Ralph Halpern
{{Short description|British businessman (1938–2022)}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix = Sir
| name = Ralph Halpern
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| birth_name = Ralph Mark Halpern
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1938|10|24|df=y}}
| birth_place = London, England
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2022|08|10|1938|10|24|df=y}}
| death_place =
| education =
| occupation =
| title = {{Plainlist|
- CEO of Burton Group
- Founder of Topshop
}}
| term = 1978–1991
| predecessor =
| successor = John Hoerner
| known for =
| boards =
| networth =
| spouse = {{Plainlist|
- {{Marriage|Joan Donkin|1967|1999|end=divorced}}
- {{Marriage|Laura Blume|2003|2007|end=divorced}}
}}
| parents =
| children = 2, including Jenny Halpern Prince
| relations =
| website =
}}
Sir Ralph Mark Halpern (24 October 1938 – 10 August 2022) was a British businessman, who was the founder of Topshop and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Burton Group from 1979 to 1991.
Early life
Ralph Halpern was born in October 1938{{Cite web|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/officers/oqJl1giD3TFlEr62w7sKGN58lgI/appointments |title=Ralph HALPERN – Personal Appointments (free information from Companies House) |website=Beta.companieshouse.gov.uk |access-date=5 May 2016}} in London, after his Jewish parents fled from the Nazis in the 1930s and emigrated to England, losing their fortune.{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/property/advice/propertymarket/3334640/Top-shoppers-hideaway.html |title=Top shopper's hideaway |publisher=Telegraph |date=4 September 2004 |access-date=5 May 2016}}{{Cite news|author=Nigel Cope |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/debenhams-to-be-spun-off-as-burton-regroups-1249780.html |title=Debenhams to be spun off as Burton regroups | Business | News |newspaper=The Independent |access-date=5 May 2016}}
Career
Halpern joined Burton Group as a management trainee in 1961, and was directly involved in the establishment of Top Shop (above a Peter Robinson branch) in 1964. On the back of its success he progressed through the managerial ranks becoming chief executive in 1978. He turned it into a retail empire that dominated the British high street, with 2,800 stores and employing more than 60,000 people. With brands including Topshop, Dorothy Perkins, Debenhams, Principles, Racing Green and Evans, it was worth £1.8bn when Halpern was ousted by the board in 1991.{{Cite news|author=Charlotte Hardie |url=http://www.retail-week.com/topics/people/the-burton-group-family-tree/5030992.fullarticle |title=The Burton Group family tree | Analysis |newspaper=Retail Week |date=11 November 2011 |access-date=5 May 2016}}
Personal life and death
Halpern was knighted for "services to the retail industry" in the 1986 Birthday Honours.United Kingdom list: {{London Gazette |date=13 June 1986 |supp=y |issue=50551 |pages=2 }} He married Joan Donkin in 1967.{{cite news |title=Sir Ralph Halpern obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/aug/14/sir-ralph-halpern-obituary |access-date=14 August 2022 |work=The Guardian |date=14 August 2022}} They had a daughter, Jenny Halpern Prince, and divorced in 1999.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/business-money/companies/article/everything-must-go-at-halpern-sale-ns6vww7dsw0|title=Everything must go at Halpern sale|last1=Hosking|first1=by Patrick}} In 1987, he was linked by the British tabloids to a liaison with the page 3 model Fiona Wright, leading to a "five times a night" headline.
In 2000, Halpern became a father again, aged 61, when his second wife and former secretary, Laura Blume, gave birth to a son.{{Cite news|author=Dennis Barker |url=https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2000/oct/17/features11.g21 |title=Sir Ralph Halpern a father at 61years of age | Global |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=5 May 2016}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-66093926.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911032415/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-66093926.html|url-status = dead|archive-date=11 September 2016|title=Five-Times-a-Night Burton's Boss Has a Baby Son at 61; SIR RALPH STARTS A NEW FAMILY WITH FORMER SECRETARY, 38, AT Pounds 5m MANSION|website=Highbeam.com|access-date=5 May 2016}} He and Laura were subsequently divorced in Miami in 2007.{{Citation needed |date=August 2023 |reason=The source 'https://www.pressreader.com/' has no relevance to this part of the article}} He was still residing in Miami in 2019.{{Cite Twitter profile|sirralphhalpern}}
Halpern died on 10 August 2022, at the age of 83.[https://www.ft.com/content/4f4d0330-e85c-438a-aa0f-1542dfd08ae2 Ralph Halpern, high street retailer, dies at 83] Financial Times{{Cite news |title=Sir Ralph Halpern obituary |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/article/sir-ralph-halpern-obituary-wbjhhkb5d |access-date=11 August 2022 |work=The Times}}
References
{{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Halpern, Ralph}}
Category:Austrian emigrants to the United Kingdom
Category:British chief executives
Category:British people of Austrian-Jewish descent