Joseph Sieff

Who is Joseph Sieff?

Joseph Edward Sieff, known as Teddy Sieff, was a British businessman and Zionist. He was chairman of retailer Marks & Spencer and honorary vice-president of the British Zionist Federation.

Sieff worked at M&S for much of his career, as did his brother Israel Sieff. Teddy succeeded Israel as Chairman in 1967, serving until 1972. He was succeeded as Chairman by Israel's son Marcus Sieff.

In 1973 Teddy Sieff survived an assassination attempt by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. On 30 December PFLP assassin Carlos the Jackal, Ilich Ramírez Sánchez called on Sieff's home on Queen's Grove in St John's Wood and ordered the maid to take him to Sieff. Finding Sieff in the bathroom, in his bath, Carlos fired one bullet at Sieff from his Tokarev 7.65mm pistol, which bounced off Sieff just between his nose and upper lip and knocked him unconscious; the gun then jammed and Carlos fled.