John Caudwell

John Caudwell is a renowned business leader, entrepreneur and philanthropist who sold Phones 4U in 2006 for £1.5bn. Although he is still active in the business world, he dedicates most of his time to philanthropic causes, with his charities Caudwell Children, Caudwell Youth and Caudwell Lyme Co. A astute businessman, he is highly sought after for speaking engagements, where he shares his thrilling rags to riches story, in addition to his profound insights on business and politics.

Possessing a creative and commercial spark from an early age, John had several early ventures, from selling worms to fishermen to collecting coupons and selling the goods he bought with them. Forgoing A-levels, he joined Michelin as an Engineering Apprentice in 1972, working his way up to Engineering Shift Manager by 1983. He then started selling cars, going to auctions to bid on cars that his clients wanted to buy but he didn't have. However, with only one phone at the auction house and several people seeking to use it, he struggled to contact some of his clients in time to confirm if they wanted to purchase a specific car, resulting in several missed opportunities. To resolve his communication problems, John wanted to buy a mobile phone, which was priced at £1600, during that period.

Turning his communication problem into a business opportunity, John opened a phone dealership, selling mobile phones for £2000 each. For the first two years, he made a loss, but his resilience and foresight kept him going. He transformed his mobile dealership into a wholesale distributor, and by 1991 achieved a turnover of £13 million to become the largest independent distributor of mobile phones in the UK. In 1996 and 1997, Phones 4U was named one of the fastest-growing companies in the UK, and by 2000, it reached a turnover of £1 billion. By the time he sold the business in 2006, Phones 4U was, selling 26 phones per minute.

Alongside Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, John signed the Giving Pledge to give 70% of his £2.4 billion fortune within his lifetime and after his death. He is especially passionate about transforming disabled children’s lives and raising awareness of illnesses that receive minimal support and funding. In recognition of his philanthropic efforts, John was awarded the Noble Gift Philantropreneur Award in 2012. He recently released his book, Love, Pain and Money: The Making of a Billionaire, revealing the adversities that he overcame to become a billionaire. From being bullied at school to buying London’s most expensive home, John shares his inspirational journey in his speaking engagements.