Mary Perkins
Dame Mary Perkins | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 14, 1944 United Kingdom |
| Occupation | Businesswoman |
| Known for | Co-founder of Specsavers |
Dame Mary Lesley Perkins, born on 14 February 1944, is a British billionaire and co-founder of the UK-based optometry retail chain Specsavers.
Alongside her husband and chairman Doug Perkins, she has three children involved in the family business, who are anticipated to take over leadership roles within the privately held company.
In early 2015, her personal wealth was valued at approximately £1.45 billion.
Early life
Mary Perkins received her education at Fairfield Grammar School in Bristol before pursuing optometry studies at Cardiff University, where she met Doug Perkins. During the 1960s, the couple started their initial optometry enterprise in Bristol, which expanded into a regional chain that they sold for £2 million in 1980, generating ongoing revenue. Subsequently, they moved to Guernsey, where Mary's father had chosen to retire.
Specsavers
In 1984, Mary and Doug Perkins established Specsavers in Guernsey. By 2007, the company had become the largest privately owned optician globally, operating nearly 900 outlets throughout the UK and Europe. The business reported an annual turnover of £1.5 billion in 2011 and employed more than 30,000 people across the UK, Europe, and Australasia.
As a founder, Dame Mary holds a position on the board of directors, concentrating on business growth and public relations. She is noted for anonymously visiting stores to evaluate customer service firsthand.
Awards and honours
In 2005, Perkins was awarded an honorary fellowship by Cardiff University and received the Rotary International Community and Vocational Service Award for her philanthropic efforts. The following year, she was honored with the inaugural Spirit of everywoman Award. In 2007, she became the first female UK optometrist to be appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in recognition of her contributions to business and the Guernsey community.
This distinction also acknowledged her charitable activities, such as organizing the yearly "Specsavers Liberation Tea Dance for pensioners" in Guernsey and supporting organisations like Women's Refuge and Age Concern. She serves as a patron of prominent children’s charity Kidscape and promotes cultural initiatives as Honorary Patron of Maesteg Gleemen, a Welsh male voice choir.
Perkins was conferred an Honorary Doctorate of Business by Plymouth University in 2012. By February 2013, she was listed among the top 100 most influential women in the UK by Woman's Hour on BBC Radio 4. In July 2015, she was appointed Officer Sister of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem. In October 2017, Dame Mary received the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year UK Lifetime Achievement Award for her sustained contributions to entrepreneurship and economic development.
Other
Perkins is a founding patron of Modern Muse, a nonprofit social enterprise dedicated to encouraging women’s participation in business.