{{Short description|British businessman (born 1948)}} {{pp|small=yes}} {{Use British English|date=November 2017}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}} {{Infobox person | honorific_prefix = Sir | name = Roger De Haan | honorific_suffix = CBE DL | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Roger Michael De Haan | birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1948|10}} | birth_place = Northampton, England | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|df=yes|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} --> | death_place = | nationality = | known_for = Saga Group, Folkestone | education = Westbrook House Preparatory School for Boys and Girls<ref>{{cite web|url=http://oldwestbrookians.tripod.com/id33.html |title=Ongoing research |accessdate=17 September 2010 |url-status = dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717103223/http://oldwestbrookians.tripod.com/id33.html |archivedate=17 July 2011 }}</ref><br>Seaford College<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guidetoindependentschools.com/schools/view/396/Seaford/HMC-SHMIS/Seaford-College-Petworth-West-Sussex-GU28-0NB |title=Seaford &#124; Sussex |publisher=Guide to Independent Schools |accessdate=11 May 2016}}</ref> | occupation = Businessman | years_active = | title = | term = | predecessor = | successor = | boards = | spouse = {{plainlist| * {{marriage|Susan Bridget Chambers|1969}}<br> Marie-Lyvie M Goder (m.1988) * {{marriage|Alison Downey|2011}} }} | children = 8 | parents = Sidney De Haan (father)<br> Margery Crick (mother) | awards = Kt CBE DL | website = }} '''Sir Roger Michael De Haan''', CBE, DL (born October 1948)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/officers/gxqxp7NOub0lDgQwcFGHBLZfsFg/appointments |title=Roger Michael DE HAAN – Personal Appointments (free information from Companies House) |publisher=Government of the United Kingdom |date=29 October 2013 |accessdate=11 May 2016}}</ref> is the son of the late Sidney De Haan, who created the Saga group of companies, best known for selling holidays to the over-50s market. ==Business career== De Haan took over Saga in 1984 when his father retired, and then ran the company with his brother Peter for a further twenty years, launching Saga-branded radio stations to accompany the group's holidays and financial services.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-04 |title=Sir Roger's £50m loan offer to Saga |url=https://www.kentonline.co.uk/kent-business/county-news/sir-rogers-50m-loan-offer-to-saga-284858/ |access-date=2026-04-10 |website=Kent Online |language=en}}</ref>

He chose to leave the business in 2004, selling the entire Saga Group (which included insurance and holiday businesses) to a management buyout for £1.35&nbsp;billion, although he continued to run some of the radio stations himself. In that year he bought Folkestone Harbour for £11&nbsp;million. The Folkestone Harbour and Seafront Development Company is promoting regeneration schemes for the area.<ref>{{cite web |title=About us |url=https://www.folkestoneseafront.com/about/ |website=Folkestone Harbour and Seafront Development Company |access-date=15 January 2025}}</ref>

The Roger De Haan Charitable Trust<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rdhct.org.uk/pages/common/rdhct.aspx?pg%3D2753 |title=Roger de Haan Charitable Trust - About RDHCT |accessdate=30 July 2010 |url-status = dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091213173233/http://www.rdhct.org.uk/pages/common/rdhct.aspx?pg=2753 |archivedate=13 December 2009 }}</ref> was established in 1978, offering charitable support to a variety of charities and community organisations, mostly in the area around Folkestone and south east Kent.

Following the sale of Saga, he retained ownership of two digital radio stations, PrimeTime Radio and Saga Radio (Digital), but following continuing heavy losses decided to close them in 2006.

==Wealth== In April 2016, his net worth was estimated at £900&nbsp;million, according to the ''Sunday Times Rich List''.<ref name="STRL_2016">{{cite news|title=Rich List 2016|work=The Sunday Times|issue=45|date=24 April 2016}}</ref>

During the 2019 United Kingdom general election, De Haan donated £125,000 to the Conservative Party and £3,000 to Damian Collins, the Conservative MP for Folkestone and Hythe.<ref>{{cite web |title=View donation |url=http://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/English/Donations/C0479726 |publisher=Electoral Commission |accessdate=4 May 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Damian Collins MP, Folkestone and Hythe |url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/24744/damian_collins/folkestone_and_hythe#register |website=TheyWorkForYou |accessdate=4 May 2020}}</ref>

==Honours== In 2003/2004 he was awarded an honorary fellowship of Canterbury Christ Church University.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.canterbury.ac.uk/support/registry/graduation/fellows/fellows03.asp |title=Honorary Fellows - Registry - Canterbury Christ Church University |accessdate=30 July 2010 |url-status = dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720144152/http://www.canterbury.ac.uk/support/registry/graduation/fellows/fellows03.asp |archivedate=20 July 2011 }}</ref>

De Haan was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2004 for services to business, education and charity in 2004 and was knighted in the 2014 New Years Honours List for services to education and to charity in Kent and overseas.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=60728|supp=y|page=1|date=31 December 2013}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/early-retirement-for-the-owner-of-saga-and-he-is-hoping-for-a-acircpound1bn-pension-737088.html Independent – Announcement of retirement from Saga (November 2003)]{{dead link|date=January 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}. *[http://www.sandgate-kent.org.uk/interviewrogerdehaan.htm Interview with the Sandgate News (December 2005)]. *[http://www.mad.co.uk/Main/Regions/TheSouth/Articles/abf8813178d6403f8ca9ca36de0f2a1e/Branson-and-De-Haan-share-the-honours-in-the-South-of-England.html Marketing Week ‘most influential business personality in the South of England’ (July 2005)] *[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1558155/From-small-town-to-global-success-story.html Telegraph – Interview with Clive Aslet (July 2007)]

{{DEFAULTSORT:De Haan, Roger}} Category:1948 births Category:Living people Category:People educated at Seaford College Category:English businesspeople Category:English billionaires Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Category:Deputy lieutenants of Kent Category:Knights Bachelor Category:People from Northampton Category:Conservative Party (UK) donors Category:Businesspeople awarded knighthoods