Beale was born in 1925 and was educated at Marlborough College and the London School of Economics. He joined the Shell group of companies in 1954, holding senior posts at home and abroad until 1978. He was active in London politics from 1968, becoming Chairman of Chelsea Conservative Association in 1977/78. He was a Conservative Member of the Greater London Council for Finchley and a member of Committees of the Inner London Education Authority. He was later appointed to the European Economic and Social Committee in Brussels, on which he served for eight years, [1990-1998].