Charles Rolls (Fever-Tree)

{{short description|British businessman}}

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| name = Charles Rolls

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| birth_name = Charles Timothy Rolls

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1957}}

| birth_place = London, England

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| alma_mater = Imperial College London
INSEAD

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Charles Rolls (born 1957) is a British businessman, and the co-founder and deputy chairman of the drinks brand Fever-Tree.

Early life

Rolls was born in London in 1957.{{cite encyclopedia|entry=Rolls, Charles T.|publisher=OUP |encyclopedia=Who's Who |doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.287278}}{{cite web|title=Executive Profile: Charles Timothy Rolls|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=275884775&privcapId=275290785|website=Bloomberg LP|accessdate=23 March 2018}}

Rolls earned a bachelor's degree in engineering from Imperial College London, and an MBA from INSEAD.{{cite web|url=https://www.fever-tree.com/corporate/about-us/directors|title=Fever-Tree Premium Natural Mixers|author=|date=|website=Fever-Tree Premium Mixers|accessdate=23 March 2018}}

Career

Rolls worked for the management consultants Bain & Co.

In 1997, Rolls acquired an equity stake in Plymouth Gin, becoming Managing Director. The company was sold to Absolut Vodka in 2001.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fever-tree.com/corporate/about-us/directors|title=Fever-Tree Premium Natural Mixers|website=Fever-Tree Premium Mixers|language=en|access-date=2018-03-27}}

In 2005, he co-founded Fever-Tree with Tim Warrillow. They first met in a pub close to London's Sloane Square.{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/11729817/Fever-Tree-The-architects-of-premium-tonic-taking-on-the-drinks-giants.html|title=Fever-Tree: The architects of premium tonic taking on the drinks giants|first=Ashley|last=Armstrong|date=12 July 2015|publisher=|accessdate=23 March 2018|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}} From 2005 to 2014, he was CEO of Fever-Tree.

In May 2017, Rolls sold 3.9% of the company for £73 million.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/may/25/fever-tree-founder-shares-charles-rolls-tonic|title=Fever-Tree co-founder makes £73m from selling shares|first1=Rob|last1=Davies|first2=Julia|last2=Kollewe|date=25 May 2017|website=the Guardian|accessdate=23 March 2018}} In March 2018, he sold 2.6% of the company for £82.5 million.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2018/03/23/fever-tree-founder-banks-825m-shares-sale/|title=Fever-Tree founder banks £82.5m in shares sale|agency=Press Association|newspaper=The Telegraph |date=23 March 2018|publisher=|accessdate=23 March 2018|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/mar/23/fever-tree-co-founder-selling-shares-charles-rolls|title=Fever-Tree co-founder toasts £82.5m payday from selling shares|agency=Press Association|date=23 March 2018|website=the Guardian|accessdate=23 March 2018}} He still owns 8.6% of the company.

Personal life

Rolls is married, with children.{{cite web|url=https://www.lucasfoxstyle.com/interview-with-charles-rolls/|title=Fever Tree founder Charles Rolls speaks to us about his passion for the Costa Brava and his growing business|last=LFStyle|date=2 June 2014|website=lucasfoxstyle.com|accessdate=23 March 2018}}

He owns a seafront house in Llafranc on Spain's Costa Brava.

References