Business Career
Clarke began his career as an investment banker with Credit Suisse First Boston. In 1981 he bought from receivership the assets of what was to become Majestic Wine, where, as chairman, he built it into a UK national chain. From August 1987 to May 1988, Clarke was chairman of Majestic Wine Corporation Inc, a United States company which owned a chain of 104 stores trading as Liquor Barn in California and Arizona. Following disposal of the US based businesses, he sold the UK plc business of Majestic Wines for £15 million in 1989. In 1990 he founded Pet City, where, as CEO, he built it into a chain of 94 stores (also dressing up at Xmas in the Swindon Store). After taking the business public in 1995, he sold the business for £150 million in 1996 to US based PetsMart. In 1998, Clarke founded Safestore, building it into the UK's third largest self storage company, selling it to Bridgepoint Capital for £44million in August 2003. In 1999 Mr Clarke became CEO of Stepstone, an online career portal. Since he came on board, the company has raised NKr1.8bn ($197m) from the IPO in 2000 and grew from four countries and 200 employees to a staff of 1,385 in 18 countries.
Clarke is currently Chairman and controlling shareholder, via his company Westleigh Investments, of:
- ATL Telecom – Cardiff based data transmission design equipment company, which manufactures in China
- Fosters Event Catering – a West Country based independent caterer
- CCI International – the UK's largest clay pigeon equipment manufacturer
- West Country Business Systems – develops software systems for managing independent schools.
- Boston Tea Party – a West Country based chain of coffee shops
- Clarke is the non-executive deputy chairman of Pure Wafer plc – presently the only European based silicon chip test wafer reclaim company
Clarke is also Chairman of oil and gas explorer Amerisur Resources PLC (formerly known as Chaco Resources, )
Read more about this topic: Giles Clarke
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