John Coates (businessman)
{{Short description|English businessman}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox person
|name = John Coates
|image =
|caption =
|birth_name = John Fitzgerald Coates
|birth_date = {{birth year and age|1970|01}}
|birth_place =
|death_date =
|death_place =
|other_names =
|known_for = Joint CEO of bet365
Chairman of Stoke City
|occupation = Businessman
|education = Bristol University
|nationality = English
| parents = Peter Coates
| spouse =
| children =
| relatives = Denise Coates (sister)
}}
John Fitzgerald Coates (born January 1970), is an English billionaire businessman and the joint chief executive (CEO) of online gambling company bet365 and chairman of Stoke City.
Early life
John Fitzgerald Coates was born in January 1970,{{Cite web|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/03218880/officers|title=HILLSIDE (LEISURE) LIMITED - Officers (free information from Companies House)|website=beta.companieshouse.gov.uk|language=en|access-date=2019-09-05}} the son of Peter Coates, chairman of Stoke City F.C. and director of Bet365. He attended Bristol University, where he studied law.{{cite web |title=Forbes profile: John Coates |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/john-coates/ |website=Forbes |access-date=14 October 2020}}
Business career
Coates started his career as a lawyer. In 2001, after selling some of their father's betting shops to large bookmaker Coral, his sister convinced him to join her in launching bet365.
Bet365
John and his sister Denise Coates{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/jun/08/denise-coates-woman-bet365-gambling|title=Denise Coates: the hidden 24/7 woman behind Bet365|last=Bowers|first=Simon|date=2012-06-08|website=the Guardian|access-date=2016-05-14}} are co-CEOs of UK-based bet365, an online gambling company, of which he owns a quarter.{{Cite web|url=http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/news/1336522/more-people-became-billionaires-last-year-ever-before/|title=More people became billionaires last year than ever before|last=Torrance|first=Jack|date=2015-03-03|website=www.managementtoday.co.uk|access-date=2016-05-14}}
Bet365 Foundation
John helped Denise set up the Bet365 Foundation in August 2012 and it has donated £100 million{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jul/11/bet365-denise-coates-charity-foundation|title=Bet365's Denise Coates sets up £100m charity foundation|last=Bowers|first=Simon|date=2014-07-11|website=the Guardian|access-date=2016-05-14}} to 20 UK charities to help support projects at home and abroad. Over a decade-long period, the foundation has managed to amass a fund of £730 million but handed out £78 million. As of 2024, the majority of the money given to the foundation, mostly by companies in the Bet365 group, has yet to be distributed.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/oct/04/denise-coates-bet365-biggest-beneficiary-charity-tax|title=Denise Coates: how Bet365's boss became the biggest beneficiary of charity tax relief|website=The Guardian|date=2024-10-04|access-date=2025-04-21}}
Stoke City
In July 2015, Coates was appointed as vice-chairman at Stoke City, where his father is chairman.{{Cite web|url=http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Stoke-City-John-Coates-appointed-vice-chairman/story-26821992-detail/story.html|title=Stoke City: John Coates appointed vice chairman|last=Spinks|first=Martin|date=2015-07-02|website=Stoke Sentinel|language=en-GB|access-date=2016-05-14}} In September 2020, Coates was appointed as joint-chairman alongside his father.{{cite web |title=Board Announcement |url=https://www.stokecityfc.com/news/2020/september/Board-Announcement/ |website=Stoke City |access-date=9 September 2020}}
Personal life
He is married, with two children, and lives in Stoke-on-Trent.
References
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Category:English chief executives
Category:People from Stoke-on-Trent
Category:Stoke City F.C. directors and chairmen