Oliver Cookson
Oliver Cookson | |
|---|---|
 Oliver Cookson in 2014 | |
| Education | The Kingsway School, Stockport[1] |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Known for | Founder of Myprotein |
Oliver Cookson is an English entrepreneur who established the sports nutrition business Myprotein, which he sold in 2011 for £58 million to The Hut Group. He was named in the Sunday Times Rich List 2019 having recorded a net worth of £306 m.[2]
Early life
[edit]Oliver Cookson is a British entrepreneur, who grew up in Withington, Manchester, in the Northwest of England, and comes from a working-class background. After leaving school with one GCSE,[3] he was taken on as an apprentice for an IT company before setting up on his own as a self-taught contract website developer for major global organisations.[4][5]
Career
[edit]Cookson, a keen weight trainer, launched sports nutrition brand Myprotein in 2004 with a £500 overdraft.[6] He began trading from a lock-up garage and built Myprotein into a business employing more than fifty staff and selling products across the UK and Europe.[7] The company manufactures and sells sports nutrition products and protein foods through its website.[8] Products include protein powders, amino acids, vitamins, ready-to-drink products, omega oils and other weight loss and diet supplements.[9]
In 2011, Cookson sold Myprotein to The Hut Group in a deal worth £58 million in cash plus shares in the group. Those shares earned him another estimated £283 million with The Hut Group's initial public offering (IPO) in 2020.[10]
On 1 November 2011, Cookson established the business Monocore[11] launching nutrition brands, including GoNutrition, before fully exiting the company in 2019.[citation needed] He then founded investment vehicle OSC Group according to Companies House.[citation needed]
In March 2017, Cookson took a major stake in online meat and health foods retailer LiveLean Nutrition. Cookson was appointed chair of the board, whilst maintaining his other director positions in GoNutrition, P-Fit and Monocore.[12]
Investments
[edit]In 2025, Cookson's family office partnered with property developer CERT to acquire the Grade II-listed Shena Simon Campus in Manchester for redevelopment into a hotel. The 97,000 sq ft building on Chorlton Street was purchased from The Manchester College following the relocation of teaching activities to a new nearby campus. The building originally opened in 1901 as the Central Higher Grade School and later served as a military hospital during the First World War before becoming a sixth-form college. The redevelopment forms part of wider regeneration in central Manchester.[13][14] In September 2026, Cookson's family office announced plans to develop The Oliver, a £60 million hotel at the campus.[15]
Make-A-Wish (UK)
[edit]In November 2020, Cookson became a patron for the charity Make-A-Wish (UK). The charity had been severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.[16] Cookson donated £250,000.[17]
TV piracy
[edit]In 2001, Cookson was fined £600 and ordered to complete 200 hours community service after pleading guilty to selling devices that allowed viewers to see pay-per-view channels for free.[18]
Litigation
[edit]Cookson was involved in long running litigation with The Hut Group over the sale of Myprotein in 2011 and the valuations that each side had put on their business.[19] Following a trial in The High Court in London in October 2014, Justice William Blair awarded Cookson net £6,482,911 million in relation to the counterclaim. The Hut Group had made the first move with what Blair called a "pre-emptive strike".[20] Blair ordered that The Hut Group pay its own costs and meet one third of those incurred by Cookson and the Trust.[21]
In 2019, Cookson brought High Court documents alleging new shares in The Hut Group were issued to investors without Cookson's approval after the co-sale rights were removed, reducing Cookson's shareholding from 11.6% to 8.3% between February 2016 and May 2018.[22]
References
[edit]- ↑ O'Reilly, Judith. "Rich List 2019: Why failing exams is no bar to financial success".
- ↑ O'Reilly, Judith. "'Rich List 2019: why failing exams is no bar to financial success". Retrieved 12 May 2019.
- ↑ O'Reilly, Judith. "'Rich List 2019: why failing exams is no bar to financial success". Retrieved 12 May 2019.
- ↑ Keeling, Neal (18 November 2020). "The dreams of 100 children will come true thanks to the generosity of a local lad who did very well for himself". Manchester Evening News.
- ↑ O'Reilly, Judith. "'Rich List 2019: why failing exams is no bar to financial success". Retrieved 12 May 2019.
- ↑ "'Myprotein founder launches latest venture". Manchester Evening News. 28 August 2013. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
- ↑ "'Private equity investors circle Myprotein'". Manchester Evening News. 28 February 2011. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
- ↑ "'The Hut prepares for IPO in early 2014'". Financial Times. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
- ↑ "'Private equity investors circle Myprotein'". Manchester Evening News. 28 February 2011. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
- ↑ "'THG IPO'". 16 September 2020.
- ↑ "'Myprotein founder launches latest venture'". Manchester Evening News. 28 August 2013. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
- ↑ Birtwistle, Joanne (24 March 2017). "Myprotein founder takes major stake in online meat venture | TheBusinessDesk.com". North West. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
- ↑ "CERT to convert Manchester's Shena Simon campus into hotel". Place North West.
- ↑ "CERT agrees deal to purchase Manchester college campus". BE News. 2 May 2025.
- ↑ Carey, Declan (16 September 2026). "Plans revealed for £60m 'lifestyle' hotel in historic Manchester city centre building". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 21 September 2026.
- ↑ "'Make-a-Wish (UK)".
- ↑ Keeling, Neal (18 November 2020). "The dreams of 100 children will come true thanks to the generosity of a local lad who did very well for himself". Manchester Evening News.
- ↑ BBC News - Computer expert fined over TV piracy, 17 July 2001
- ↑ "'The Hut eyes M&A as it looks to expand in health and beauty'". Financial Times. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
- ↑ "The Hut Group Ltd v Nobahar-Cookson & Anor [2014] EWHC 3842 (QB) (20 November 2014)". www.bailii.org.
- ↑ "'Cookson and The Hut both claim victory after High Court row'". The Business Desk. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
- ↑ Torrance, Jack; Gill, Oliver (23 February 2019). "'Myprotein founder sues Hut Group over shares". The Telegraph. Retrieved 23 February 2019.