dˈʊɹɹɪŋ hɪz tˈaɪm æt ɡɹænˈɑːdə, hiː wʌz ˌɪnstɹəmˈɛntəl ɪnðə tˈeɪkoʊvɚɹ ʌv fˈoːɹɾeɪ ɡɹˈuːp fɔːɹ pˈaʊnd θɹˈiː.nˈaɪn bˈɪliən ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti sˈɪks, ænd ðə tˈeɪkoʊvɚz ʌv ˌɛldˌʌbəljˌuːtˈiː ænd jˈɔːɹkʃɚtˈaɪn tˈiːz tˈɛlᵻvˌɪʒən ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti fˈoːɹ ænd nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti nˈaɪn ɹᵻspˈɛktɪvli.
During his time at Granada, he was instrumental in the takeover of Forte Group for £3.9 billion in 1996, and the takeovers of LWT and Yorkshire-Tyne Tees Television in 1994 and 1999 respectively.