David Sainsbury, Baron Sainsbury of Turville facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Sainsbury of Turville
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Sainsbury in 2013
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| Chancellor of the University of Cambridge | |
| Assumed office 16 October 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Prince Philip |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science and Innovation | |
| In office 27 July 1998 – 10 November 2006 |
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| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | John Battle |
| Succeeded by | Malcolm Wicks |
| Member of the House of Lords | |
| Life peerage 3 October 1997 – 1 July 2021 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
David John Sainsbury
24 October 1940 |
| Political party | Labour (1960s–81; since 1996) SDP (1981–88) 'Continuing' SDP (1988–90) |
| Spouses | Susan Carroll, Lady Sainsbury, DBE |
| Relations | Alan Sainsbury (uncle) |
| Parents | Robert Sainsbury (father) Lisa van den Bergh (mother) |
| Alma mater | King's College, Cambridge (BA) Columbia University (MBA) |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Profession | Businessman, philanthropist |
David John Sainsbury, Baron Sainsbury of Turville (born 24 October 1940) is a well-known British businessman, politician, and philanthropist. A philanthropist is someone who donates a lot of money to good causes. From 1992 to 1997, he was the chairman of Sainsbury's, a big supermarket chain. His great-grandfather, John James Sainsbury, started the company in 1869.
In 1997, he became a life peer, which means he was given a special title and a seat in the House of Lords. This is part of the UK Parliament. He was a member of the Labour Party. He took a break from the House of Lords from 2013 until he retired in 2021. From 1998 to 2006, he worked in the government as the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science and Innovation. This role meant he helped lead science and innovation policies.
Lord Sainsbury has given a lot of money to the University of Cambridge. In 2011, he was chosen as the Chancellor of the University of Cambridge. This is a very important ceremonial role. He also made the biggest donation ever in British politics. He gave £8 million to the Liberal Democrats political party.
Contents
Early Life and Business Success
David Sainsbury was born on 24 October 1940. His father was Sir Robert Sainsbury. David went to Eton College, a famous school. Later, he studied History and Psychology at King's College, which is part of the University of Cambridge. He then earned a business degree (an MBA) from Columbia Business School in the United States.
In 1963, David joined his family's company, J. Sainsbury Ltd. He started in the human resources department. By 1966, he became a director. He was in charge of finances from 1971 to 1973. This was just before the company became public.
In 1973, Sainsbury's shares were sold on the London Stock Exchange. This was a huge event at the time. Even after this, his family still owned most of the company. David's father gave him almost all his shares. David became the company's Finance Director from 1973 to 1990. During this time, Sainsbury's grew very quickly. He also led Savacentre, a hypermarket business, from 1984 to 1993.
In 1992, David Sainsbury became the chairman of Sainsbury's. In 1996, the company's profits dropped for the first time in 22 years. David decided to step down as chairman in 1998. He wanted to focus on his dream of a career in politics. When he announced his retirement, Sainsbury's share price actually went up!
To avoid any conflicts of interest in politics, David Sainsbury put his shares in Sainsbury's into a "blind trust." This meant he couldn't control them directly. Later, he sold many of his shares to fund his charity work. He still owns a small part of the company. The Sainsbury family as a whole still controls about 15% of the supermarket chain. In 2008, his family's wealth was estimated at £1.3 billion.
Political Journey
David Sainsbury first joined the Labour Party in the 1960s. However, in 1981, he joined a new party called the Social Democratic Party (SDP). He was a very big supporter of the SDP, giving them about £750,000 between 1981 and 1987.
After the 1987 election, he disagreed with the SDP merging with another party. He helped set up a new version of the SDP in 1988. This party closed in 1990. In 1996, David Sainsbury rejoined the Labour Party. A year later, after Labour won the election, he became a life peer. He was given the title Baron Sainsbury of Turville.
Between 1996 and 2006, David Sainsbury donated £16 million to the Labour Party. He continued to donate more, reaching a total of £18.5 million by 2008. He is also connected with a group called Labour Friends of Israel.
In 2006, there were reports about a loan he made to the Labour Party. He later apologized for accidentally giving wrong information about it. In July 2006, he was questioned by police as part of an inquiry into political donations. On 10 November 2006, he resigned as Science Minister. He said he wanted to focus on business and charity.
From 1998 to 2006, he served as the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science and Innovation. He worked in the House of Lords and did not take a salary for this role. Because he was such an important donor, some people said he was "unsackable." He believed that staying in his role for a long time was good for the government.
Sainsbury also helped create the Institute for Government in 2009. He gave £15 million through his charity to help politicians prepare for government roles. He also funded the "Remain" campaign during the 2016 European Union membership referendum. He gave over £4 million to Labour and Liberal Democrat "Remain" campaigns.
After the 2017 election, Sainsbury said he would stop funding political parties. He wanted to focus on charity work instead. However, in 2018, he did donate to a Scottish Conservative MP. In the 2019 election, he gave £8 million to the Liberal Democrats. This was more than half of their election money.
Helping Others: Charitable Works
David Sainsbury started the Gatsby Charitable Foundation in 1967. This foundation helps many good causes. In 1993, he gave £200 million worth of Sainsbury's shares to the foundation. By 2009, the foundation had given £660 million to different charities. In 2009, he added another £465 million to the foundation. This made him the first British person to donate over £1 billion to charity. He also set up a program in 1987 to help engineers become leaders in industry.
In 2003, he received the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy. This award recognizes people who give a lot to charity.
Sainsbury has given £127 million from the Gatsby Charitable Foundation to the University of Cambridge. For example, he gave £45 million to the Cambridge University Botanic Garden in 2005. In 2011, the Sainsbury Laboratory opened at Cambridge. It was built with an £82 million donation from the Gatsby Foundation. This was one of the biggest donations ever to a British university.
In 2013, David Sainsbury and his wife, Susie, joined the Giving Pledge. This is a group started by Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates. They promised to donate half of their wealth to charity during their lives.
Chancellor of the University of Cambridge
In 2011, David Sainsbury was suggested to become the Chancellor of the University of Cambridge. This is a very important role, like a ceremonial head of the university. He was set to take over from Prince Philip. However, his election was challenged by other candidates. This was the first time in 163 years that the election for Chancellor was contested!
Local shopkeeper Abdul Arain and actor Brian Blessed became candidates. Later, lawyer Michael Mansfield also joined the race. The election happened on 14 and 15 October 2011. David Sainsbury won with 52% of the votes. He officially became Chancellor on 16 October 2011.
In February 2024, the university announced that Lord Sainsbury plans to step down from his role as Chancellor later in the year.
Personal Life
David Sainsbury is married to Susan Carroll (née Reid), who used to be a teacher. They have three daughters. Lady Sainsbury is a trustee for the Royal Academy of Music. She was honored in 2022 for her services to the Arts.
The family lives in Turville, Buckinghamshire. Their home, Turville Park, is a beautiful stately home.
David Sainsbury has an elder sister, Elizabeth, and two younger sisters, Celia and Annabel. His uncle was Alan Sainsbury, Baron Sainsbury. His cousins include Simon Sainsbury, John Sainsbury, and Sir Tim Sainsbury. His great-grandparents, John James Sainsbury and Mary Ann Staples, started the Sainsbury's grocery store in 1869.
Academic Achievements
- In 1994, he became an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.
- In 2001, he was chosen as an international member of the American Philosophical Society.
- In 2003, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
- In 2007, he received an honorary science degree from University College London.
- In 2007, he received an honorary doctorate from Heriot-Watt University.
- In 2008, he received an honorary science degree from the University of Bath.
- In 2008, he was made an honorary fellow of the Royal Society.
See also
