David Clowes

English football club owner
David Clowes
BornApril 1969
United Kingdom
Occupation(s)Construction, Development, Football Chairman

David Clowes is an English businessman who is known for being the current owner of EFL Championship club Derby County, and Clowes Developments, a British Construction and real estate development company. Clowes is currently a director of 45 companies.[1]

According to the Sunday Times Rich List 2023, David Clowes and family rank 345th with a net worth of £350,000,000.[2]

Clowes trained as a pilot for British Midland International in 2000, and continued flying for British Midland until 2012.[3]

Derby County F.C.

On 26 June 2022, after Clowes had purchased Pride Park Stadium,[4] his bid to buy the club was accepted, and Quantuma granted Clowes preferred bidder status. The administrators said Clowes's offer complied with EFL insolvency policy, meaning Derby would avoid a further points deduction. The deal, and the club's exit from administration, was eventually confirmed on 1 July 2022,[5] though some constraints on transfers were agreed by the EFL and Derby's new owners. The club's transfer embargo was finally lifted in May 2023.[6]

In June 2023, Clowes said that had he not taken over the club, they might have entered liquidation a week later.[7]

According to 2023 published accounts by Clowes Developments, David Clowes purchased Derby County F.C. for £13.2m and also paid Mel Morris £1 for Pride Park.[8] Kieran Maguire, a football finance expert,[9] described David Clowes as a "Saint", following these accounts being published.[10]

Clowes has been quoted as claiming to be a lifelong Derby County F.C. fan.[11]

Clowes Developments

Clowes Developments are a nationwide real estate development company based in the UK. In 2022 they held over £300,000,000 of property assets.

David Clowes has been Director of Clowes Developments since 4 May 1991,[12] and took over as Group Chairman after his father, Charles W Clowes, died in 2015.[13][14] David's brother Thomas Clowes has been managing director of Clowes Developments since August 2023.[15]

References

  1. ^ "David Charles CLOWES personal appointments - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 2024-01-24.
  2. ^ "The Sunday Times Rich List 2023". www.thetimes.co.uk. 2024-01-24. Retrieved 2024-01-24.
  3. ^ Reid, Nick (24 June 2022). "Who is David Clowes? Meet the Rams fan and former pilot behind the latest bid to buy Derby County". Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  4. ^ "Clowes to make bid for Derby after buying stadium". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2024-01-24.
  5. ^ Fisher, Ben (2022-07-01). "Derby out of administration as David Clowes seals 'exciting' takeover". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-01-24.
  6. ^ "Derby takeover by Clowes completed". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2024-01-24.
  7. ^ "'A week later and Derby would have gone'". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2024-01-24.
  8. ^ "CLOWES DEVELOPMENTS (UK) LIMITED filing history - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  9. ^ "Kieran Maguire - Management School - University of Liverpool". www.liverpool.ac.uk. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  10. ^ "Finance expert delivers David Clowes verdict after major Derby update". Derbyshire Live. 2024-01-20. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  11. ^ Charlesworth, Ricky (2022-07-01). "The lifelong Derby fan and pilot hoping to end years of turbulence at Pride Park". The Mirror. Retrieved 2024-01-24.
  12. ^ "CLOWES DEVELOPMENTS (UK) LIMITED people - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 2024-01-24.
  13. ^ "About Clowes & Our Story". Clowes Developments. Retrieved 2024-01-24.
  14. ^ "Meet the Clowes Team". Clowes Developments. Retrieved 2024-01-24.
  15. ^ "Clowes founder's son named MD". www.theconstructionindex.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-01-24.