Paul Gibbons (businessman)
Encyclopedia
Paul Gibbons is an English
businessman, who co-owns Leaderboard Golf Ltd
with his wife Jennifer.
Gibbons co-founded the magazine Auto Trader and it’s parent company Hurst Publishing
alongside John Madejski
. He has appeared on the Sunday Times Rich List
in recent years.
. His first job was for the well known tailors Burton where he started making customised and off the peg clothing. As tailoring moved towards pre-made and off the peg designs, Gibbons changed career and joined the Reading Evening Post as a sales representative, selling advertising space.
The Reading Evening Post was a Thomson owned regional, and Gibbons was to become a top salesman across the Thomson Regional Press newspaper group. Thomson was the first regional press to introduce classified advertising into their titles.
It was here that Gibbons met John Madejski
who also worked for Thomson as a sales representative. The two created the idea for the Thames Valley Trader; a trading magazine where members of the public could sell a wide variety of products. The first edition carried the picture of an airplane on the front cover. The two businessmen soon realised that cars were the main draw of the magazine and began to focus in this area.
The first Auto Trader title to be established was Hurst's Thames Valley Trader in 1977. This was followed by the publication of a second title, Southern Auto Trader, launched in 1981. It was at this stage the Guardian Media Group
contacted Hurst Publishing, with a view to creating a similar publication in the North of England
, in partnership with Hurst Publishing.
In July 1998, Gibbons and Madejski sold part of their business to the specialist European venture capitalists BC Partners
, who approached Guardian Media Group and proposed a merger to form a new company. Trader Media Group
was launched in May 2000.
After a six month break Paul Gibbons negotiated the purchase of Sandford Springs Golf Club using the Enterprise Investment Scheme
and Leaderboard Golf Ltd was established.
With Leaderboard Golf Ltd, Gibbons has gone on to purchase Chart Hills in Kent, designed personally by six times major winner and all-time great Nick Faldo
; Dale Hill in East Sussex, designed by former Masters Champion and Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam
; The Oxfordshire
in Thame, Oxfordshire, which is used for some of the biggest amateur golf tournaments in Europe and the Leaderboard Golf Centre in Reading, a 37 bay covered and floodlit golf range, coaching academy and retail store.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
businessman, who co-owns Leaderboard Golf Ltd
Leaderboard Golf Ltd
Leaderboard Golf Ltd is a company that owns four renowned Golf Clubs in the South East including The Oxfordshire Golf Club near Oxford, Sandford Springs Golf Club near Basingstoke and Newbury, Dale Hill Hotel and Golf Club near Tonbridge and Royal Tunbridge Wells and Chart Hills Golf Club near...
with his wife Jennifer.
Gibbons co-founded the magazine Auto Trader and it’s parent company Hurst Publishing
Trader Media Group
Trader Media Group is a British-based publishing company, specialising in classified display advertising. It is owned by Guardian Media Group and Apax Partners ....
alongside John Madejski
John Madejski
Sir John Robert Madejski OBE DL is an English businessman, with commercial interests, spanning property, broadcast media, hotels, restaurants, publishing and football...
. He has appeared on the Sunday Times Rich List
Sunday Times Rich List
The Sunday Times Rich List is a list of the 1,000 wealthiest people or families in the United Kingdom, updated annually in April and published as a magazine supplement by British national Sunday newspaper The Sunday Times since 1989...
in recent years.
Life and career
Gibbons was born on 4 May 1947, in ReadingReading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
. His first job was for the well known tailors Burton where he started making customised and off the peg clothing. As tailoring moved towards pre-made and off the peg designs, Gibbons changed career and joined the Reading Evening Post as a sales representative, selling advertising space.
The Reading Evening Post was a Thomson owned regional, and Gibbons was to become a top salesman across the Thomson Regional Press newspaper group. Thomson was the first regional press to introduce classified advertising into their titles.
It was here that Gibbons met John Madejski
John Madejski
Sir John Robert Madejski OBE DL is an English businessman, with commercial interests, spanning property, broadcast media, hotels, restaurants, publishing and football...
who also worked for Thomson as a sales representative. The two created the idea for the Thames Valley Trader; a trading magazine where members of the public could sell a wide variety of products. The first edition carried the picture of an airplane on the front cover. The two businessmen soon realised that cars were the main draw of the magazine and began to focus in this area.
The first Auto Trader title to be established was Hurst's Thames Valley Trader in 1977. This was followed by the publication of a second title, Southern Auto Trader, launched in 1981. It was at this stage the Guardian Media Group
Guardian Media Group
Guardian Media Group plc is a company of the United Kingdom owning various mass media operations including The Guardian and The Observer. The Group is owned by the Scott Trust. It was founded as the Manchester Guardian Ltd in 1907 when C. P. Scott bought the Manchester Guardian from the estate of...
contacted Hurst Publishing, with a view to creating a similar publication in the North of England
Northern England
Northern England, also known as the North of England, the North or the North Country, is a cultural region of England. It is not an official government region, but rather an informal amalgamation of counties. The southern extent of the region is roughly the River Trent, while the North is bordered...
, in partnership with Hurst Publishing.
In July 1998, Gibbons and Madejski sold part of their business to the specialist European venture capitalists BC Partners
BC Partners
BC Partners is a private equity firm specialising in buyouts and acquisitions financing in Europe and the United States. The firm invests across all industries...
, who approached Guardian Media Group and proposed a merger to form a new company. Trader Media Group
Trader Media Group
Trader Media Group is a British-based publishing company, specialising in classified display advertising. It is owned by Guardian Media Group and Apax Partners ....
was launched in May 2000.
After a six month break Paul Gibbons negotiated the purchase of Sandford Springs Golf Club using the Enterprise Investment Scheme
Enterprise Investment Scheme
The Enterprise Investment Scheme is a series of tax reliefs designed to encourage investments in small unquoted companies carrying on a qualifying trade in the United Kingdom.-Purpose:...
and Leaderboard Golf Ltd was established.
With Leaderboard Golf Ltd, Gibbons has gone on to purchase Chart Hills in Kent, designed personally by six times major winner and all-time great Nick Faldo
Nick Faldo
Sir Nicholas Alexander "Nick" Faldo, MBE is an English professional golfer on the European Tour who now mainly works as an on air golf analyst. Over his career, he has won six majors: three Open Championships and three Masters. He was ranked the World No...
; Dale Hill in East Sussex, designed by former Masters Champion and Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam
Ian Woosnam
Ian Harold Woosnam OBE is a Welsh professional golfer.Nicknamed 'Woosie', 'Woosers', or the 'Wee Welshman', Woosnam was one of the "Big Five" generation of European golfers, all born within 12 months of one another, all of whom have won majors, and made Europe competitive in the Ryder Cup...
; The Oxfordshire
The Oxfordshire Golf Club
The Oxfordshire Golf Club is a private golf club in England, that is located Southwest of Thame, Oxfordshire.It is owned by Leaderboard Golf along with 4 other golfing venues in the South East including Dale Hill Golf Club Wadhurst, East Sussex, Sandford Springs Golf Club near Basingstoke and...
in Thame, Oxfordshire, which is used for some of the biggest amateur golf tournaments in Europe and the Leaderboard Golf Centre in Reading, a 37 bay covered and floodlit golf range, coaching academy and retail store.