Early in his career, Abell worked for Ford (1962–65), AEI (1965–67), and First National Finance Corporation (1972–73).
He was a senior executive at Leyland, including acting as treasurer and sitting on the board.
[9] The DTI investigated his sharedealings in the late 1980s; it found no wrongdoing but noted misleading statements.
[10][11] During Abell's ownership of Suter, the business acquired a number of divisions of the former SP Industries (Leyland Special Products) of which he had been managing director, including Prestcold[12] and the Lyne Printers subsidiary of the Nuffield Press.
[13] From May 1997 he has been the chairman of Jourdan, former makers of the Corby Trouser Press, when he replaced Keith Whitten.