William Maxwell "Max" Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook (25 May 1879 – 9 June 1964) was a Canadian-British politician, diplomat, businessman, and writer. He served in the British Parliament early in the 20th century, and was granted a peerage in 1917. During World War II, he served in the cabinet of Prime Minister Winston Churchill. He was a divisive figure for most of his life, loved and hated in equal measure.