Peter Dicks
{{Short description|British venture capitalist}}
{{Notability|Biographies|date=April 2012}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Peter Dicks
| image =
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| birth_name = Peter F. Dicks
| birth_date = 1942
| birth_place = Essex, England
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| other_names =
| occupation = Investment manager and venture capitalist
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Peter F. Dicks (born 1942) is a London-based investment manager and venture capitalist. He was the co-founder of Abingworth PLC, one of the earlier venture capital funds in Europe. He is also the former chairman of Sportingbet PLC, one of the world's largest sportsbooks. He is currently a committee vice-chairman with Mercia Fund Management.{{Cite web |url=http://www.merciafund.co.uk/about-us/advisory-committee/peter-dicks-committee-vice-chairman/ |title=Peter Dicks (Committee Vice-Chairman) |accessdate=6 October 2013}}
Career
Early in his career, Dicks was a stock broker with Joseph Sebag & Co where he met Anthony Montagu. In 1973, Dicks and Montagu left Joseph Sebag and formed Abingworth PLC in London. Abingworth was one of the earlier venture capital firms formed in Europe. Abingworth primarily invested in early-stage companies, specializing in technology start-up companies in the United States, and invested in such notable companies as Apple Computer, Silicon Graphics and 3COM.{{cite book |last1=Owen |first1=Geoffrey |last2=Hopkins |first2=Michael M. |title=Science, the State and the City: Britain's Struggle to Succeed in Biotechnology |date=15 April 2016 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-104388-8 |page=51 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cBz4CwAAQBAJ&dq=%22peter+dicks%22+Silicon+Graphics&pg=PA51 |language=en}}
Dicks has served as non-executive chairman or director of numerous companies and investment funds,{{Cite web |url=http://www.mearsgroup.co.uk/news/rns/2789 |title=Directorate Change |date=10 January 2008}} but it was Dicks' tenure as non-executive chairman of Sportingbet PLC that earned him global notoriety.
Arrest
On 7 September 2006 Mr Dicks was detained by U.S. Customs officials at New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport. He was detained under an outstanding warrant issued by the state of Louisiana that charged Dicks with running a gambling enterprise by computer, a crime under Louisiana law.{{Cite news |url=http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,1868328,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=24 |publisher=Guardian Unlimited Business |title=Sportingbet Arrest Threatens Internet Gambling |date=9 September 2006}}
His arrest came two months after the arrest of competitor David Carruthers, CEO of rival firm BetonSports. In contrast to Carruthers, who was being held on federal charges, Dicks was charged only with violating Louisiana law.{{Cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2946938/Sportingbet-hit-by-US-arrest-of-chairman-Dicks.html |title=Sportingbet hit by US arrest of chairman Dicks |author=Alistair Osborne, David Litterick and Russell Hotten |date=8 September 2006}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aM8pU7EBwXJU |title=Sportingbet Chairman Peter Dicks Is Arrested in U.S. (Update8) |first=Dan |last=Weeks |date=7 September 2006}}
Dicks was released on $50,000 bail on 9 September. Shortly thereafter he tendered his resignation as Sportingbet chairman and fought his requested extradition to Louisiana. A hearing scheduled for 28 September 2006 was postponed until the following day to allow New York court officials time to reach a decision.{{Cite news |url=http://business.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,9070-2357868,00.html |publisher=Times Online |title=Dicks quits Sportingbet as bail is relaxed |date=14 September 2006}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
On 29 September, Judge Lopez announced that the warrant would not be enforced, and that Dicks was free to return to the UK. New York governor George Pataki stated that because internet gambling is not a crime in New York, the state does not have the authority to extradite Dicks to Louisiana.{{Cite news |url=http://business.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,8209-2381378,00.html |publisher=Times Online |title=Dicks free to return home as extradition fails |author= Michael Herman and Agencies in New York |date=29 September 2006}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
See also
Notes
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20120929210403/http://www.sportingbetplc.com/ Sportingbet corporate site]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dicks, Peter}}