Thomas Joseph Morris (born 10 February 1954) is a British billionaire businessman and the founder of retail chain Home Bargains.
Tom Morris | |
|---|---|
| Born | 10 February 1954 Liverpool, England |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Founder and 89% owner of Home Bargains |
| Spouse | Kristina O'Hare |
| Children | 5 |
According to the Sunday Times Rich List in May 2021, Morris and his family are worth £4.36 billion.[1]
Early life
editThomas Joseph Morris was born on 10 February 1954 in Liverpool.[2] He is the son of a shopkeeper in Liverpool's Scotland Road, and one of seven children of Tom and Veronica Morris.[3][4] The Morris family have been involved in retailing for three generations.[5]
He received a degree in engineering.[4]
Career
editMorris started the Liverpool-based discount retail chain Home Bargains in 1976 in Old Swan,[6] when he was 21 years old. The chain, during the time originally named "Home and Bargain" retails a diverse range of goods, including health and beauty products, groceries and toys. The stock is often bought at discount from brands trying to offload stock.[7]
In 1995, Morris decided to rebrand the stores logo and name, from "Home and Bargain" to Home Bargains, with a new blue and red corporate logo which was designed by Morris's family member and graphic designer Anton Morris.[8]
Morris reportedly founded the brand using a bank overdraft.[7] It now has more than 595 stores, employing more than 34,000 staff.[5] It still has its largest presence in the Merseyside region of the UK, and is the largest single employer in the area.[5] Morris has said that he plans to expand the chain to more than 800 stores.[5] Morris's interest in Home Bargain's is held by parent company TJ Morris.
Morris owns 89% while his younger brother, Joe Morris, is a smaller shareholder and operations director.[6] Three other brothers also work for the company.[4]
Morris was worth an estimated £2.05 billion in 2014, as per the Sunday Times Rich List.[9] In April 2018, Forbes estimated his net worth at $3.1 billion.[7]
In 2023, the Sunday Times Rich List estimated Morris' net worth as £6.133 billion, making him the richest Liverpudlian and fourth wealthiest person from North-West England. [citation needed]
In 2018, Morris paid himself £1 million.[10]
Personal life
editHe is married and lives in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire , England.[7]
In 2001, the Liverpool Echo reported that his son worked for the company, and that his daughter Lisa and her American husband Brian run Morris Textiles, the linen warehouse.[11]
References
edit- ^ Times, The Sunday. "Tom Morris and family net worth — Sunday Times Rich List 2021". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
- ^ "Bloomberg Billionaires Index: Tom Morris". Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
- ^ Beresford, Philip (26 October 2014). "Britain's Top 100 Entrepreneurs 2014: No. 14: Tom Morris, Home Bargains". Management Today. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
- ^ a b c Andrew Bounds, "A discounter's stores stack up", Financial Times, 17 March 2009
- ^ a b c d "Home Bargains About". 7 November 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
- ^ a b Andrew Bounds, "Discount retailer TJ Morris breaks through £1bn sales barrier", Financial Times, 14 October 2013
- ^ a b c d "Forbes profile: Tom Morris". Forbes. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
- ^ "Home Bargains started with one store in Old Swan but went on to make owner a billionaire". 8 September 2022. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
- ^ Bill Gleeson, "Merseyside billionaires feature in 2014 Rich List", Liverpool Echo, 18 May 2014
- ^ "Home Bargains boss pays himself £1m - Retail Gazette". www.retailgazette.co.uk. 23 October 2018. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
- ^ "#1m a year from #85 a week". Liverpool Echo. 7 June 2001. Retrieved 3 October 2015.