20 years


supporting businesses in the region


In 1993, John Madejski had been experiencing increasing sales of his Thames Valley AutoTrader magazine for 17 years, but was still five years away from selling his Hurst Publishing company for a reported £260 million and giving his name to Reading FC's new home at Madejski Stadium


Sir John Madejski: A man of our community


Four words might aptly sum up Sir John Madejski, and none of them are The Thames Valley Autotrader or The Reading Football Club.


Achievement, community, reputation and legacy are at the heart of Sir John – the Thames Valley’s most high-profile homegrown entrepreneurial success story.


And, when asking Sir John how the Thames Valley has changed over 20 years, one might as well follow the changes that he has helped bring about.


Achievement


Madejski’s wealth came about by luck, good business sense and much hard graft. As a Reading Evening Post advertising executive, enjoying a Florida holiday, he spotted a magazine using photographs to sell second-hand cars. New to the UK, he used the idea to launch the Thames Valley Trader in 1976. The rest is history . . . and a raft of commercial interests followed, spanning property, broadcast media, hotels, restaurants, publishing and Reading Football Club.


“My initial motivation was to claw myself out of the pit, but I have always wanted to achieve something worthwhile.”


Surprisingly, taking The Royals to the Premiership in 2006 is not his proudest achievement. “It’s the John Madejski Academy in south Reading, because it is changing young lives by providing such a positive environment for education.


“Good education is so important, particularly for the future of businesses.”


Of course, Madejski hasn’t always fulfilled his commercial ambitions. Having achieved that Premiership


objective, it took seven long years to find a suitable buyer for Reading FC – the Russian Anton Zingarevich. And, recession-hit forays into the property (Sackville Properties) and printing (Goodhead Group) sectors have proved very costly.


Community


His belief in local community spirit was one reason Madejski ‘saved Reading FC club for the town' in 1990 by becoming chairman and underpinning its funding. With his support, Reading FC gained promotion to Division One during the 1993/4 season, and set its eyes on the Premiership.


“It’s very much a community-driven club, having grown organically from a parochial past to a large established business which has helped put Reading on the map commercially and globally.”


Sir John has also benefited the further education and business communities with a new lecture theatre for the University of Reading, plus support for its Henley Business School, the biggest in Europe.


“Reading University, one of the top THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – SEPTEMBER 2013


200 world universities, is just the most amazing place with such a plethora of talent and educational disciplines.”


He proudly mentions his local radio station. “Independent local media, such as 107fm and The Business Magazine, has an important role to play, because they report things that you wouldn’t perhaps find on your TV, computer or mobile phone.”


He might also have mentioned his altruistic funding of the Museum of Reading, the Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel at Pangbourne, the Royal Academy of Arts, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. But he didn’t.


Instead, his position as chancellor of the University of Reading since 2007 and his knighthood in 2009, for services to charity, speak for themselves.


Reputation


Reputation and respect are key values in Sir John’s life.


“The thing is reputation is never yours, it’s for others to assess. When you analyse business, what is it? Ultimately it comes down to reputation. Will I do business with this man?


“Entrepreneurs are always thinking, working hard, and considering business schemes, and I am no different, yet when you get success people often look at you as if you have got there by strange means.


“Today, there is a lot more corporate consideration of reputation. I believe the John Madejski Centre for Reputation, which I helped found at Henley Business School, has made some impact in that direction, and is regarded as the best in the world, higher than Yale or Harvard, for research on business reputation.”


20-year insights


Legacy


“Everyone who does well should have a social responsibility and I try to display mine as much as I can. It’s nice to feel that when you ‘step down’ you will leave something behind that is better than when you found it.”


His investments and support have ensured that legacy link to the Thames Valley and the Berkshire community where he was brought up and still lives.


Many of Madejski’s personal interests outside the football world, are just that: personal. He enjoys fine art, classic cars, travel, the company of celebrities, actively supports the Conservative Party, yet remains his own man – polite, careful and considerate, but outspoken in support of his beliefs.


So what of the next 20 years Sir John?


He is ambivalent about Reading not getting city status. “Reading is burgeoning, punches well above its weight, and already operates as a city.


“And everyone knows that the Thames Valley is the economic hub of the south-east, a great location for international business and as a place to live.”


Infrastructure improvements are required but better broadband connectivity, Heathrow access, Reading station environs are all progressing now, he feels.


Sir John regards the rapid embracement and immediacy of the electronic media age as “extremely challenging and exciting at the same time”.


“Now, it’s important that Thames Valley companies are brave and prepare themselves for global markets. We can’t ignore the economic shift from west to east. Companies need to go to where the fish are biting. Emerging countries are the world powerhouses. We have to respect their business ways and work with them.”


www.businessmag.co.uk


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