Stephen Rubin

Stephen Rubin OBE
Born	Robert Stephen Rubin December 1937 (age 79)
Nationality	British
Education	Canford School
Alma mater	University College, London
Occupation	Chairman of Pentland Group
Net worth	GB£1.23 billion (2015) US$1.75 billion (February 2016)
Spouse(s)	Angela Rubin
Children	4
Parent(s)	Berko and Minnie Rubin

Robert Stephen Rubin OBE (born December 1937), is a British businessman. He is the chairman, and co-owner (alongside members of his family) of Pentland Group, the holding company for a number of sporting goods companies.

Robert Stephen Rubin was born in December 1937. After attending Canford School in Dorset, Rubin graduated from University College, London in 1958 with a degree in law, with the intention of becoming a barrister.

After he unsuccessfully stood for the House of Commons at Streatham as a Liberal Party parliamentary candidate in 1959, aged 21, he joined the Liverpool Shoe Company, founded by his parents, Berko and Minnie Rubin. He was joint managing director with his father for 10 years until his father's death in 1969, when he took the role of chairman.

Rubin transformed the company, renamed Pentland Group in 1973, into the UK's largest sports apparel and footwear company, owning a number of brands including Berghaus, Brasher, Ellesse, Hunter, Mitre and Speedo, amongst others. It is also the majority owner of JD Sports Fashion plc. Its success largely came from an investment in August 1981, acquiring 55% of Reebok for US$77,500. By 1983/84, Reebok accounted for 70% of Pentland's turnover. Pentland's shares rose from 55p at the start of 1984 to GB£3 at the end of the year and up to GB£10 in 1985, while profits rose from GB£1 million in 1983 to GB£12.9 million in 1985. Rubin then sold off Pentland's stake in Reebok for US$770m in 1991.

Rubin was chairman and chief executive of Pentland until 1998 when he split his role and appointed his son, Andrew, chief executive, retaining the post of chairman.

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