View source for John Madejski

{{Short description|English businessman (born 1941)}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix = [[Sir]]
| name        = John Madejski
| honorific_suffix = {{small|[[Order of the British Empire|OBE]], [[Deputy Lieutenant|DL]]}}
| image       = JohnMadejski2.jpg
| caption     =
| birth_name  = Robert John Hurst
| birth_date  = {{birth date and age|1941|4|28|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Stoke-on-Trent]], England
| nationality =
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| employer    =
| occupation  = Company director, football club chairman
| title       =
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}}

'''Sir John Robert Madejski''', {{small|[[Order of the British Empire|OBE]], [[Deputy Lieutenant|DL]]}} ({{IPAc-en|m|ə|ˈ|d|eɪ|s|k|i}}; born '''Robert John Hurst'''; 28 April 1941) is an English businessman, with commercial interests spanning property, broadcast media, hotels, restaurants, publishing and football.

Madejski is the founder of the magazine which became ''[[Auto Trader Group|Auto Trader]]'' and was chairman of [[Reading F.C.]], [[Chancellor (education)|Chancellor]] of the [[University of Reading]] and a [[Deputy Lieutenant]] of [[Berkshire]]. He is a benefactor to many institutions, especially in academia, education and the arts.<ref name=bulletin475>{{cite news | title = Reading welcomes its new chancellor | work = Bulletin | publisher = University of Reading | date = 17 January 2008 | pages = 6–7}}</ref> In the ''[[Sunday Times Rich List 2009]]'' ranking of the wealthiest people in the UK he was placed 222nd with an estimated fortune of £250 million.<ref name="business.timesonline.co.uk">[http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/specials/rich_list/rich_list_2009/ ''Sunday Times Rich List 2009'' online edition]{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Madejski was born Robert John Hurst on 28 April 1941, in [[Stoke-on-Trent]], as a result of a wartime fling, being initially placed with a foster family. While still a baby, Hurst was moved back to his mother's home town of [[Reading, Berkshire|Reading]] and placed in a children's home. His mother later married a [[Polish Air Forces in France and Great Britain|Second World War Polish airman]], Zygmunt Madejski, with Hurst eventually coming to live with them and adopting his stepfather's surname. Hurst's biological father had started another family.<ref>{{cite news|date=26 August 2009|url=http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/tvradio/TV-Review-Rich-Man-Poor-Man-BBC4/article-1283624-detail/article.html| title=TV Review: Rich Man, Poor Man, BBC4|publisher=thisisstaffordshire.co.uk|access-date=23 February 2010}}</ref>

Madejski has two daughters, but has never married. He made front-page headlines in UK [[Tabloid (newspaper format)|tabloid]] newspapers in October 2004 due to his alleged romantic attachment with singer and TV star [[Cilla Black]].{{reference needed|date=May 2023}} The pair became friends due to their mutual affiliation with the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]]. 

He owns a large number of luxury cars, including two [[Rolls-Royce car|Rolls-Royce]]s, two [[Bentley Motors Limited|Bentley]]s, four [[Jaguar (car)|Jaguar]]s, an [[AC Cobra]] and two [[Ferrari]]s, including a red [[Ferrari 328|328]] which is kept in a glass case at his home.{{reference needed|date=May 2023}}

==Career==
While on holiday in the US in the mid-1970s, Madejski saw a car sales magazine that included pictures of the vehicles on sale. He immediately realised the potential of the idea and with the help of his business partners [[Paul Gibbons (businessman)|Paul Gibbons]] and Peter Taylor founded ''Thames Valley Trader'' in 1976. Initially the magazine advertised a range of items, from houses to cars and aircraft, but it soon concentrated on vehicles and was renamed ''[[Auto Trader Group|Auto Trader]]''. Madejski partnered with the [[Guardian Media Group]] in 1982 to give the title national exposure.

By 1998, 52 titles were being published with a combined circulation of more than 700,000. In 1998, he sold his company [[Auto Trader Group|Hurst Publishing]] for £174 million.

===Reading F.C.===
Madejski became chairman of the [[The Football League|Football League]] club [[Reading F.C.]] in 1990, and has given his name to the club's [[Madejski Stadium]], built in 1998 with £25 million largely contributed by him. He rescued Reading from [[Administrative receivership|receivership]]. He said "When [[Robert Maxwell]] was alive I offered him five pounds a share. When he fell off his boat I got them for 10p. Funny old life isn't it?".<ref>{{cite news|date=1 August 2007|url=http://www.director.co.uk/MAGAZINE/2007/8%20Aug/medejski_61_1.html|title=Profile: John Madejski|publisher=director.co.uk|access-date=16 January 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071022222235/http://www.director.co.uk/MAGAZINE/2007/8%20Aug/medejski_61_1.html|archive-date=22 October 2007}}</ref> In 2006, he led the club to the top tier of English football for the first time in its 135-year history and proposed to expand the stadium to 38,000 seats.<ref>{{cite news|date=11 October 2006|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/berkshire/6040938.stm|title=Reading stadium vision unveiled|publisher=[[BBC News]]|access-date=9 December 2006}}</ref> After [[Premier League]] promotion, Madejski said he was ready to sell up:<blockquote>The brand is getting stronger all the time and if there is a billionaire who wants a nice accessory down the [[M4 motorway|M4]] then come and talk to me. Apart from [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]], unless you've got a sugar daddy with really deep pockets, you're wasting your time.<ref>{{cite news|date=9 December 2006|url=http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/comment/article2060012.ece|title=John Madejski: 'Without deep pockets you are wasting your time'|newspaper=[[The Independent]]|access-date=9 December 2006|location=London, UK|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071224113915/http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/comment/article2060012.ece|archive-date=24 December 2007}}</ref></blockquote> The club achieved pre-tax profits of £6.6 million during the tax year ending in June 2007.<ref>{{cite news|date=31 December 2007|url=http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/2019/2019563/royals_make_a_profit|title=Royals make a profit|publisher=getreading.co.uk|access-date=31 December 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080102014309/http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/2019/2019563/royals_make_a_profit|archive-date=2 January 2008}}</ref>

On 21 January 2012 it was announced that Madejski planned to relinquish control of the club by selling a 51% stake for £40 million to Thames Sports Investments, a Russian consortium headed by [[Anton Zingarevich]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Reading set for Thames Sports Investment cash boost|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/16666698|publisher=BBC News|access-date=25 April 2012|date=21 January 2012}}</ref> Madejski announced that as part of the deal he would continue as chairman for at least another two years, followed by becoming honorary life president. Madejski's ownership of the club ended on 29 May 2012 when the takeover deal was completed.<ref>{{cite web|title=TSI 51% acquisition now complete|url=http://www.readingfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~2790654,00.html|publisher=Reading F.C.|access-date=29 May 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120531043827/http://www.readingfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~2790654,00.html|archive-date=31 May 2012}}</ref>

==Charitable activities==

In 1990, Madejski donated £500,000 to the trustees of the [[Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel]] Trust.  The donation was crucial to the fund-raising effort and enabled the trustees to build the War Memorial Chapel, dedicated to the 255 fallen of the Falkland Islands War: it is situated in the grounds of [[Pangbourne College]] and was opened by the Queen in 2000.

He is also a benefactor to the [[Royal Academy|Royal Academy of Arts]] in [[Piccadilly]], London and in 2004 had the ''John Madejski Fine Rooms'' at [[Burlington House]] named after him in recognition of a contribution of £3 million to the institution. A sculpture by [[Edgar Degas]], ''[[La Petite Danseuse de Quatorze Ans]]'', that he purchased at [[Sotheby's]] in 2004 was on display in the John Madejski Fine Rooms; it was sold in February 2009 for £13.3 million.<ref name="business.timesonline.co.uk"/>

The ''John Madejski Centre for Reputation'' at [[Henley Management College]], the new garden at the [[Victoria and Albert Museum]], a lecture theatre at the [[University of Reading]] and a gallery at the [[Museum of Reading]] also bear his name. The [[John Madejski Academy]] (formerly [[Thamesbridge College]]) last achieved a "good" Ofsted inspection outcome in 2008. It was found to be "inadequate" in its most recent full inspection in October 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk |first=Ofsted Communications Team |date=2024-12-13 |title=Find an inspection report and registered childcare |url=https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/23/130247 |access-date=2025-05-03 |website=reports.ofsted.gov.uk}}</ref> In January 2025 the academy was transferred from the White Horse Federation to Greenshaw Learning Trust.<ref>{{Cite web |title=John Madejski academy joins the Greenshaw Learning Trust |url=https://www.johnmadejskiacademy.co.uk/news/?pid=62&nid=1&storyid=1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250212035327/https://www.johnmadejskiacademy.co.uk/news/?pid=62&nid=1&storyid=1 |archive-date=2025-02-12 |access-date=2025-05-03 |website=John Madejski Academy |language=en}}</ref>

==Political activities==
In the early 2000s, Madejski was active in politics: he contributed extensively to the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]].<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2001/aug/08/uk.conservatives | title = Super-rich lead party donor table | last = Hencke | first = David | date = 2001-08-08 | website = [[The Guardian]] | access-date = 2021-07-08 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210621062129/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2001/aug/08/uk.conservatives | archive-date = 2021-06-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.theguardian.com/politics/funding/table/0,,771441,00.html | title = Top donations to Conservative party | date = 2011-02-22 | website = [[The Guardian]] | access-date = 2021-07-08 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210708160924/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/funding/table/0,,771441,00.html | archive-date = 2021-07-08}}</ref> Madejski and [[Dave Whelan]] called for football clubs to observe a minute's silence to mark the death of [[Margaret Thatcher]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Owen|last=Gibson|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/apr/09/dave-whelan-baroness-thatcher|title=Dave Whelan requests minute's silence in memory of Baroness Thatcher|newspaper=The Guardian|date=9 April 2013|access-date=9 April 2013|location=London}}</ref>

==Honours==
*In 2000, Madejski was appointed [[Officer of the Order of the British Empire]] (OBE) in the [[2000 Birthday Honours]] "for services to Reading Football Club and the community in Reading, Berkshire."<ref name=GB>United Kingdom: {{London Gazette |issue=55879 |date=19 June 2000 |pages=12  |supp=1 }}</ref> He is also Deputy [[Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire]].
*In 2006, he was admitted as a [[Freedom of the City|Freeman of the Borough]] "in recognition of the distinguished service rendered to the [[Reading, Berkshire|Borough of Reading]], by his contribution to the growth and success of football in Reading, and by his support for education and arts".
*On 14 December 2007, Madejski was awarded the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters [[University of Reading]] and formally installed as the seventh chancellor of the university, succeeding to the post on the retirement of [[Peter Carington, 6th Baron Carrington|Lord Carrington]].<ref>{{cite news | date=14 December 2007 | url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/berkshire/7145138.stm | title=University role for football boss | publisher=[[BBC News]] | access-date=31 December 2007}}</ref> He was succeeded as Chancellor in December 2016 by [[William Waldegrave, Baron Waldegrave of North Hill|Lord Waldegrave]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sir John Madejski – University of Reading |url=https://www.reading.ac.uk/about/governance/key-people/sir-john-madejski |access-date=2025-05-03 |website=www.reading.ac.uk}}</ref>
*Madejski was [[Knight Bachelor|knighted]] in the [[2009 New Year Honours]] for charitable services.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=58929 |date=31 December 2008 |page=1 |supp=y}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | date=31 December 2008 | url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/front_page/7804849.stm | title=Hoy knighted in New Year honours | publisher=[[BBC Sport]] | access-date=31 December 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | date=31 December 2008 | url=http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/documents/digitalasset/dg_173491.pdf | pages=2 | title=New Year Honours List 2009 | publisher=[[Cabinet Office]] | access-date=31 December 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110106143406/http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/documents/digitalasset/dg_173491.pdf | archive-date=6 January 2011 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.johnmadejskiacademy.co.uk The John Madejski Academy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120829055052/http://johnmadejskiacademy.co.uk/ |date=29 August 2012 }}
*[https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/3535989.stm Pictures of the restored galleries at the Royal Academy and John Madejski Fine Rooms]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060420073209/http://www.vam.ac.uk/about_va/garden/index.html The John Madejski Garden]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060513103747/http://www.readingmuseum.org.uk/galleries/artgallery.htm The John Madejski Art Gallery]
*[https://news.bbc.co.uk/media/avdb/sport_web/video/9012da68003d550/bb/09012da68003d5d5_16x9_bb.asx BBC Sport interview after Reading were promoted to the Premiership]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080410025312/http://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/loyalroyals/ram_files/madejski_promo.ram BBC Radio Berkshire interview after Reading were promoted to the Premiership]
*[https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/berkshire/6292592.stm Football boss made uni chancellor]

{{s-start}}
{{s-aca}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Peter Carington, 6th Baron Carrington|The Lord Carrington]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[University of Reading|Chancellor of the University of Reading]]|years=2007–2016}}
{{s-aft|after=[[William Waldegrave, Baron Waldegrave of North Hill]]}}
{{s-end}}
{{Reading F.C. Hall of Fame}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Madejski, John}}
[[Category:1941 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Staffordshire]]
[[Category:Deputy lieutenants of Berkshire]]
[[Category:English football chairmen and investors]]
[[Category:Chairmen of Reading F.C.]]
[[Category:British magazine publishers (people)]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Reading, Berkshire]]
[[Category:People from Stoke-on-Trent]]
[[Category:Businesspeople awarded knighthoods]]
[[Category:Chancellors of the University of Reading]]
[[Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Knights Bachelor]]
[[Category:English people of Polish descent]]
[[Category:Conservative Party (UK) donors]]
[[Category:Association football people awarded knighthoods]]
[[Category:English knights]]