Early Life
Peter Kendal Hargreaves was born on October 5, 1946, in Clitheroe, Lancashire, England. He attended Clitheroe Royal Grammar School, where he developed an early interest in mathematics and finance. He trained as a chartered accountant, qualifying in 1970.
Rise to Success
Hargreaves started his career as a computer salesman. In 1981, he co-founded Hargreaves Lansdown with Stephen Lansdown in Bristol. They started the company from a spare bedroom, providing unit trust information and tax planning advice. Under his leadership, the company grew to become one of the UK's largest financial services firms, serving over 1.9 million clients and managing over £155.3 billion in assets as of June 30, 2024. Hargreaves stepped down as CEO in 2010 and retired from the board in 2015.
Key Business Strategies
Hargreaves Lansdown focused on providing clearer, lower-cost access to unit trusts and investments. The company's success was also attributed to its direct marketing and digital platform, allowing ordinary savers to access funds and tax wrappers. Hargreaves's significant stake in Hargreaves Lansdown, which he co-founded, contributed greatly to his financial success.
Philanthropy
Peter Hargreaves, along with his family, has been involved in philanthropic efforts through the Hargreaves Foundation, which supports initiatives in sport and education for young people. He also donated to the Leave.EU campaign for Brexit.