Mark Watson-Gandy

The only son of Alastair Watson-Gandy and Barbara née Madry, scion of the Watson-Gandy-Brandreth gentry family.[4] In Scotland, he is accorded the courtesy territorial designation "of Myrton" as a feudal baron.[5][6]

Watson-Gandy was educated at Dr Challoner's Grammar School before going to the University of Essex, where he graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Laws (LLB).

Called to the Bar in 1990 at the Inner Temple then, in 2013, to the Eastern Caribbean Bar (British Virgin Islands), since 2017 Watson-Gandy is also a member of the Dubai Bar Association.[7] Appointed, in 2000 by Lord Williams of Mostyn, he served as a Junior Counsel to the Crown until 2012.[8]

A member of Three Stone Chambers,[9] since 1999, as a Visiting Professor of the University of Westminster, he has pioneered its LLM degree in Corporate Finance Law,[10] and is a Special Lecturer at Cass Business School.[11]

In 2013, Watson-Gandy represented Craig Whyte in litigation over the financing of his ill-fated acquisition of Rangers Football Club.[12] He also served as counsel to the court-appointed trustee in litigation leading to the overturning of the UK bankruptcy of Tom McFeely, a property developer and former IRA hunger striker,[13] as too was he counsel for the court-appointed amicus curiae in litigation over the collapse of the Stanford International Bank in Antigua and of Fairfield Sentry (Bernie Madoff's investment fund) in the British Virgin Islands.

Counsel to the Conference of Bishops for the State Visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United Kingdom in 2010,[14] he then advised Gurkha veterans for the All-Party Parliamentary Group Enquiry on Gurkha Welfare.[15]

His appointments to boards of companies as well as not-for-profit organizations include:

• Chairman of Kids MBA Ltd;[16]
• Chairman of Pure Cremation UK Ltd;[17]
• Chairman of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England;[18]
• Fellow and Head of Professional Standards for the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers;[19]
• Liveryman (now Warden) of the Scriveners' Company.[20]

On 30 April 1997, he married Emanuella Giavara, advocate on EU copyright legislation[27] and daughter of Dott. Dionisi Giuseppe Giavara.[28]

Professor Watson-Gandy and his wife live at Blackheath, London SE3, and have two children.

• SMOM: Knight of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta
• Holy See: Knight of the Order of Saint Gregory the Great
• Two Sicilies: Knight of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George
• SMOM: Cross pro Merito Melitensi;
  • Freeman of the City of London
  • Freeman of the Goldsmiths' Company.