John Ritblat

John Ritblat in 2011

Sir John Henry Ritblat FRICS FSVA (born 3 October 1935) is an English property developer and Honorary President and formerly Chairman and CEO of The British Land Company PLC an FTSE100 London-based property company.

Career

Ritblat was born in Hampstead and educated at Dulwich College and the College of Estate Management.

He acquired British Land from Jim Slater in 1970 for £1m, and retired as Chairman in 2006. [1]

Since June 2001, Ritblat has been the non-executive Chairman of property advisory Colliers CRE. [2] [3]

He is Chairman of the Avisory Board of Delancey, the property and asset-backed investment firm founded in 1995 by his son Jamie Ritblat (b 1967), which owns the Alpha Plus group of schools of which Sir John is the Chairman of the Board of Governors.

He has donated to the Conservative Party.[4]

Patron of the arts

With his second wife Jill (née Zilkha) [5] he is a leading patron of the arts.

He is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Wallace Collection, Chairman of the Governing Body of The London Business School and Honorary Fellow, a Member of the Council of The Royal Institution and Honorary President of The British Ski & Snowboard Federation, Deputy Chairman of The Royal Academy of Music and Honorary Fellow. Hon. Fellow of The Royal Institute of The British Architects. D.Litt London Metropolitan University. Vice Chairman of The International Students House.

The John Ritblat gallery of The British Library houses some of the finest items in their collection for public display, it is named after him since he was a major benefactor during the building of the gallery and donated one million pounds towards the gallery's display cases.

He is also Vice Chair of International Students House, London.

References

  1. ↑ Connon, Heather (16 July 2006). "Charmer who built a property megalith". The Observer (London).
  2. ↑ http://www.collierscre.com/about/boardOfDirectors.aspx
  3. ↑ The Guardian (London) Charmer who built a property megalith http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2006/jul/16/theobserver.observerbusiness3 Charmer who built a property megalith. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ↑ http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jul/01/-sp-tory-summer-party-drew-super-rich-supporters-with-total-wealth-of-11bn
  5. ↑ "Lady Ritblatt". Debretts People of Today.

External links