Doug Perkins | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 1943 (age 82) 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 retail chain.
Douglas John David Perkins was born in April 1943 [1] in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales. [2] [3] His father was a policeman and his grandparents were farmers in the county. [4] He was educated at the Llanelli Boys Grammar School, and he graduated from Cardiff University. [3]
Perkins began his career as an optometrist in Llanelli and Carmarthen. [3] In the 1970s, he took over his father-in-law's optician store in Bristol and subsequently opened 22 stores. [3]
Perkins co-founded Specsavers with his wife Mary Perkins in 1984. [3] The company became an international chain of opticians, making them both billionaires. As of April 2016, they have an estimated wealth of £1.55 billion according to the Sunday Times Rich List. [2] In spite of being a billionaire, Perkins calls himself "working-class." [4]
Perkins lives in Guernsey with his wife Mary. [3] They have a son, John, and two daughters, Cathy and Julie. [2]