Barrie Wells

Barrie Wells is an English financial services entrepreneur and businessperson, who has set up and sold two major insurance-related businesses in his career. In 2008, so inspired by the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Wells donated £2 million to a sports athletics fund to sponsor future British athletes.

The grandson of former World Pole Vault record holder Ernest Latimer Stones, Wells was born and raised in Bootle, Liverpool and educated at Merchant Taylors' School, Crosby.

Wells set up direct home and motor insurance operation Prospero Direct, which after its sale became AXA Direct. He then setup Premierline Direct, the UK's first direct commercial insurance operation which he founded with his business partner, Philippa Rothwell; this was then sold to Allianz in 2006. Wells was also a non-executive director of Marks & Spencer Money for ten years.

A keen amateur 400m runner, Wells has travelled to every Olympic Games since 1972. He has had a box at Liverpool F.C.'s Anfield ground since 2010, which he donates for the use of disabled and terminally ill children and young adults. Wells was made an Honorary Doctor of Business Administration by Edge Hill University in 2014. Wells is also a patron to Alder Hey Charity.

After being inspired by a visit to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Wells set up the Wells Sports Foundation, which was rebranded in 2015 as the Barrie Wells Trust.

Wells personally funded 18 athletes in the build up to the 2012 Olympics. He helped to make a real difference to their preparations for international sporting competitions, and experienced being part of each of the athletes' individual journeys. The first athlete sponsored was Liverpool heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson.

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