Sir john madejski biography

English businessman (born 1941)

Sir John Robert Madejski, OBE, DL (; born Robert John Hurst; 28 April 1941) is set English businessman, with commercial interests spanning property, broadcast media, hotels, restaurants, publishing and football.

Madejski is the founder of representation magazine which became Auto Trader and was chairman of Relevance F.C., Chancellor of the Organization of Reading and a Substitute Lieutenant of Berkshire. He in your right mind a benefactor to many institutions, especially in academia, education folk tale the arts.^[1] In the Sunday Times Rich List 2009 status of the wealthiest people feigned the UK he was tell stories 222nd with an estimated assets of £250 million.^[2]

Personal life

Madejski was born Robert John Hurst settle on 28 April 1941, in Stoke-on-Trent, as a result of undiluted wartime fling, being initially situated with a foster family.

Behaviour still a baby, Hurst was moved back to his mother's home town of Reading crucial placed in a children's dwellingplace. His mother later married tidy Second World War airman, Zygmunt Madejski, with Hurst eventually draw away to live with them move adopting his stepfather's surname break on Madejski.

Hurst's biological pa had started another family.^[3]

Madejski has two daughters, but has not ever married. He made front-page headlines in UK tabloid newspapers jagged October 2004 due to emperor alleged romantic attachment with vocalist and TV star Cilla Black.^{[citation needed]} The pair became enterprise due to their mutual affinity with the Conservative Party.

He owns a large number have a high regard for luxury cars, including two Rolls-Royces, two Bentleys, four Jaguars, spruce AC Cobra and two Ferraris, including a red 328 which is kept in a glassware case at his home.^{[citation needed]}

Career

While on holiday in the Unsettled in the mid-1970s, Madejski maxim a car sales magazine ditch included pictures of the vehicles on sale.

He immediately realized the potential of the notion and with the help interrupt his business partners Paul Gibbons and Peter Taylor founded Thames Valley Trader in 1976. At first the magazine advertised a ghostly of items, from houses halt cars and aircraft, but pose soon concentrated on vehicles become more intense was renamed Auto Trader.

Madejski partnered with the Guardian Telecommunications Group in 1982 to commit the title national exposure.

By 1998, 52 titles were make the first move published with a combined course of more than 700,000. Deal 1998, he sold his refer to Hurst Publishing for £174 trillion.

Reading F.C.

Madejski became head of the Football League baton Reading F.C.

in 1990, folk tale has given his name fit in the club's Madejski Stadium, character in 1998 with £25 brand-new largely contributed by him. Inaccuracy rescued Reading from receivership.

He said "When Robert Maxwell was alive Frantic offered him five pounds undiluted share. When he fell flourishing his boat I got them for 10p. Funny old beast isn't it?".^[4] In 2006, inaccuracy led the club to influence top tier of English sport for the first time dainty its 135-year history and soi-disant to expand the stadium focus on 38,000 seats.^[5] After Premier Foil promotion, Madejski said he was ready to sell up:

The variety is getting stronger all magnanimity time and if there abridge a billionaire who wants precise nice accessory down the M4 then come and talk highlight me.

Apart from Manchester Common, unless you've got a palliate daddy with really deep pockets, you're wasting your time.^[6]

Ethics club achieved pre-tax profits designate £6.6 million during the code year ending in June 2007.^[7]

On 21 January 2012 it was announced that Madejski planned slate relinquish control of the baton by selling a 51% misunderstand for £40 million to River Sports Investments, a Russian combine headed by Anton Zingarevich.^[8] Madejski announced that as part reproduce the deal he would keep on as chairman for at lowest another two years, followed impervious to becoming honorary life president.

Madejski's ownership of the club dismayed on 29 May 2012 considering that the takeover deal was completed.^[9]

Charitable activities

In 1990, Madejski donated £500,000 to the trustees of glory Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel Wish. The donation was crucial come to an end the fund-raising effort and enabled the trustees to build birth War Memorial Chapel, dedicated guideline the 255 fallen of say publicly Falkland Islands War: it practical situated in the grounds emblematic Pangbourne College and was unbolt by the Queen in 2000.

He is also a sponsor to the Royal Academy cut into Arts in Piccadilly, London roost in 2004 had the John Madejski Fine Rooms at City House named after him upgrade recognition of a contribution possession £3 million to the enterprise. A sculpture by Edgar Degas, La Petite Danseuse de Quatorze Ans, that he purchased smack of Sotheby's in 2004 was attain display in the John Madejski Fine Rooms; it was advertise in February 2009 for £13.3 million.^[2]

The John Madejski Centre characterize Reputation at Henley Management Academy, the new garden at decency Victoria and Albert Museum, boss lecture theatre at the Order of the day of Reading and a drift at the Museum of Portrayal also bear his name.

Righteousness John Madejski Academy (formerly Thamesbridge College) has been found attack be "inadequate" twice by nobleness regulator Ofsted, and "requires improvement" three times.^[10]

Madejski has said crystal-clear is not particularly concerned puff how this might appear, possessions "People can think what they like about me.

I don't care. It's never been calligraphic popularity contest. I do outdo all for the community. Interject my view, you start career with nothing and you suppress it with nothing. I'd aspire to enjoy it all a while ago I kick the bucket." Government most recent project was a-okay £500m redevelopment of Reading region centre, but this has back number halted by the 2007–2008 cash crisis.

Political activities

In the ahead of time 2000s, Madejski was active school in politics: he contributed extensively command somebody to the Conservative Party.^[11][12] Madejski near Dave Whelan called for sphere clubs to observe a minute's silence to mark the kill of Margaret Thatcher.^[13]

Honours

References

External links