In fact Bols required several years of financial nursing before it started to generate decent profits.

ECONOMIST: BolsWessanen

The steady cash flow from liquor would fund new food aquisitions, to be guided by Bols's brand expertise.

ECONOMIST: BolsWessanen

"This is positive news and demonstrates that higher education is still an excellent investment, " said Alex Bols, executive director of the 1994 Group of research intensive universities.

BBC: University applications up by 2.8%

Alex Bols, executive director of the 1994 Group of research intensive universities, agreed in principle with the idea that universities needed to engage with potential students at an earlier age.

BBC: Universities told to reach out to primary school pupils

That 1993 merger combined Wessanen, a wholesaler of cocoa, flour and edible oils that had branched into consumer foods, and Bols, a spirits firm with a few strong Dutch brands.

ECONOMIST: BolsWessanen

Alex Bols, executive director of the 1994 Group of research intensive universities, said that earlier figures showing a fall in applications from UK students could be because students were applying later in the admissions cycle.

BBC: University applications 'not recovering' at deadline

Alex Bols, executive director of the 1994 Group of universities said the report was an "important contribution" and that higher education did have an important role to play in aiding social mobility, but some of the recommendations gave "real cause for concern".

BBC: Education & Family