Nigel Robertson

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Nigel Robertson
Born (1962-08-13) 13 August 1962 (age 61)
Redhill, Surrey, England, UK
Occupation(s)Co-founder and Director of Disruptive Tech Ltd
Parent(s)Cynthia and John Robertson (great-grandson of Austin Reed)

Nigel Patrick Robertson (born August 13, 1962) is a British entrepreneur and businessman, best known as the founder of FreePages plc (later renamed Scoot.com).[1][2] Nigel was included in the 2005 Sunday Times Rich List[3] and Monaco's Rich List in 2007.[4]

Biography[edit]

Nigel Robertson is a great-grandson of Austin Reed,[5] the founder of Austin Reed Group plc, the British fashion retail chain. He attended Feltonfleet School in Cobham, Surrey and Canford School near Wimborne Minster, Dorset.

Nigel grew up in Surrey and today lives partly in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, and partly in Monaco.

Business ventures[edit]

Nigel Robertson started his career in the advertising industry in 1981 as a media planner/buyer with Michael Bungey DFS. In 1984, he joined Television South West as an advertising sales executive. Subsequently, he became a director and shareholder of the advertising agency Squires White Robertson Gill plc in 1987. Four years later, he co-founded the directory business FreePages plc, later rebranded as Scoot.com and quoted on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) in 1994. Robertson stepped down and left the company in 1998 and went to live in Monaco.[6] In 2004 he founded Blue Star Capital plc as a vehicle to invest in private companies while working alongside management to help them develop their businesses.[7][8] A number of these companies have now been quoted on AIM, including ASOS plc, the UK's largest online fashion and beauty store which was launched in 2000 by Robertson's brother Nick.[9] Robertson resigned from Blue Star Capital in December 2008.[10] In 2011, he founded Disruptive Tech Ltd, an investment holding company in disruptive technologies.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Fletcher, Richard (6 April 2007). "Scoot founder to launch new ad service". Daily Telegraph. London, England. Retrieved 9 February 2012.[dead link]
  2. ^ "UK flush with internet cash". BBC News Online. 24 February 2000. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  3. ^ 2005 Sunday Times Rich List
  4. ^ "Monaco's Rich List 2007 website". Archived from the original on 29 March 2008. Retrieved 8 April 2008.
  5. ^ Fletcher, Richard (13 April 2003). "Great-grandson sizes up bid for Austin Reed". Daily Telegraph. London, England. Retrieved 9 February 2012.[dead link]
  6. ^ Leigh, David (10 July 2006). "The tax haven that today's super rich City commuters call home". The Guardian. London, England. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  7. ^ "Troubled Easyscreen ready for takeover talks". The Independent. London, England. 15 November 2004. Archived from the original on 12 April 2008.
  8. ^ Press release from India Outsourcing Services plc (now Indian Restaurants Group plc), 6 December 2004[permanent dead link]. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  9. ^ Wallop, Harry (22 January 2005). "'As seen on Sienna? I'm a Prada man myself'". Daily Telegraph. London, England. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  10. ^ Press release from Blue Star Capital plc, 6 December 2008