About Mike Clare Hon DUniv - Executive Chairman
Mike was born and bred in Beaconsfield and as an official ‘Buckinghamshire Ambassador’, is proud of his Buckinghamshire involvements and heritage. Nowadays, Mike lives in the beautiful Buckinghamshire Chiltern countryside with his wife Carol and two daughters Rebecca & Hannah. Tom & Eds, his two elder sons, have recently bought property of their own and are at the start of their entrepreneurial careers! Mike went to Davenies School, Chalfonts Community College and High Wycombe College before starting a career in the furniture industry working for Williams, Hardy’s and Perring’s, before opening his first retail store at the age of 30.
Serial entrepreneur, Mike is probably best known as the founder of Dreams which he launched in 1987. With a chain of over 250 superstores, Dreams is now acknowledged as Britain’s largest and most successful bed retailer. Although Mike stepped down as Chairman and CEO in 2008, he remains involved as a major shareholder and non-Executive President.
In 2009 Mike established Clarenco LLP, where as Executive Chairman, he controls a variety of investment and property ventures under the Clarenco Group umbrella. Mike’s passion for business has been the driving force behind the Stokenchurch based team that has rapidly developed a number of exciting new companies.
A significant part of Clarenco is Amazing Venues, a portfolio of unusual, large residential properties such as castles, manor houses, forts and follies. These are let out on an ‘exclusive use’ basis for corporate hospitality, weddings, private parties and film locations.
Clarenco also invests in pre-let Commercial property in the High Wycombe area as well as larger residential homes through Beaconsfield Executive Homes. Mike’s considerable retail experience (particularly in furniture) has enabled Clarenco to set up Stately Interiors, which supplies grand, unusual and bespoke furniture & furnishings such as banqueting tables, grandfather clocks and chandeliers to manor houses, boutique hotels and the country house market.
Mike’s investment company Cygnus LLP has over the past 2 years made significant investments in Threadneedle, Westbridge, Today Retail and Sunseeker.
In September 2009 Mike was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Bucks New University in recognition of his outstanding achievements in the field of commerce and entrepreneurship.
The Clare Foundation – a registered charity dedicated to helping other charities become more efficient, commercial and entrepreneurial – was founded by Mike in 2009. Based just outside High Wycombe, The Clare Foundation also acts as a ‘hub’ and home for local charities by offering subsidised accommodation and shared back-office facilities.
Mike is a keen supporter and donor to a wide variety of charities, such as The Prince’s Trust, Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers, Retail Trust, Buckinghamshire Community Foundation, SKIDZ, Child Bereavement Charity and various others.