Bobby Arora
Bobby Arora | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth year and age United Kingdom |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Known for | Trading director of B&M |
Bobby Arora (born January 1972) is a British billionaire entrepreneur and currently holds the position of trading director at the retail company B&M.
Early life
Bobby was born in January 1972 into an Indian family. His father relocated from Delhi to the United Kingdom during the 1960s.
Career
In 1995, Bobby, alongside his brother Simon Arora, established Orient Sourcing Services, a business specializing in importing household goods from Asia for retailers within the UK. They purchased B&M in 2004, which at the time was a struggling grocery chain based in Blackpool. Since 2005, Bobby has been serving as the trading director of B&M.
Together with his brothers Simon and Robin Arora, they have collectively amassed £2.1 billion following their acquisition of B&M. Their earnings saw significant growth throughout the COVID-19 pandemic period.
COVID-19 rates relief
During March 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, Rishi Sunak, then serving as Chancellor of the Exchequer, introduced measures including business rates relief and furlough schemes aimed at supporting hospitality and retail industries. Classified as an 'essential retailer', B&M continued operations while many non-essential businesses were forced to close.
In November 2020, B&M came under public scrutiny for retaining £1.8 billion in government support intended for businesses that had to shut down, despite posting record profits. The company reported profits of £296 million and declared a special dividend of £250 million, having benefited from £38 million in business rates relief and £3.7 million through furlough payments. The Arora brothers, owning 15% of shares valued at more than £750 million, received £37 million from this dividend.
In response to public criticism, B&M committed to repaying £80 million of its business rates relief, a move similarly undertaken by leading supermarket chains such as Tesco, Sainsbury's, and Morrisons.
Personal life
Simon Arora characterizes his brother Bobby as a "natural trader". Bobby lives in Hale Barns, near Altrincham, close to Simon's residence. Notably, in May 2023, a helicopter transporting Prime Minister Rishi Sunak landed on Bobby Arora's property.
He is also known to contribute financially to the Conservative Party.