Tony Pidgley Explained

Tony Pidgley
Honorific Suffix:CBE
Birth Name:Anthony William Pidgley
Birth Date:6 August 1947
Birth Place:Surrey, United Kingdom
Occupation:Businessman

Anthony William Pidgley CBE (6 August 1947  - 26 June 2020) was an English businessman. He was the founder and chairman of Berkeley Group Holdings, one of the UK's largest housebuilding businesses. According to The Sunday Times Rich List in 2019, Pidgley was worth £335 million.[1]

Career

Anthony Pidgley was born in 1947 in Surrey to a single mother, and then adopted from Barnardos. He spent his early life living in a disused railway carriage.[2] He worked with his parents cutting down trees and selling the logs.[2]

Pidgley left home in 1962 and founded a haulage business which he expanded until it had 40 lorries and then sold it to Crest Nicholson in 1968.[2] He then worked for Crest Nicholson for seven years.[2] In 1976, he established Berkeley Group Holdings which he expanded until it was one of the UK's largest housebuilders.[2] Berkeley specialises in executive style homes.[3] He has since seen off a bid for his business from his son.[4]

In 2016 Bloomberg referenced research from the previous year that had reported Tony Pidgley to be the second highest paid CEO of the FTSE 100 behind Martin Sorrell, with a pay packet of £23.3 million.[5]

Honours

He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2013 New Year Honours for services to the Housing Sector and the community.

Pidgley received an honorary doctorate from Heriot-Watt University in 2013.[6]

Personal life

He married twice, most recently to Sarah Hill, and had two children by each marriage.[2] They resided in a sixteenth-century house set in 100acres in Windsor.[2] Pidgley donated more than £2,000 to the Conservative Party,[7] while his wife Sarah donated £35,000 to the Conservative Party between 2017 and 2020.[8] He died on 26 June 2020,[9] after suffering a stroke.[10]

Notes and References

  1. News: Rich List 2019: profiles 351-399=, featuring the Queen, Elton John and David Beckham. Times. The Sunday. The Times. 2020-01-22. en. 0140-0460.
  2. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2007/sep/21/5 East End lad makes good to the tune of £123 million
  3. News: Top-end builders hit by volatility in housing market. en. 27 January 2017.
  4. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2843293/Father-son-square-up-for-Berkeley-battle.html Father and son square up for Berkeley Battle
  5. News: U.K. CEOs Face Pay Scrutiny as May Reacts to Backlash. 18 November 2016. Bloomberg.com. 27 January 2017.
  6. Web site: Honorary Graduates Autumn 2013. Heriot-Watt University. en-GB. 24 March 2016.
  7. News: New Year Honours List 2013: Tory donors get gongs: Property tycoons who have given more than £160,000 to the Conservative Party have been given awards in today's New Year Honours List. . Rowena . Mason . The Daily Telegraph . 29 December 2012 . 15 October 2015.
  8. News: Writer. Martina Lees, Senior Property. Government's solution to cladding scandal: just take out a second loan. en. The Times . 2021-02-14. 0140-0460.
  9. Web site: Berkeley Group announces death of founder Tony Pidgley at 72. Bloomberg. 26 June 2020. 26 June 2020.
  10. News: Prior . Grant . Berkeley Group founder Tony Pidgley dies . 26 June 2020 . Construction Enquirer . 26 June 2020.