Bhanu Choudhrie
{{short description|Indian-born businessman (born 1978)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Bhanu Choudhrie
| image = Bhanu Choudhrie, June 2019.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Bhanu Choudhrie, June 2019
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1978|06}}
| birth_place = New Delhi, India
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = Indian
| citizenship = British
| education = University of Boston
| occupation = Businessman
| title = Executive director, C&C Alpha Group
| term =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| boards =
| spouse = Simrin Choudhrie (div. 2020)
| partner =
| children = 2
| parents = Sudhir Choudhrie
| website =
| known for =
}}
Bhanu Choudhrie (born June 1978) is an Indian-born businessman based in the United Kingdom. He is the founder and executive director of C&C Alpha Group.{{cite web|url=http://www.ccalphagroup.co.uk/|title=C&C Alpha Group|website=|accessdate=13 January 2017}}
Early life
Bhanu Choudhrie is the son of Sudhir Choudhrie and his wife Anita. He was born in New Delhi, India in June 1978 and moved to the UK in 2000. He was educated at the Boston University.{{Cite news|url=https://issuu.com/abpl/docs/asiangiants_may2016|title=Asian Giants May 2016|newspaper=issuu|access-date=13 January 2017}}
Career
Choudhrie has been the executive director of the C&C Alpha Group since 2001.{{cite news |last1=Kotoky |first1=Anurag |title=A Shortage of Pilots Looms as the Next Challenge for Airlines |newspaper=Bloomberg |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-09-21/a-shortage-of-pilots-looms-as-the-next-challenge-for-airlines |date=September 21, 2021}}
In 2006, Choudhrie founded Alpha Aviation Group, an international pilot training provider{{Cite web|url=https://www.fdiintelligence.com/Sectors/Aerospace/Pilot-demand-gives-aviation-industry-wings|title=Pilot demand gives aviation industry wings|last=Intelligence|first=fDi|website=www.fdiintelligence.com|language=en-GB|access-date=6 June 2019}} training pilots for leading regional airlines, including Air Arabia, VietJet and Cebu Pacific.{{Cite web|url=https://aag.aero/partners/|title=Partners|website=Building Pilot Careers|language=en-US|access-date=6 June 2019}}{{Cite web|url=http://uae.aag.aero/air.html|title=Alpha Aviation Academy|website=uae.aag.aero|access-date=6 June 2019}}
Choudhrie is a director of the charity, Path To Success, founded by his mother Anita in 2005.{{cite web |last1=Saunders |first1=John |title=Bhanu Choudhrie shares his path to success and philanthropy |date=30 January 2020 |url=https://londonlovesbusiness.com/bhanu-choudhrie-shares-his-path-to-success-and-philanthropy/}} It is known for its work helping disabled athletes. In 2018, it sponsored female athletes from Para Badminton, Para Powerlifting, Wheelchair Tennis and Wheelchair Basketball, who aspired to represent Team GB at the Tokyo Olympics.{{Cite web|url=https://bdaily.co.uk/articles/2018/06/20/path-to-tokyo-2020-charity-path-to-success-announces-sponsorship-of-twelve-female-para-athletes|title=PATH TO TOKYO 2020: CHARITY PATH TO SUCCESS ANNOUNCES SPONSORSHIP OF TWELVE FEMALE PARA-ATHLETES|website=Bdaily Business News|language=en|access-date=6 June 2019}}
In 2014, Choudhrie and his father Sudhir Choudhrie were arrested by the UK's Serious Fraud Office (SFO) in connection with their ongoing investigation into bribery in Rolls-Royce's overseas business. Both denied any wrongdoing and were released from bail without charge.{{cite news|last1=Pettitt|first1=Josh|title=Lib-Dem donor angers neighbours with plan for two-story basement with cinema and pool|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/belgravia-residents-get-sinking-feeling-as-lib-dem-donor-digs-deep-10059334.html|accessdate=1 November 2016|work=Evening Standard}}{{Cite news|url=http://in.reuters.com/article/rolls-royce-britain-sfo-idINKBN0H20JE20140907|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304090517/http://in.reuters.com/article/rolls-royce-britain-sfo-idINKBN0H20JE20140907|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 March 2016|title=Indian-born Sudhir Choudhrie, son dropped from bribery probe into Rolls-Royce sales – Sunday Times|author=Reuters Editorial|newspaper=Reuters India|language=en-IN|access-date=13 January 2017}} In 2019, the SFO announced it had dropped its inquiries into Choudhrie and his father.{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2019/02/22/sfo-abandons-probes-rolls-royce-glaxo/|title=SFO abandons probes into Rolls-Royce and Glaxo|last=Wallace|first=Tim|date=22 February 2019|work=The Telegraph|access-date=6 June 2019|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}
He was a director of Atlantic Coast Financial Corporation, prior to its acquisition by Ameris in May 2018. Choudhrie was a co-founder of Megalith Capital Management.{{Cite web|url=https://realbusiness.co.uk/working-unpaid-jobs-resulted-in-wealth-as-a-private-equity-investor/|title=Working unpaid jobs resulted in wealth as a private equity investor – Real Business|date=6 September 2016|website=Working unpaid jobs resulted in wealth as a private equity investor – Real Business : Real Business|language=en-US|access-date=6 June 2019}}
Personal life
Choudhrie lives in a £20 million Grade II listed house in London's Belgravia, with his son, who was born in February 2011.{{cite news|url=http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/news/health/secret-millionaire-s-six-figure-gift-to-sheffield-charity-1-3299607 |title=Secret Millionaire's six-figure gift to Sheffield charity |newspaper=Sheffield Telegraph |date=18 April 2011 |accessdate=1 November 2016}}
Choudhrie has been a political supporter of the UK Liberal Democrats and donated to the Party prior to the 2010 General Election.{{Cite web|url=http://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/English/Search/Donations?currentPage=1&rows=10&query=bhanu%20choudhrie&sort=AcceptedDate&order=desc&tab=1&et=pp&et=ppm&et=tp&et=perpar&et=rd&prePoll=false&postPoll=true&optCols=CampaigningName&optCols=AccountingUnitsAsCentralParty&optCols=IsSponsorship&optCols=RegulatedDoneeType&optCols=CompanyRegistrationNumber&optCols=Postcode&optCols=NatureOfDonation&optCols=PurposeOfVisit&optCols=DonationAction&optCols=ReportedDate&optCols=IsReportedPrePoll&optCols=ReportingPeriodName&optCols=IsBequest&optCols=IsAggregation|title=Search – The Electoral Commission|website=search.electoralcommission.org.uk|access-date=13 January 2017}}{{cite news|author1=Rupert Neate |author2=Rowena Mason |author3=Rajeev Syal |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/feb/14/lib-dems-party-donor-choudhrie-undesirable |title=Lib Dems mired in row after party donor blacklisted by fraud squad|newspaper=The Guardian|date=14 February 2014 }} In May 2020, Choudhrie's ex-wife Simrin was awarded a £60 million divorce settlement in London's High Court.{{cite news |last1=Sampson |first1=Annabel |title=£60 million divorce deal settled between Simrin Choudhrie and heir to one of India's wealthiest families |url=https://www.tatler.com/article/simrin-choudhrie-60-million-divorce-deal-finalised |access-date=19 August 2021 |work=Tatler |date=13 May 2020}}
Since 2020, Choudhrie has been in a relationship with Australian fashion designer Tamara Ralph, the co-founder of British fashion house Ralph & Russo.{{cite news |last1=Sampson |first1=Annabel |title=Tales of romance emerge for tycoon Bhanu Choudhrie with Meghan's designer friend, Tamara Ralph |url=https://www.tatler.com/article/bhanu-choudhrie-in-relationship-with-tamara-ralph |access-date=19 August 2021 |work=Tatler |date=20 May 2020}} They have a child together who was born on 28 January 2021.{{cite news |last1=Paton |first1=Elizabeth |title=When the Romance Ends, but the Brand Goes On |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/25/fashion/when-the-romance-ends-but-the-brand-goes-on.html |date=February 25, 2021}}
References
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Category:People from Belgravia
Category:Boston University School of Management alumni