| Doug Perkins | |
| Birth Place: | Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales |
| Known For: | co-founder of Specsavers |
| Education: | Llanelli Boys Grammar School |
| Alma Mater: | Cardiff University |
| Occupation: | Businessman |
| Spouse: | Mary Perkins |
| Children: | 3 |
Douglas John David Perkins (born April 1943) is a Welsh billionaire businessman. He is the co-founder of Specsavers, an international optical retail chain.
Douglas John David Perkins was born in April 1943[1] in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales.[2] [3] His father was a policeman and his grandparents were farmers in the county.[4] He was educated at the Llanelli Boys Grammar School, and he graduated from Cardiff University.[3]
Perkins began his career as an optometrist in Llanelli and Carmarthen.[3] In the 1970s, he took over his father-in-law's optician store in Bristol and subsequently opened 22 stores.[3]
Perkins co-founded Specsavers with his wife Mary Perkins in 1984.[3] The company became an international chain of opticians, making them both billionaires. As of April 2016, they have an estimated wealth of £1.55 billion according to the Sunday Times Rich List.[2] In spite of being a billionaire, Perkins calls himself "working-class."[4]
Perkins lives in Guernsey with his wife Mary.[3] They have a son, John, and two daughters, Cathy and Julie.[2]