Commercial baron. Born in Edinburgh, Yule joined the industrial concern established by his uncle, Andrew Yule and Company Ltd. which produced tea, jute and paper and brought these commodities from India to the Britain. Yule spent much of his life in India and contributed greatly to building infrastructure and the economy of that country.
In addition to his own companies, of which he became sole director in 1902 on his uncle's death, Yule was a Director of the Midland Bank, the Mercantile Bank of India, Vickers Ltd., and the Royal Exchange Assurance company. In 1926, he purchased the Daily Chronicle newspaper from Lloyd George, who had purchased it in a fit of pique eight years previously.
He was knighted during a visit of King George V to the sub-continent in 1911.
Yule died in St. Albans. His widow inherited £9 million, an extraordinary sum for the time, and continued his passion for breeding race-horses while becoming a pioneer of the British film industry. He lies within a mausoleum built next to his home, Hanstead House.