John Caudwell
John Caudwell | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 7, 1952 Birmingham, England |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, philanthropist |
| Known for | Founder of Phones 4u, chairman of Caudwell Children |
| Notable work | Founder of Midland Mobile Phones, Caudwell Group |
John David Caudwell (born 7 October 1952) is a British billionaire entrepreneur, best known as the founder of the now-defunct mobile phone retailer Phones 4u. His investment portfolio spans fashion, real estate, and various other industries. He also serves as chairman of Caudwell Children, a charity dedicated to children's welfare, and leads Caudwell LymeCo, an organization advocating contentious views on chronic Lyme disease within the UK.
As reported by the Sunday Times Rich List in 2022, Caudwell’s fortune was estimated at £1.58 billion. On the Forbes 2022 list of billionaires, he was ranked #984 with an estimated net worth of US$2.8 billion.
Early life
Caudwell was born in Birmingham but relocated as an infant to Stoke-on-Trent, growing up in Shelton, Staffordshire. He attended Shelton Church of England School before moving on to Berry Hill High School and Sports College. When Caudwell was 14, his father suffered a stroke and passed away four years later.
He discontinued his A-level studies to begin an apprenticeship at Michelin, where he worked several years as an engineering foreman while earning a HNC in mechanical engineering. Concurrently, he managed a corner shop and launched a mail-order clothing enterprise aimed at motorcycle enthusiasts.
Caudwell Group
In 1987, Caudwell founded Midland Mobile Phones as a wholesaler of mobile devices, initially purchasing 26 Motorola handsets at £1,350 each. It took eight months to sell these units to local dealers at £2,500 apiece, with the company experiencing losses during its first two years. This venture expanded into the Caudwell Group, encompassing the mobile network operator Singlepoint and the retail chain Phones4U. The group also acquired The Discovery Store in 2001, rebranding it as Must Have It in 2004 before shutting it down in 2005. In 2003, Caudwell sold Singlepoint to Vodafone for £405 million. Eventually, on 26 September 2006, the entire Caudwell Group was sold for £1.46 billion to private equity firms Providence Equity Partners and Doughty Hanson.
Other projects
Caudwell owned the South African F1 Powerboat team named Caudwell Racing from 2012 until its dissolution during the 2014 season. The team distinguished itself by utilizing innovative four-stroke engines rather than conventional two-stroke models but did not resume competition in 2015.
Charity interests
In 1999, Caudwell was appointed president of the North Staffordshire branch of the NSPCC and acted as regional representative for its Full Stop campaign. He established Caudwell Children in 2000, dedicating considerable personal resources and time annually to its cause. While primarily focused on aiding children, the charity has been subject to criticism for endorsing unverified medical treatments and connections with anti-vaccination advocates. The National Autistic Society requested that claims suggesting its endorsement be withdrawn.
In October 2011, Caudwell contributed a six-figure sum toward saving Middleport Pottery in Stoke-on-Trent through the Prince's Regeneration Trust. A year later, in October 2012, he was a leading private donor supporting London's RAF Bomber Command Memorial Appeal.
In February 2013, Caudwell joined the Giving Pledge initiated by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, committing to donate at least half of his wealth to charitable causes during his lifetime.
His philanthropic support extends to organizations such as the Prince's Regeneration Trust, Marie Curie (charity), the Elton John AIDS Foundation, Ark (charity), Great Ormond Street Hospital, and the Carers Trust. He frequently participates in long-distance charity cycling events; notably, in 2012 he raised £58,021 for Caudwell Children by cycling from Land's End to John o' Groats.
In recognition of his charitable contributions, Caudwell received the Noble Gift Philanthropreneur Award in December 2012.
In 2019, Caudwell Children inaugurated the £18 million Caudwell International Children’s Centre in Staffordshire to provide support services for children with autism.
Politics
In April 2010, Caudwell contributed £2,000 to the general election campaign fund of Conservative MP Bill Cash.
Ahead of the 2019 United Kingdom general election, he became the largest benefactor to the Conservative Party by donating £500,000. At that time, he expressed concerns that many affluent individuals, himself included, would consider leaving the UK should the Labour Party assume power and increase taxation.
During the 2022 Westminster lockdown parties controversy, Caudwell publicly questioned the direction of Conservative leadership under Boris Johnson.
By 2024, he shifted his political allegiance, endorsing the Labour Party for the 2024 United Kingdom general election. He cited shortcomings during Johnson's tenure and described Labour as "the very best for Britain going forward," despite some differences in policy views.
Brexit
Caudwell is recognized as a prominent Brexiteer among Britain's billionaire class. He has criticized UK politicians as lacking courage and referred to the EU as "Brussels bully boys," expressing dissatisfaction with what he perceived as political hesitation. He advocated that adopting a no-deal Brexit position represented the strongest negotiating leverage for achieving a favorable agreement with the EU.
Climate Change
In 2023, Caudwell condemned Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for diluting environmental policies, labeling such actions as “madness” and suggesting this might prompt him to transfer his political support to the Labour.
Personal life
Caudwell was married to Kate McFarlane for 25 years until their divorce in 2001; together they had three children. Subsequently, he had a short relationship with violinist Jane Burgess, with whom he shares a daughter. He also spent 15 years with former model Claire Johnson, resulting in a son; their partnership ended in 2014.
In 2015, Caudwell disclosed that 11 members of his family, including himself and his former wife, were diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease, a diagnosis that remains contentious. Three years later, in 2018, he committed over £1 million towards Lyme disease research funding, contingent upon matching contributions from the NHS.
Since 2015, his partner has been Lithuanian ex-Olympic cyclist Modesta Vžesniauskaitė. They have two children: a son born in March 2021 and a daughter born in March 2023. Vžesniauskaitė also has a son from a prior marriage.
Caudwell owns several homes, including Broughton Hall in Staffordshire, residences in Monaco, and a property in London's Mayfair.