▁control ▁of ▁the ▁company ▁together ▁with ▁English ▁Electric ▁from ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s . ▁This ▁cul min ated ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁with ▁the ▁take over ▁and ▁break - up ▁of ▁P les sey . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Clark ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁P adding ton , ▁London ▁and ▁educated ▁at ▁H arrow ▁School . ▁He ▁joined ▁the ▁Royal ▁Naval ▁Vol unte er ▁Reserve ▁( R N V R ) ▁during ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War . ▁Clark ▁later ▁began ▁a ▁business ▁app rent ices hip ▁with ▁Metropolitan - V ick ers ▁and ▁the ▁Ford ▁Motor ▁Company . ▁He ▁then ▁spent ▁a ▁year ▁with ▁American ▁battery ▁and ▁elect rical ▁manufact urer ▁P . ▁R . ▁Mall ory ▁and ▁Co ▁Inc ▁before ▁joining ▁the ▁P les sey ▁board ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 3 . ▁ ▁Career ▁with ▁P les sey ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁he ▁became ▁general ▁manager ▁of ▁P les sey ▁Com ponents . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 1 ▁P les sey ▁acquired ▁two ▁large ▁British ▁tele phone ▁equipment ▁companies , ▁Eric sson ▁Tele ph ones ▁Ltd . ▁and ▁the ▁Autom atic ▁Tele phone ▁and ▁Electric ▁Company ▁( AT & E ). ▁This ▁double d ▁the ▁size ▁of ▁the ▁company . ▁Clark ▁was ▁closely ▁involved ▁having ▁been ▁appointed ▁joint ▁man aging ▁director ▁by ▁his ▁father ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 1 . ▁After ▁Sir ▁Allen ▁Clark ' s ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁the ▁company ▁under w ent ▁a ▁struggle ▁for