{{Short description|British businessman}} {{Distinguish|David Mellor}} {{Infobox person | name = David Meller | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE}} | image = | caption = | birth_name = David Robert Meller | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1959|12}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | death_cause = | education = | alma_mater = | occupation = Businessman | known_for = Co-chairman, Presidents Club | title = | term = | predecessor = | successor = | boards = | spouse = | children = | parents = | relatives = | website = }}
'''David Robert Meller''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE}} (born December 1959) is a British businessman, and the sponsor of an academy trust, and a member of the Department for Education's board of directors, until the scandal surrounding the Presidents Club, of which he was the joint chairman, led to his resignation in January 2018.
==Early life== David Robert Meller was born in December 1959.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/officers/lUmFaKI_-7qodDFxQAewWCNjc98/appointments|title=David Robert MELLER - Personal Appointments (free information from Companies House)|author=|date=|website=beta.companieshouse.gov.uk|accessdate=3 February 2018}}</ref> He is the son of Percival Meller (1919–2016), and his wife Anita.<ref name="nytimes.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/10/25/style/david-meller-executive-weds-wendy-s-frumkes.html|title=DAVID MELLER, EXECUTIVE, WEDS WENDY S. FRUMKES|author=|date=25 October 1987|website=The New York Times|accessdate=3 February 2018}}</ref><ref name="Hampstead Synagogue Review">{{cite news|title=Obituaries: Percy Meller|url=http://www.hampsteadshul.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/HampsteadShul_Magazine2017.pdf|accessdate=3 February 2018|work=Hampstead Synagogue Review 2017/18}}</ref> He has a brother, Michael Meller.<ref name="Hampstead Synagogue Review"/>
Meller has said that he attended a comprehensive school, earned four O-levels and "struggled with dyslexia".<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/jan/24/david-meller-presidents-club-groping-scandal-wealthy-tory-donor|title=David Meller, the Tory donor 'desperate to be part of establishment'|first=Richard|last=Adams|date=24 January 2018|website=The Guardian|accessdate=3 February 2018}}</ref>
==Career== In 1987, Meller was the joint chief executive of Julius A. Meller Ltd of London, a "diversified manufacturing company", from which his father had retired.<ref name="nytimes.com"/> The company was founded by his grandfather, Julius Aaron Meller.<ref name="nytimes.com"/>
In 2013 he was chairman of the Meller Group, a cosmetics firm.<ref name="standard.co.uk">{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/the-power-1000-londons-most-influential-people-2013-crusaders-education-8826811.html|title=The Power 1000 - London's most influential people 2013: Crusaders|author=|date=20 September 2013|website=standard.co.uk|accessdate=3 February 2018}}</ref> As of 2018 Meller was helping to "run his family's company", described as "a luxury goods company."<ref name="auto"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/075d679e-0033-11e8-9650-9c0ad2d7c5b5|title=Men Only: Inside the charity fundraiser where hostesses are put on show|first=Madison|last=Marriage|date=23 January 2018|website=Financial Times|accessdate=3 February 2018}}</ref>
Meller founded the Meller Educational Trust, which runs four schools and a university technical college.<ref name="feweek.co.uk">{{cite web|url=https://feweek.co.uk/2018/01/24/david-meller-resigns-from-dfe-board-following-presidents-club-allegations/|title=David Meller resigns from DfE board following Presidents Club allegations|author=|date=24 January 2018|website=feweek.co.uk|accessdate=3 February 2018}}</ref>
In June 2013, Meller joined the Department for Education as a non-executive board member.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/people/david-meller|title=David Meller - GOV.UK|author=|date=|website=www.gov.uk|accessdate=3 February 2018}}</ref><ref name="feweek.co.uk"/> He also served as chair of the Apprenticeship Ambassadors Network and co-chair of the Apprenticeship Delivery Board from January 2016.<ref name="feweek.co.uk"/><ref name="auto"/>
In 2009 he set up the Meller Educational Trust.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Groups/Group/Details/4996|title=The Meller Educational Trust - Gov.uk}}</ref> The trust runs four schools and a university technical college, and served as chair of the National Apprenticeship Ambassador Network and the Apprenticeship Delivery Board.<ref name="feweek.co.uk"/> In 2013, he was the "main backer" of a new school opening that autumn in Elstree.<ref name="standard.co.uk"/>
In January 2018 a scandal arose surrounding the Presidents Club, of which Meller was the joint chairman.<ref name="newstatesman.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/education/2018/01/presidents-club-david-meller-and-rise-education-philanthropist|title=The Presidents Club, David Meller, and the rise of the education philanthropist|author=|date=29 January 2018|website=www.newstatesman.com|accessdate=3 February 2018}}</ref> Following calls by MPs and others, he resigned from the Department for Education's board of directors, and the apprenticeship delivery board, the day after the story broke in the ''Financial Times''.<ref name="newstatesman.com"/><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/jewish-groups-discomfort-at-links-with-presidents-club-scandal-1.457389|title=Jewish groups' discomfort at links with Presidents Club scandal|work=The JC|date=25 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://schoolsweek.co.uk/david-meller-resigns-from-dfe-board-following-presidents-club-allegations/|title=David Meller resigns from DfE board following Presidents Club allegations|author=|date=24 January 2018|website=schoolsweek.co.uk|accessdate=3 February 2018}}</ref> Meller also resigned as a trustee of the Mayor's Fund for London.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/businessman-david-meller-quits-e-a3748546.html|title=Businessman David Meller quits education post amid Presidents Club Charity dinner 'sexism' storm|author=|date=24 January 2018|website=standard.co.uk|accessdate=3 February 2018}}</ref>
==Honours== Meller received a CBE in the 2018 New Year's honours list.<ref name="feweek.co.uk"/><ref name="auto"/>
==Politics== Meller has been a "generous Conservative party donor".<ref name="auto"/>
Meller was a trustee of the think tank Policy Exchange, founded by Michael Gove, and finance chair of Gove's 2016 Conservative leadership campaign.<ref name="auto"/>
==PPE Contracts== During the COVID pandemic, Meller's company, Meller Designs, was awarded six PPE contracts worth £164m through the VIP lane.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-16 |title=Michael Gove backer won £164m in PPE contracts after 'VIP lane' referral |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/nov/16/michael-gove-backer-won-164m-in-ppe-contracts-after-vip-lane-referral |access-date=2022-12-09 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref>
==Personal life== On 24 October 1987, Meller married Wendy Susan Frumkes, the daughter of Herbert M. Frumkes of New York, president of Tradex Brokerage Service Inc, at New York's Metropolitan Club.<ref name="nytimes.com"/>
In May 2015, Meller sold a {{convert|10,000|sqft|adj=on}}, six-storey Grade II listed Arts and Crafts-style brick house at 79 Mount Street, Mayfair, London to the Qatari Royal Family for £40 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/qatari-rulers-buy-40m-six-storey-mansion-in-mayfair-10258054.html|title=Qataris buy £40m six storey Mayfair mansion|author=|date=18 May 2015|website=standard.co.uk|accessdate=3 February 2018}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Meller, David}} Category:Living people Category:1959 births Category:Conservative Party (UK) donors Category:British chief executives Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Category:British Jews