Julian Richer

Education

Clifton College.

Career

He is also the owner of EmpireDirect.co.uk. Richer has gained a reputation for his motivational style of management and his charitable activities. Richer"s business career started at the age of 14 while he was still at school at Clifton College, Bristol, and he opened his first shop near London Bridge aged 19.

This store (now relocated to Tooley Street) in south London held the Guinness record for the highest sales per square foot of any retail outlet in the world and the company has now grown to over 50 stores across the United Kingdom. In January 2011 Richer Sounds plc received a Royal Warrant from His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales as a supplier of Consumer Electronic Products.

He is also a 51% shareholder of Audio Partnership, an electronics company designing, commissioning and distributing electronics to over 50 countries. Richer developed his activities as a motivational adviser, and in the past advised some of the country’s largest organisations at chief executive level on staff motivation, customer service, cultural change, communications and suggestion schemes, although now he has stepped back from this role.

His book, The Richer Way, is now in its fifth edition and was the best selling business book at WH Smith"s when it was published in November 1995. He published his second book, Richer on Leadership, in January 1999.

Although not keen on public speaking, he was made the youngest ever Business Communicator of the Year for 1995.

Richer Sounds gives 15% of its profits to his charitable trust to distribute. He was the first Patron of The Big Issue Foundation, is patron of Irwell Valley Housing Association and is a Vice President of the RSPCA. From 1998 until 2006 he was a director of Duchy Originals, the Prince of Wales’ charitable trading company, and received an LVO (Lieutenant of the Royal Victoria Order) in 2007 in recognition of his work for them. He is particularly interested and active in the areas of both human rights and animal welfare.

He is also keen to help musicians via his Richer Unsigned project

He is a Governor of Clifton College, his old school, despite his relatively poor academic performance whilst a pupil there.

Achievements

• The company has also received the Which? Best High Street Retailer award in May 2011 and the Which? Best Retailer award in May 2010 and May 2015. He was also awarded Honorary Doctorates in Business Administration from Kingston University in January 2002 and from Bournemouth University in 2003. He is the founder and a trustee of Acts of the Apostles 435, a national initiative to help those in need, which was launched successfully at the York Synod by the Archbishop of York John Sentamu, in June 2010.