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Giles Clarke (born 1955) is a British businessman and cricket enthusiast, who is currently chair of the England and Wales Cricket Board.
Biography
Clarke was educated at Rugby School and Oriel College, University of Oxford, graduating with a MA in Persian with Arabic.
Business career
Clarke began his career as an investment banker with CSFB. In 1981 he founded Majestic Wine, where as Chairman he built it into a UK national chain, selling the business for £15 million in 1989. In 1990 he founded Pet City, where as CEO he built it into a chain of 94 stores. After taking the business public in 1995, he sold the business for £150 million in 1996. In 1998, Clarke founded Safestore, building it into the UK's third largest self storage company, selling it to Bridgepoint Capital for £44million in August 2003.
Clarke is currently Chairman and controlling shareholder of:
- ATL Telecom - Cardiff based data transmission design equipment company, which manufactures in China
- Fosters Event Catering - a West Country based independent caterer.
- CCI International - the UK's largest clay pigeon equipment manufacturer
- West Country Business Systems - develops software systems for managing independent schools.
- Boston Tea Party - a West Country based chain of coffee shops
- Pure Wafer plc - presently the only European based silicon chip test wafer reclaim company
Clarke is also Chairman of the advisory board of the venture capital company Hamilton Bradshaw, alongside majority sharholder CEO James Caan.
Public service
Clarke is a National Council member of the Learning and Skills Council, the largest quango in the UK with a budget of £10 billion, responsible for all UK adult learning. Clarke is also a member of the Adult Learning Committee, a statutory body set up by the UK Parliament.
Clarke is also Deputy Chairman of the Bristol Old Vic Theatre, and a patron of Changing Faces, the UK national charity supporting and representing people with disfigurement.
Cricket
Clarke became chairman of Somerset County Cricket Club, becoming instrumental in developing the club both on and off field. He resultantly became a non-executive director of the England and Wales Cricket Board, and as Chairman of Marketing led the negotiations for their new four year TV and radio broadcasting rights deal signed with BSkyB, Channel Five and the BBC in December 2004. In summer 2007 he was voted in as Chairman of the ECB.