Joe R Edwards (Chairman 1970)

Sir John Mallabar announced his resignation as chairman in March 1970 and was replaced by J.R. Edwards. A former managing director of the British Motor Corporation he was regarded as one of the most successful production engineers in the history of the motor industry. He had also served on the board of Joseph Lucas Industries, which manufactured electrical equipment for motor vehicles.

Edwards was technically retired and had no experience of the shipbuilding industry, but his appointment was supposed to be a temporary one until government decided the fate of Harland & Wolff. However, in the short term Edwards had to work on the day-to-day concerns of running a shipyard.

Due to reservations by the Shipbuilding Industry Board and the Northern Ireland Government to the strength of senior managers, especially as several senior excecutive directors were on the point of retiring. By December 1970 Edwards resigned as Chairman.