{{short description|British businessman (born 1967)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}} {{Use British English|date=February 2020}} {{Infobox person |name = Jamie Ritblat |image = |birth_name = James Ritblat |birth_date = 18 February 1967 |birth_place = |death_date = |death_place = |death_cause = |known_for = Property development |resting_place = |resting_place_coordinates = |relatives = Sir John Ritblat (father) |spouse = |children = |education = Eton College |alma_mater = University of Bristol |employer = Delancey |occupation = |module = }} '''James Ritblat''' (born 1967) is a British businessman. Ritblat worked for British Land, the company acquired by his father Sir John Ritblat, until 1995 when he left to start his own business, Delancey, of which he is the chairman and chief executive. James Ritblat and wholly owned offshore subsidiaries of Delancy appear in the Panama Papers database.<ref>{{Cite web|date=19 May 2004|title=Offshore Leaks Database Metro Shopping Fund GP Limited|url=https://offshoreleaks.icij.org/nodes/82015690}}</ref> In 1998, billionaire George Soros 's Quantum Realty Fund was reported to have taken a controlling shareholding in Delancey through a deal with Ritblat.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Paterson|first=Lea|date=29 May 1998|title=Soros buys into UK property asdf asdfasdfrates|work=The Independent|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/soros-buys-into-uk-property-asdf-asdfasdfrates-1156933.html}}</ref> In 2010, the Crown Estate sold Royal Mint Court freehold to DV4 (a subsidiary of Delancey incorporated in the BVI) in an off-market sale<ref>{{Cite web|title=ROYAL MINT COURT|url=https://www.delancey.com/royal-mint-court.html|website=Delancey}}</ref> and in 2011, Delancey, with the Qatari ruling family, bought the Olympic Village used in the London 2012 Olympic Games.
==Early life and family== James Ritblat was born on 18 February 1967.<ref name="debretts">[http://www.debretts.com/people-of-today/profile/27433/James-%28Jamie%29-RITBLAT James (Jamie) RITBLAT], ''Debrett's''</ref> His father, Sir John Ritblat, is chairman of British Land, one of the largest property companies in the United Kingdom.
Ritblat was educated at Eton College and graduated from the University of Bristol.<ref name="debretts"/>
==Career== Ritblat founded Delancey, a property development firm, in 1995 after he left British Land.<ref name="kcl">[http://www.kcl.ac.uk/aboutkings/governance/council/members/jamieritblat.aspx King's College London: Mr Jamie Ritblat: Lay member of the College Council ]</ref><ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/constructionandproperty/2787154/Cash-is-king...-and-Delanceys-got-plenty.html Cash is king... and Delancey's got plenty.] Jonathan Russell, ''The Daily Telegraph'', 29 March 2008. Retrieved 22 May 2015.</ref> He serves as its chairman and chief executive.<ref name="kcl"/> The firm was formerly quoted, but in 2001 went private again after a share buyback.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/4488565/Delancey-goes-private-with-264m-buy-out.html Delancey goes private with £264m buy-out.] Rosie Murray-West, ''The Telegraph'', 7 April 2001. Retrieved 22 May 2015.</ref>
In 2011, Delancey, with the Qatari ruling family, bought the Olympic Village used in the London 2012 Olympic Games.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2011/aug/12/olympic-village-qatari-ruling-family Olympic Village snapped up by Qatari ruling family for £557m.] Julia Kollewe, ''The Guardian'', 12 August 2011. Retrieved 22 May 2015.</ref><ref>[https://www.ft.com/content/a4bcb88e-c4f6-11e0-9c4d-00144feabdc0 Olympic Village sold to consortium for £557m.] Vanessa Kortekaas, ''Financial Times'', 12 August 2011. Retrieved 22 May 2015.</ref><ref>[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2011-08-12/delancey-qatari-diar-to-buy-london-olympic-village-site-for-907-million Delancey, Qatari Diar to Buy Olympic Site for $906 Million.] Tariq Panja & Christopher Spillane, ''Bloomberg Business'', 12 August 2011. Retrieved 22 May 2015.</ref> This was followed by the acquisition by Delancey of quoted property company Minerva. The deal was seen by ''The Telegraph'' as Jamie Ritblat stepping out of the shadow of his father and becoming an independent player in the British property world. The paper commented, "Ritblat is emerging from the recession as a major influence in the Central London property market" and compared his deal-making to the techniques that his father used to build his own business: "Just as his father did in the downturns of the 20th century, he is playing a central role in the reshaping of the industry as distressed assets are unwound."<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/constructionandproperty/8606978/Minerva-deal-sees-Jamie-Ritblat-follow-in-fathers-property-footsteps.html Minerva deal sees Jamie Ritblat follow in father's property footsteps.] Graham Ruddick, ''The Telegraph'', 30 June 2011. Retrieved 22 May 2015.</ref> The ''London Evening Standard'' commented, "A series of big deals including the purchase of the Olympic village – in a joint venture with Qatari Diar – has seen this behind-the-scenes son of Sir John begin to eclipse his father."<ref name="eveningstandard2011">[https://www.standard.co.uk/standard-home/londons-1000-most-influential-people-2011-property-6365588.html London's 1000 most influential people 2011: Property], ''London Evening Standard'', 7 November 2011</ref>
In February 2015, City A.M. reported that Ritblat's company was in talks to sell the Walbrook building in London for £600m, which they had owned since 2011.<ref>[http://www.cityam.com/208444/jamie-ritblat-s-delancey-talks-sell-city-s-walbrook-building-600m Jamie Ritblat’s Delancey in talks to sell the City’s Walbrook building for £600m.] Kasmira Jefford, ''City A.M.'', 2 February 2015. Retrieved 22 May 2015.</ref>
When David Brudenell-Bruce, Earl of Cardigan lost a long court battle to prevent the sale of Tottenham House, Wiltshire, Ritblat was thought to have been the buyer in the £11.5 million transaction.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/14233653.Hotel_dream____still_alive____for_Tottenham_House/|title=Hotel dream 'still alive' for Tottenham House|last=Hicks|first=Amber|date=27 January 2016|website=The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald|access-date=28 March 2017}}</ref>
==Other appointments== Ritblat has served as a "lay member" of the College Council of King's College London since 2006.<ref name="kcl"/> He is a governor of the Southbank Centre.<ref>[http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/about-us/board-of-governors#jamie Board of Governors.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121217225508/http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/about-us/board-of-governors#jamie |date=17 December 2012 }} Southbank Centre. Retrieved 22 May 2015.</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ritblat, Jamie}} Category:1967 births Category:Living people Category:People educated at Eton College Category:Alumni of the University of Bristol Category:British chief executives Category:Fellows of King's College London