Sir Michael Lyons was on the fast track to success from the moment when as a school boy he began helping his father, who was employed as a greyhound starter at an East London dog track.
The early experience made him determined to better himself through eduction.
He attended Stratford Grammar School in the East End and at the age of 20 began working as a market trader while completing his education at Middlesex University and the University of London.
After an early career as a public sector economist, he began a life-long relationship with the Midlands by taking a position as a lecturer at Nottingham University. By 1980 he had become a Labour member of Birmingham City Council.
But life as a politician did not suit 'Mick' Lyons. He decided to cross the divide by joining the ranks of council officers, quickly becoming chief executive of Wolverhampton Council in 1985 before taking a similar position at Nottinghamshire County Council.
By 1994, Michael Lyons had reached the top of the local government tree by becoming chief executive of Birmingham City Council, Britain's largest local authority. He was knighted in 2000 for services to local government and promptly let it be known he wished to be called Sir Michael rather than Sir Mick - a move many interpreted as a desire to bring a little more gravitas to the Lyons brand.
His period in charge at the city council was a time of immense change for Birmingham. Sir Michael left behind him a huge legacy by overseeing important regeneration projects including the construction of Brindleyplace and pedestrianisation of the city centre. He helped pull together the Birmingham Alliance, the partnership behind development of the new Bullring.
But it was not all plain sailing. The council's housing and social services departments were regarded as among the worst in the country and were to remain so until 2005.
When he left the city council, at the age of 51after seven years at the top, Sir Michael said he wanted to put together a portfolio of jobs.
He has certainly done that. During the past six years he has been Professor of Public Policy at Birmingham, University and chairman of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. He has been acting chairman of the Audit Commission and a governor of the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Sir Michael is a non-executive director of MouchelParkman plc, Wragge & Co, and SQW.
He came to national notice after being asked by Gordon Brown to preside over inquiries into local authority funding and the future of local government. Controversial recommendations in the Lyons Report included allowing councils to levy a tourist tax and a supplementary business rate and the introduction of new council tax bands.
With the ink hardly dry on his report, Sir Michael's next career move was underway. It was announced in May that he was to be the first chairman of the new BBC Trust, with a remit to set out the future of the corporation as a news and public service broadcaster, while representing the views of licence-fee payers and BBC staff.
He immediately faced accusations of being a Labour crony and too close to the new prime minister, something he says is not the case. Sir Michael insists he has no more than a working relationship with Mr Brown.
"He's asked me to do three jobs for him and I've done them to the best of my ability. That's where it begins and ends," Sir Michael said.
On his appointment as BBC chairman Sir Michael resigned as a Labour Party member.
He is married with three grown up children and lives in Sutton Coldfield.
