Alan Parker
Quick Facts
Biography
Alan M. Parker (born 31 March 1939) is a British billionaire businessman.
Early life
Alan M. Parker was born into a modest family in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), the son of a British colonial civil servant.
Career
Parker trained as an accountant, and worked for the Hong Kong-based DFS Group. He became DFS's third largest shareholder, and in 1997 when it was taken over by LVMH, Parker received about $840m (£464m) for his 20% stake. Parker also made money investing in hedge funds and high technology.
As of 2014, Parker is living in Geneva, Switzerland and has a net worth of £2.34 billion.
Philanthropy
Parker is known for his philanthropy through his Oak Foundation, which spends $200 million yearly on projects including humanitarian help in Africa, medical research, victims of torture, ecology and journalism. His wife Jette sponsors The Royal Opera's Jette Parker Young Artists Programme.
Personal life
He is married to Jette Parker, and they have three children, Caroline, Natalie and Kristian.