Early Life
Richard Fred Chandler was born in Matangi, New Zealand, in 1958 or 1959. He is the son of Robert Chandler, a beekeeper, and Marija Chandler, a businesswoman who founded Chandler House, a department store. Richard attended Auckland Grammar School and earned a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Auckland in 1979. He later completed a Master's thesis on board structure and accountability in New Zealand.
Rise to Success
Chandler began his career at Arthur Andersen in Auckland, then moved to KPMG in London in 1982. He returned to New Zealand to become CEO of Chandler House. In 1986, he and his brother Christopher founded Sovereign Asset Management. They invested in companies in Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe. Their investment style was described as deep value investing, focusing on global emerging markets. In 2006, Chandler founded the Clermont Group, an international conglomerate based in Singapore.
Key Business Strategies
Chandler's investment approach involves identifying undervalued companies with growth potential. He has a reputation for buying struggling companies and rebuilding them. His focus is on financial returns and the potential to bring about positive social and environmental change. The Clermont Group has invested in various sectors, including healthcare, financial services, and aerospace.
Philanthropy
Chandler co-founded Geneva Global in 1999, a philanthropic investment bank. In 2007, he initiated a $100 million education initiative in India. He is also the founder of the Chandler Foundation and the Chandler Institute of Government. In 2017, he was invited to be a core partner in Co-Impact, a philanthropic organization.