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Anders Holch Povlsen (born 4 November 1972)[1] is a Danish billionaire, CEO and sole owner of the international retail clothing chain Bestseller (which includes Vero Moda and Jack & Jones), a company founded by his parents. He is the largest shareholder in the British internet fashion retailer ASOS and second-largest in German internet clothing retailer Zalando. He is also the largest individual private landowner in the UK.[2]
Anders Holch Povlsen | |
|---|---|
| Born | 4 November 1972 |
| Nationality | Danish |
| Alma mater | Anglia Ruskin University |
| Occupation | Owner of Bestseller |
| Known for | Largest individual private landowner in the UK |
| Spouse | Anne Storm-Pedersen |
| Children | 7 (4 living) |
| Parent(s) | Troels Holch Povlsen Merete Bech Povlsen |
As of September 2022, Povlsen was listed as the richest Dane with a net worth estimated at US$11.3 billion.[3]
Anders Holch Povlsen was born in 1972 to Troels Holch Povlsen and Merete Bech Povlsen.[3] The family's first clothing store opened in 1975 in the small Danish town of Brande, with a population of 7,000.[4]
Other outlets soon followed. Povlsen was only 28 when his father made him the sole owner of Bestseller.[4] The family also has an interest, along with two Danish partners, in Bestseller Fashion Group China, a company that designs its own collections for 5,000 stores in China.[4]
Povlsen has a BA degree from Anglia Ruskin University, and his alma mater gave him an honorary doctorate in 2015.[5]
In 2013, Povlsen bought a 10% stake in the German internet clothing retailer Zalando, becoming its third largest shareholder. Povlsen already had a 27% stake in ASOS.com, the largest UK internet-only fashion retailer.[6]
In October 2019, Povlsen's net worth was estimated as US$8.0 billion, making him the wealthiest person in Scotland.[3][7]
Scotland
In 2018/2019 it was reported that Povlsen owns 221,000 acres (890 km2; 345 sq mi) of land in Scotland, making him its largest landowner.[2][8] This has risen from a 2012 level of 120,000 acres (490 km2; 190 sq mi), when he had bought two further large estates, the 24,000-acre Ben Loyal, and 18,000-acre Kinloch Lodge, both in Sutherland, in addition to a 47,000-acre estate he bought in Inverness-shire in 2006 and a 30,000-acre estate near Fort William that he bought in 2008.[9]
In 2013, it was reported that Povlsen had bought the 20,000 acres (81 km2; 31 sq mi) Gaick Estate in Inverness-shire earlier that year, bringing his total to 150,000 acres (61,000 ha), second only to the Buccleuch Estates as Scotland's largest private landowner. In addition, Povlsen had bought land in the Borders specifically to trade it with the Forestry Commission, in return for 1,000 acres (400 ha) of woodland to add to his 43,000 acres (17,000 ha) Glenfeshie Estate, south of Aviemore. Povlsen bought Glenfeshie in 2006, and expanded it by buying the 4,000 acres (1,600 ha) neighbouring farm of Killiehuntly.[10]
In 2014, he bought Aldourie Castle on the banks of Loch Ness for £15 million.[11] He also bought the Eriboll estate in Sutherland.[12] In 2017, Povlsen bought the Jenners building on Princes Street in Edinburgh, reportedly for £53 million. He announced plans to renovate the building, including a hotel and rooftop restaurant.[13]
He plans to combine his adjoining estates and re-wild them.[14] Aggressive techniques to facilitate tree growth were adopted after 2004[15] and into the 2020s[16] in Glenfeshie within the Cairngorms National Park.
Denmark
In Denmark, Povlsen owns and resides at the old Constantinsborg Estate west of Aarhus, along with substantial farmland and forests.[17]
Romania
Povlsen has bought land in Romania's Carpathian Mountains to create a wilderness reserve for the surviving wolves, bears and lynx.[10][18]
Povlsen is married to Anne Holch Povlsen (formerly Anne Storm-Pedersen[19]), and the couple had four children: Alma, Agnes, Astrid and Alfred.[20] Alma, Agnes and Alfred were killed at the Shangri-La Colombo hotel during the 2019 Sri Lanka Easter bombings,[21] when the family was on holiday there.[22][23][24] They had twin girls less than a year later on 11 March 2020,[25] and another son on 29 September 2021.[26]
In 2024, Povlsen was among several individuals scrutinized by Danish news broadcaster DR for the environmental impact of his private jet usage. Povlsen owns the company Blackbird Air, which operates two private jets used for both business and personal travel, with over 1,100 flights recorded between 2020 and 2023. Despite Bestseller's public commitment to sustainability and reducing climate impact, these flights reportedly emit 17 times more CO2 per passenger compared to commercial flights. Bestseller has defended the flights as necessary for business, citing security and logistical reasons. However, the private jets were demonstrably used for extensive private commuting to Aldourie Castle, including transportation for American singer Lionel Richie who performed for Povlsen's 50th birthday. Critics, including climate activists, have labeled this as excessive, particularly given the Bestseller's stated environmental goals.[27]
Scottish media also reported on the private jet usage, pointing out the contrast with Povlsen's environmental donations and rewilding projects in Scotland. An NGO cited by the Daily Record described this as a case of greenwashing. As of October 2024, Povlsen's spokesperson declined to comment.[28]
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