Tom Hunter
| Sir Thomas Blane Hunter | |
|---|---|
| Born |
6 May 1961 New Cumnock, Ayrshire |
| Alma mater | University of Strathclyde |
| Occupation | Property and sports goods |
| Net worth | £1.05 billion ($1.62 billion) |
Sir Thomas Blane Hunter (born 6 May 1961) is a Scottish businessman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist.
In April 2007, Hunter was reported in the Sunday Times Rich List as the first ever home-grown billionaire in Scotland, with an estimated wealth of £1.05 billion. Due to the financial crisis of 2007–2010 slicing an estimated £250 million from his fortune, Hunter was overtaken as Scotland's richest man in late 2007 by Jim McColl, head of Glasgow engineering firm Clyde Blowers, who has an estimated fortune of £800 million.
Tom set up his first business after graduating from Strathclyde University as he was in his own words "unemployable". With a £5,000 loan from his father Campbell and matching funds from a bank he started selling trainers from the back of a van. Hunter built the business into Europe's largest independent retailer. In 1998 in an unsolicited offer, Dave Whelan's JJB Sports offered to buy the larger Sports Division for £290 million; Hunter accepted, earning himself £252 million.
Hunter had expanded Sports Division through financing supplied by the Royal Bank of Scotland, but when he proposed the takeover of Olympus Sports, RBS refused to finance the deal. Through his friend Sir David Murray, he met Halifax Bank of Scotland governor Gavin Masterton on a trip to watch Rangers F.C. play Juventus, and subsequently built his business on the HBoS relationship.
Senior lending manager Peter Cummings introduced Hunter to property development, which resulted in his purchase of stakes in builder Crest Nicholson, and retirement homebuilder McCarthy & Stone. In 2001 Cummings introduced Hunter to fellow HBoS client Nick Leslau, which led to the purchase of stakes via Leslau's Prestbury Investment Holdings in the freehold property portfolios of Travelodge hotels, licensed premises; and the theme park portfolio of Merlin Entertainments, including Alton Towers.
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