Rumi Verjee

Rumi Verjee is a highly successful entrepreneur and the proprietor and chairman of Thomas Goode & Co, based in London’s Mayfair. He founded Domino’s Pizza in the United Kingdom and is the Chairman of Brompton Capital Limited and Ipanema Properties in Brazil. His success is entirely self-made: a fourth generation Indian born in Uganda, much of the Verjee family’s assets were seized by Idi Amin’s regime. Rumi studied Law at Downing College, University of Cambridge where he is now an Honorary Fellow, and after the expulsion of the Asian population from Uganda, made the UK his home.

Lord Verjee has always shared his success and knowledge through philanthropic work. He is Chairman of Free the Children UK and co-hosts their annual signature event We Day UK with Holly Branson. He is also a Member of the World Presidents’ Organization, the Global Leadership Foundation and was on the Advisory Board of the British Olympic Association for the London 2012 Olympic Games. In 2009 Rumi was awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for charitable services. In September 2013, Rumi was appointed by HM The Queen to the United Kingdom House of Lords as a Liberal Democrat Peer, where he sits as Lord Verjee of Portobello in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

From Wikipedia:

Business

Aged 27, Verjee approached Tom Monaghan at a conference in the US, and persuaded him to sell the franchising rights to Dominos Pizza in the UK.[2] Verjee launched the chain in Britain and it now employs over 20,000 people in the UK[4] Verjee sold his stake in the firm in 1989, and went on to oversee the development of the Brompton Hospital site. From 1993 until 1997, Verjee, alongside the singer Elton John, co-owned Watford F.C.[3] In 1995, he bought Thomas Goode, which holds two royal warrants.[5]

In 2015, it was announced that Verjee had become an adviser to MassChallenge, the world's biggest startup accelerator programme

Philanthrophy

Verjee established a UK Charity, The Rumi Foundation,[7] in 2006. The Foundation supports humanitarian work through education, innovation and knowledge building. Its work is principally focussed in the UK but has also supported projects in India, East Africa and South America.

In keeping with its aims, the Foundation has supported a number of initiatives including:

Established a Chair in perpetuity at Downing College Cambridge, to research the early detection of cancer in children.[8] Endowed a five-year programme of Innovation Night Lectures at the Royal College of Art. Speakers have included will.i.am, Director of Creative Innovation, Intel, the fashion designer Christopher Bailey, Chief Creative Officer at Burberry, and Chad Hurley, Founder of YouTube.[9] The Global Leadership Foundation, established by Nobel Peace Prize winner, F.W. de Klerk, which draws on the vast experience of former Presidents, Prime Ministers, and senior ministers to discreetly and in confidence support current political leaders, promote good governance around the world and to strengthen democratic institutions and practices Supported the launch, of Free the Children becoming Chair of the UK board of Directors in 2014. Alongside Holly Branson, Verjee co-chairs the UK initiative, We Day which encourages young people to take a greater role in their communities.[10] An ongoing partnership with the Clinton Foundation on their Building Tomorrow project in Uganda[11] Mosaic, a charity whose patron is Prince Charles and is dedicated to teaming up young people from deprived communities with high-flying mentors who can help them negotiate life’s challenges.[12][13] In 2009, Verjee was awarded a CBE for his charitable work.[14][15] In addition, the British Olympic Association appointed Verjee to its advisory board ahead of the London Olympic and Paralympic Games.[5]

Politics[edit]