Michael Levy, Baron Levy

Michael Abraham Levy, Baron Levy, (born 11 July 1944) is a former music industry executive and Labour peer.

He is the President of Community Service Volunteers (CSV), Jewish Care, Jewish Free School (JFS) and Jewish Lads' and Girls' Brigade (JLGB).

Levy was the chief fundraiser for the UK Labour Party. A long-standing friend of former Prime Minister, Tony Blair, Lord Levy spent nine years as Tony Blair's special envoy to the Middle East, being replaced by Gordon Brown's appointee, Lord Williams of Baglan, from September 2007.

Early life

Born in Stoke Newington, North London, to devout Jewish immigrant parents of modest means, Levy was educated at Grocers, later known as Hackney Downs School.

Music career

Levy qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1966 (ACA then FCA) and set up a very successful professional accountancy practice.

The practice attracted a great number of clients in the music and entertainment industry and Levy became a specialist in international copyright and licence.