John Whittaker (businessman)
Encyclopedia
John Whittaker is a British
businessman
and property
mogul
with an estimated fortune of £2,075 million placing him 28th in Sunday Times Rich List 2011
.
Whittaker is the Chairman of The Peel Group, a property investment that mainly invests in North West England
. He is regarded as an astute businessman by the media and in the property industry quarters.
Although publicity-shy, he has been named as one of the greatest business leaders for Greater Manchester
by the Manchester Evening News
and was named the most influential northerner by Big Issue magazine in 2010 thanks to his large investments in North West England
and wider afield in Northern England.
, Lancashire
which now lies in the boundaries of Greater Manchester
in 1942. Whittaker was educated at the Ampleforth College
, a Catholic boarding school in Yorkshire
. It was here he considered becoming a Catholic priest, but decided against such a vocation to join the family business which was at the time Peel Mills.
Whittaker, 69, sold the 1.5m sq ft Trafford Centre
to Capital Shopping Centres
in January 2011. Under the terms of the deal, which valued the Manchester
scheme at £1.6 billion, his company Peel took shares in CSC worth £636m and he joined its board as deputy chairman. It attracts more than 30m visitors a year, which Whittaker attributes in part to the flamboyant baroque decoration, including one of the world's biggest chandeliers. "It is the people's palace...the Dallas effect" he says. Whittaker who runs his empire from an office within the centre's giant dome, nearly became a Roman Catholic priest
but instead followed his family into business. The Whittakers had been involved with textiles, quarrying and farming since the 1850s, though the young scion focused on property, including Peel textile mills, built in Bury
to honour Sir Robert Peel
. Peel like Whittaker was a native of the town. Peel Group's net assets stand at £2.8 billion. It embraces airports, ports, utilities and renewable energy and investment property in the tax haven of Bermuda
. One big project currently underway is Ocean Gateway, a £50 billion housing and retail redevelopment on the Manchester Ship Canal
and River Mersey
. Whittaker hopes the Manchester development will become a Chinese business hub. He accompanied the Prime Minister
on his trade mission to Beijing
in 2010.
In 2010, his wealth doubled from £1.01 billion to £2.07 billion, mainly thanks to the £1.65 billion sale of the Trafford Centre
.
In 2011, Peel's bid to increase its approximately 30% stake in The Pinewood Studios Group
to 100% through a bid against fellow UK-based billionaire, Mohamed Al Fayed. After increasing the bid to £96.1 million ($160 million), it appeared the bid would be successful. The Group is also behind MediaCityUK, a development in the northern English city of Salford
, Greater Manchester
, that will serve as the BBC
’s new headquarters.
attempted to purchase the Trafford Centre
, insiders saw Whittaker as "formidable opposition" and a "very astute, very clever and a very good businessman". One such example of his astute business mind was convincing the BBC
to reject three other sites across Manchester to move to MediaCityUK in Salford Quays
. The presence of the BBC would then act as a magnet to attract indie production companies to Salford and The Peel Group would make money off the rent and lease agreements on the development.
where he owns Billown Mansion. He has four children Mark, James, Kate and John.
Whittaker donated £1m to Royal Manchester Children's Hospital
and supports the children's medical research charity Sparks
. The donation was partly attributed to the stillborn death of his granddaughter in 2003.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
businessman
Businessperson
A businessperson is someone involved in a particular undertaking of activities for the purpose of generating revenue from a combination of human, financial, or physical capital. An entrepreneur is an example of a business person...
and property
Property
Property is any physical or intangible entity that is owned by a person or jointly by a group of people or a legal entity like a corporation...
mogul
Mogul
-Person:*Magnate**Business magnate, a prominent person in a particular industry**Media mogul, a person who controls, either through personal ownership or a dominant position, any media enterprise-Technology:...
with an estimated fortune of £2,075 million placing him 28th in Sunday Times Rich List 2011
Sunday Times Rich List 2011
The Sunday Times Rich List 2011 is the 23rd annual survey of the wealthiest people in the United Kingdom, published by The Sunday Times on 8 May 2011...
.
Whittaker is the Chairman of The Peel Group, a property investment that mainly invests in North West England
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
. He is regarded as an astute businessman by the media and in the property industry quarters.
Although publicity-shy, he has been named as one of the greatest business leaders for Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
by the Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
The Manchester Evening News is a regional daily newspaper covering Greater Manchester in the United Kingdom. It is published every day except Sunday and is owned by Trinity Mirror plc following its sale by Guardian Media Group in early 2010. It has an average daily circulation of 90,973 copies...
and was named the most influential northerner by Big Issue magazine in 2010 thanks to his large investments in North West England
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
and wider afield in Northern England.
Early life
Whittaker was born to John and May Whittaker in BuryBury
Bury is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Irwell, east of Bolton, west-southwest of Rochdale, and north-northwest of the city of Manchester...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
which now lies in the boundaries of Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
in 1942. Whittaker was educated at the Ampleforth College
Ampleforth College
Ampleforth College in North Yorkshire, England, is the largest Roman Catholic co-educational boarding independent school in the United Kingdom. It opened in 1802, as a boys' school, and is run by the Benedictine monks and lay staff of Ampleforth Abbey...
, a Catholic boarding school in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
. It was here he considered becoming a Catholic priest, but decided against such a vocation to join the family business which was at the time Peel Mills.
The Peel Group
In the 1980s he fought a bitter battle to take over the Manchester Ship Canal Company, out of which the Trafford Centre emerged.Whittaker, 69, sold the 1.5m sq ft Trafford Centre
Trafford Centre
The Trafford Centre is a large indoor shopping centre and leisure complex situated in the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford in Greater Manchester, close to the Trafford Park industrial estate and approximately 5 miles from Manchester city centre. It is the highest valued shopping centre in the...
to Capital Shopping Centres
Capital Shopping Centres
Capital Shopping Centres Group plc is a United Kingdom-based Real Estate Investment Trust , largely focused on shopping centre management and development. Formerly named Liberty International plc, it changed its name to that of its major subsidiary in May 2010 after demerging its Capital & Counties...
in January 2011. Under the terms of the deal, which valued the Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
scheme at £1.6 billion, his company Peel took shares in CSC worth £636m and he joined its board as deputy chairman. It attracts more than 30m visitors a year, which Whittaker attributes in part to the flamboyant baroque decoration, including one of the world's biggest chandeliers. "It is the people's palace...the Dallas effect" he says. Whittaker who runs his empire from an office within the centre's giant dome, nearly became a Roman Catholic priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
but instead followed his family into business. The Whittakers had been involved with textiles, quarrying and farming since the 1850s, though the young scion focused on property, including Peel textile mills, built in Bury
Bury
Bury is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Irwell, east of Bolton, west-southwest of Rochdale, and north-northwest of the city of Manchester...
to honour Sir Robert Peel
Robert Peel
Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet was a British Conservative statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 December 1834 to 8 April 1835, and again from 30 August 1841 to 29 June 1846...
. Peel like Whittaker was a native of the town. Peel Group's net assets stand at £2.8 billion. It embraces airports, ports, utilities and renewable energy and investment property in the tax haven of Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
. One big project currently underway is Ocean Gateway, a £50 billion housing and retail redevelopment on the Manchester Ship Canal
Manchester Ship Canal
The Manchester Ship Canal is a river navigation 36 miles long in the North West of England. Starting at the Mersey Estuary near Liverpool, it generally follows the original routes of the rivers Mersey and Irwell through the historic counties of Cheshire and Lancashire. Several sets of locks lift...
and River Mersey
River Mersey
The River Mersey is a river in North West England. It is around long, stretching from Stockport, Greater Manchester, and ending at Liverpool Bay, Merseyside. For centuries, it formed part of the ancient county divide between Lancashire and Cheshire....
. Whittaker hopes the Manchester development will become a Chinese business hub. He accompanied the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
on his trade mission to Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
in 2010.
In 2010, his wealth doubled from £1.01 billion to £2.07 billion, mainly thanks to the £1.65 billion sale of the Trafford Centre
Trafford Centre
The Trafford Centre is a large indoor shopping centre and leisure complex situated in the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford in Greater Manchester, close to the Trafford Park industrial estate and approximately 5 miles from Manchester city centre. It is the highest valued shopping centre in the...
.
In 2011, Peel's bid to increase its approximately 30% stake in The Pinewood Studios Group
The Pinewood Studios Group
The Pinewood Studios Group is a multinational film studio company headquartered in Iver Heath, United Kingdom...
to 100% through a bid against fellow UK-based billionaire, Mohamed Al Fayed. After increasing the bid to £96.1 million ($160 million), it appeared the bid would be successful. The Group is also behind MediaCityUK, a development in the northern English city of Salford
City of Salford
The City of Salford is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It is named after its largest settlement, Salford, but covers a far larger area which includes the towns of Eccles, Swinton-Pendlebury, Walkden and Irlam which apart from Irlam each have a population of over...
, Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
, that will serve as the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
’s new headquarters.
Business reputation
Whittaker has been regarded as a publicity-shy businessman who rarely gives interviews. In 2010 when Simon Property GroupSimon Property Group
Simon Property Group, Inc. is an American commercial real estate company, ranked #1 in the United States as the largest real estate investment trust. Simon is a fully integrated real estate company which operates from five retail real estate platforms: regional malls, Premium Outlet Centers, The...
attempted to purchase the Trafford Centre
Trafford Centre
The Trafford Centre is a large indoor shopping centre and leisure complex situated in the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford in Greater Manchester, close to the Trafford Park industrial estate and approximately 5 miles from Manchester city centre. It is the highest valued shopping centre in the...
, insiders saw Whittaker as "formidable opposition" and a "very astute, very clever and a very good businessman". One such example of his astute business mind was convincing the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
to reject three other sites across Manchester to move to MediaCityUK in Salford Quays
Salford Quays
Salford Quays is an area of Salford in Greater Manchester, England, near the end of the Manchester Ship Canal. Previously the site of Manchester Docks, it became one of the first and largest urban regeneration projects in the United Kingdom following the closure of the dockyards in...
. The presence of the BBC would then act as a magnet to attract indie production companies to Salford and The Peel Group would make money off the rent and lease agreements on the development.
Personal life
Whittaker currently resides on the Isle of ManIsle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
where he owns Billown Mansion. He has four children Mark, James, Kate and John.
Whittaker donated £1m to Royal Manchester Children's Hospital
Royal Manchester Children's Hospital
The Royal Manchester Children's Hospital is a children's hospital based in Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester, England. It is part of the Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust...
and supports the children's medical research charity Sparks
Sparks (charity)
Sparks is a children's medical research charity. Their sole remit is to fund research across the whole spectrum of paediatric medicine. Their vision is a world where all babies are born healthy and stay healthy.- History :...
. The donation was partly attributed to the stillborn death of his granddaughter in 2003.