Arthur Ryan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Arthur Ryan
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|---|---|
| Born |
Arthur St. John Ryan
18 July 1935 Dublin, Ireland
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| Died | 8 July 2019 (aged 83) Dublin, Ireland
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| Nationality | Irish |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Years active | 1962–2019 |
| Title | Founder & Chairman of Primark |
Arthur St. John Ryan (18 July 1935 – 8 July 2019) was an Irish businessman. He was the founder, chairman, and chief executive of Primark. The company first started as Penneys. It still uses that name in the Republic of Ireland.
Contents
Arthur Ryan: A Visionary in Retail
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Arthur Ryan was born in 1935. His father was an insurance clerk from Cork. Arthur moved to Dublin with his family. He attended the Synge Street CBS school there.
Later, he moved to London. He began working in the fashion world. He was a tie buyer at Swan & Edgar. He also worked for another fashion company, Carr & McDonald. After his time in London, he returned to Dublin. He took a job at Dunnes Stores in Cornelscourt.
Founding Penneys and Primark's Growth
In 1969, Arthur Ryan opened his first Penneys store. It was located on Mary Street in Dublin. The store quickly became popular.
In 1974, he expanded his business to Britain. The stores there were also called Penneys at first. However, there was a legal disagreement over the name. An American retailer, JC Penney, already used a similar name. Because of this, the stores outside Ireland were renamed Primark.
Leading Primark to Success
A big moment for Primark came in 2005. The company bought many stores from Littlewoods. This helped Primark grow even more. Arthur Ryan made sure Primark paid close attention to fashion trends. This made the clothes both stylish and affordable.
Primark became very popular with many people. It even attracted celebrity shoppers. Today, Primark makes a large part of the money for its parent company, Associated British Foods (ABF). In 2009, Arthur Ryan stepped down as chief executive. He then became the chairman of the company.
A Private Family Man
Arthur St John Ryan was married to a former entertainer. Her name was Alma Carroll. They had a daughter named Jess Ryan. Arthur also had four children from his first marriage. Their names were Colin, Barry, Arthur, and Alison Ryan. He was a very private person. He focused on his family life.
His Final Years
Arthur Ryan passed away on 8 July 2019. He died after a short illness. He was 83 years old, just 10 days before his 84th birthday.
