Hasmonean Grammar School in London. He did not attend university, but started his career as a messenger for a stockbroking firm, working his way up to being one of the youngest members of the London Stock Exchange. He later created his own stockbroking business, Townsley & Co., which he sold to the Dutch private bank Insinger de Beaufort. Since January 2005, he has been chairman and founding partner of Hobart Capital Markets LLP, and also a director of Caprice Holdings Ltd. Townsley has served as a trustee or board member for a large number of health and art charities, including the Child Bereavement Trust, National Gallery East Wing Development Project, Oxford Children's Hospital Campaign, Royal National Institute for the Blind, Serpentine Gallery, St Mary's Hospital Save the Baby Fund, Trinity Hospice, Weizmann Institute Foundation and Alzheimers Research. In 2005, he chaired the CSV Year of the Volunteer. He is the principal sponsor of Stockley Academy, a school specialising in science and technology. He is the chairman of the Central Synagogue – London. He was appointed a CBE in 2003 for charitable services, especially to education and the arts. He lists his recreational interests as contemporary art and golf. Early career In 1964, Townsley left school at the age of 17 and secured a job in the City of London as a messenger for the stockbroker, W Greenwell & Co. He quickly progressed to the firm's gilts department, joining the London Stock Exchange at the age of 21. In 1969, he joined Astaire & Co, another City of London stockbroking firm where he met Ronnie Jacobson with whom in 1976 he set up Jacobson Townsley, which became a very successful British stockbroking firm in the 80s. Townsley and Co Townsley & Co was formed in 1991 when Jacobson left frontline stockbroking. The pair remain friends to this day. Townsley built up the company throughout the 90s before selling it to a Dutch bank, Insinger de Beaufort, in 1999. Townsley remained with the company for a further three years. Cash for peerages Townsley was a member and supporter