Doug Perkins
Doug Perkins | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 1943 (age 83) Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales |
| Education | Llanelli Boys Grammar School |
| Alma mater | Cardiff University |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | co-founder of Specsavers |
| Spouse | Mary Perkins |
| Children | 3 |
Douglas John David Perkins CBE (born April 1943) is a Welsh billionaire businessman. He is the co-founder of Specsavers, an international optical and audiology retail chain.[1]
Early life
Douglas John David Perkins was born in April 1943[2] in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales.[3][4] His father was a policeman and his grandparents were farmers in the county.[5] He was educated at the Llanelli Boys Grammar School, and he graduated from Cardiff University, where he met his wife, Mary Perkins.[4]
Career
Perkins began his career as an optometrist in Llanelli and Carmarthen.[4] In the 1970s, he took over his father-in-law's optician store in Bristol and subsequently opened 22 stores.[4] The couple sold the chain for £2 million in 1980 and moved to Guernsey, where Mary's father had retired.[6]
Perkins co-founded Specsavers with his wife Mary in 1984.[4] The company became an international chain of opticians, making them both billionaires. In The Sunday Times Rich List 2026, Mary and Doug Perkins and family were ranked 117th in the list of Britain's Wealthiest People, with their personal worth estimated at £1.409 billion.[7] In February 2026, they were listed in the Sunday Times Tax list with an estimated £121.7 million.[8]
In 2023, Mary and Doug Perkins placed Specsavers into a family trust, stating that they did not want their children to sell the business to private equity.[9][10]
Perkins was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the King's Birthday Honours List in 2025, in recognition of his services to business and trade.[11]
Personal life
Perkins lives in Guernsey with his wife Mary.[4] They have a son, John, and two daughters, Cathy and Julie.[3]
References
- ↑ "Specsavers founders mark 40 years since Guernsey launch". 14 February 2024. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
- ↑ "Douglas John David PERKINS - Personal Appointments (free information from Companies House)". beta.companieshouse.gov.uk. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
- 1 2 "Rich List 2016". The Sunday Times Magazine. April 2016. p. 31.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Specsavers billionaire Doug Perkins's eye for wealth". BBC News. 9 May 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
- ↑ Harries, Robert (10 October 2017). "The unassuming Welshman who is actually a billionaire". WalesOnline. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
- ↑ "The Andrew Davidson Interview: Specsavers founder in the frame". The Sunday Times. 10 July 2005. Archived from the original on 9 July 2008.
- ↑ "The Sunday Times Rich List 2026". The Sunday Times. 15 May 2026. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
- ↑ Watts, Robert (31 January 2026). "Who are the UK's biggest taxpayers? The 2026 Tax List revealed". www.thetimes.com. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
- ↑ Onita, Laura (6 April 2026). "Specsavers founder Mary Perkins: 'I spent the weekend writing 500 birthday cards'". Financial Times.
- ↑ {cite news |title=Specsavers founders Dame Mary and Doug Perkins see no private equity in the opticians' future |work=The Times |url=https://www.thetimes.com/business/article/specsavers-founders-dame-mary-and-doug-perkins-see-no-private-equity-in-the-opticians-future-pl5fxrbrh}}
- ↑ "Seven Guernsey residents named in King's Birthday Honours". www.bbc.com. 13 June 2025. Retrieved 25 August 2026.