James Sherwood

James Blair Sherwood was born in Newcastle, Pennsylvania,^[1] the son of William Sherwood, a patent attorney, and Florence.^[2] He grew up in Lexington, Kentucky, and earned a degree in economics from Yale University.^[3] Sherwood learned about shipping first in the United States Navy, spending three years as a cargo officer, and then working for United States Lines and CTI for six years.

In 1965, Sherwood founded Bermuda-based, New York Stock Exchange listed, London-headquartered shipping company Sea Containers with initial capital of $100,000.^[4] Over forty years Sherwood expanded Sea Containers from a supplier of leased cargo containers, into various shipping companies, as well as expanding the company into luxury hotels and railway trains, including the Venice-Simplon Orient Express^[5] and Great North Eastern Railway that operated the InterCity East Coast franchise.^[6]

Although valued with a net worth of £60million in the 2004 Sunday Times Rich List,^[7] as Sea Containers hit financial troubles, he resigned as Co-Chief Executive Officer from each of his companies in 2006.^[8] He continued as a Director of Orient Express Hotels Ltd until retiring on 9 June 2011. He was later designated as Founder and Chairman Emeritus.^[9]

In 1977, Sherwood married the writer and botanist Shirley Cross.^[10][2] Her sons, Simon and Charles, from her previous marriage adopted his surname.^[2]

He died on May 18, 2020, of complications after abdominal surgery, aged 86.^[1][11]