Luke Johnson (businessperson)

Luke Johnson
Luke Johnson speaking at Warwick Economics Summit 2014
Born	(1962-02-02) 2 February 1962 (age 55)
Nationality	British
Other names	Cool Hand Luke
Alma mater	Magdalen College, Oxford
Occupation	Entrepreneur
Net worth	£220 million (2015)
Children	3
Parent(s)	Paul Johnson and Marigold Hunt
Relatives	Daniel Johnson (brother)
Website	http://www.lukejohnson.org/

Luke Oliver Johnson (born 2 February 1962), is a British entrepreneur, best known for his involvement with Pizza Express chain. He is a former chairman of the Royal Society of Arts and Channel 4. He writes a weekly column for The Sunday Times. Johnson calls himself a "projector", in line with the 17th century term for a man involved in many different businesses. However, others regard him as just a serial entrepreneur. He is the part owner and chairman of Patisserie Valerie, Gail's Artisan Bakery and Feng Sushi among other businesses. He is a former owner of The Ivy, Le Caprice and J Sheekey restaurants and a former part owner of Giraffe Restaurants.

The son of historian Paul Johnson and brother of Daniel Johnson, he spent his early years in Iver, Buckinghamshire, and was educated at the state-owned Langley Grammar School in Langley, Berkshire, and at Magdalen College, Oxford.

Whilst at university Johnson together with fellow student Hugh Osmond (later founder of Punch Taverns) interviewed Richard Branson on his houseboat in London for the student newspaper. This gave the pair the inspiration to go into business and they began running the Era nightclub in Oxford. By the time of graduation, he and Osmond were running businesses from software to clubs.