Michael Lewis is a South African-born British businessman who is well known for being the chairman of Foschini Group, one of South Africa’s top clothing retail groups. In 2021, he came into the limelight after marrying the English aristocrat Lady Kitty Spencer.
Wiki/Biography
Michael Lewis was born in 1959 (age 62 years; as of 2021) in Cape Town, South Africa. He attended the University of Cape Town, where he earned his undergraduate and graduate degree [1]Wall Street Journal. In the 1980s, his father, Stanley Lew, moved from South Africa to London before the fall of apartheid in South Africa. Apartheid was an authoritarian political culture, which ensured that South Africa was dominated politically, socially, and economically by the nation’s minority white population.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 6′
Hair Color: Salt and Pepper
Eye Color: Black
Family & Ethnicity
Born into a wealthy Jewish family in Cape Town, South Africa, Michael Lewis is a descendant of one of the twelve tribes of Israel called the ‘Tribe of Levi.’ [2]Cape Town Jewish Cemetery Maintenance Board
Parents & Siblings
Michael Lewis’ Latvian-born grandfather, Meyer Lewis, founded the furniture retail chain The Lewis Group in the 1930s. In the 1980s, Michael Lewis’ father, Stanley Lewis, bought a controlling stake in Foschini when the group was experiencing some financial difficulties. His mother’s name is Zea Lewis. He has three siblings Renee Lewis, Wendy Lewis, and Cheryl Lewis.
Wife & Children
In 1985, he got married to a woman named Leola. Reportedly, together the couple has three children who are in their 30s. On 24 July 2021, Michael Lewis (62) got married to Lady Kitty Spencer (30), a British noblewoman who is well known for being the niece of Diana, Princess of Wales, and the eldest child of Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer.
Michael Lewis and Lady Kitty Spencer
The royal socialite and model is the global ambassador for jewelry brand Bulgari and the fashion company Dolce & Gabbana. Apparently, Lewis proposed to Spencer in Cape Town before Christmas in 2019, while they were on holiday with family. The couple started dating in 2018. Speculations began when The Mail on Sunday revealed that Lady Spencer and businessman Lewis had reportedly been spending a lot of time together after an introduction by the former Defence Secretary Liam Fox. After three years of courting, the couple tied the knot at Villa Aldobrandini in Frascati in Rome.
Religion/Religious Views
Michael Lewis was born in a Jewish family, and he follows Judaism. [3]Business Insider South Africa His father, Stanley Lewis, was a supporter of Zionism, an ideology that believed in the development, protection, and re-establishment of Canaan, the Holy Land, and the region of Palestine or Eretz Israel as a central location for Jewish identity. [4]The JC
Career
After moving to London, Stanley Lewis founded Oceana Investment Corporation, which is popular in the UK for its attempt to take over the Etam clothing chain in 1992. Michael Lewis joined the family’s investment vehicle, Oceana Investment Corporation, in 1987 as a fund manager in Edinburgh and London. Thereafter, he joined hands with his father to manage the family business. From 2006 to 2007, he held the position of director in Bicom. In 2006, Michael Lewis bought a three percent share in Germany’s largest newspaper group, Alex Springer, for 775 million rands (104 million euros). He served on the supervisory board of German publishing company Axel Springer AG. Earlier, he served as the chairman of ProChon Biotech Ltd., the Israeli biotech company founded by him. Later, the business tycoon became the founder of Oceana Investment Partners LLP. In 2008, he held the positions of executive director at Oceana Capital Partners LLP and director at UTB Partners Ltd. In 2011, he became the chairman of Oceana Investment Corp. Ltd. In 2013, he became chairman-cum-partner at Oceana Investment Partners LLP. He served as a non-executive director at Oceana Fund Managers (Jersey) Ltd., Oceana Concentrated Opportunities Fund Ltd., and United Trust Bank Ltd. In 2014, he became the chairman of Strandbags Holdings Pty Ltd. Additionally, he has also held the position of chairman in the London-based think tank Institute for Strategic Dialogue and a board member of five other companies including Histogenics Corp. In 2015, he became the chairman at The Foschini Group Ltd.
Controversy
In October 2011, UK’s former Defence Secretary Liam Fox’s close friendship with the Scottish businessman Adam Werritty attracted extensive media attention and eventually led to Fox’s resignation. Fox was accused of permitting Adam Werritty’s inappropriate access to the Ministry of Defence. When Fox was serving as the Secretary of State for Defence, he allowed Werritty to join official trips overseas and attend meetings with foreign dignitaries. Additionally, Fox had also allowed him to use official-looking business cards, which exhibited Werritty as an “advisor” to Fox without having a government post or security clearance. [5]The Telegraph While the scandal made headlines, The Guardian published an article stating that Michael Lewis had paid for Werritty’s flight and hotel bill to attend a 2009 conference in Israel. The article also accused Lewis of financing Fox’s 2005 trip to the United States, which fox took along with five newly elected MPs. The article read,
All of the MPs declared in the register of members’ interests that their flights and hotel bills were paid for by Michael Lewis.”
Later, The Guardian made amendments in the article and clarified that Lewis had made donations to Fox’s 2005 leadership campaign; therefore he was not responsible for its application. The article also mentioned that it was the British Israel Communications Research Council (Bicom) who paid for Werritty’s trip to Israel in 2009. As Lewis was the director of Bicom until 2007, he had no involvement with the organization in 2009, save as a donor. [6]The Guardian
Net Worth
He has an estimated net worth of 80 million euros, which is roughly 1.4 billion rands. [7]Business Insider South Africa
Facts/Trivia
- Reportedly, Lewis provides financial support to the Conservative Party in the UK. On 27 July 2005, Lewis donated £5,000 to Liam Fox’s leadership campaign to be the next leader of the Conservative party.
- His assets include a mansion in central London worth 386 million rands, approximately 19 million pounds, (as of 2020). [8]Independent
- In 2011, his family donated £3 million, i.e., approximately 56 million rands, as a tribute to his philanthropic father, Stanley Lewis, to Oxford University. The fund was directed towards appointing a Professor of Israel Studies in the university. [9]Business Insider South Africa
- Unlike his socialite wife, Lady Kitty Spencer, who actively flaunts her lavish lifestyle on her social media accounts, Michael Lewis isn’t active on any social media platform.
- The 62-year-old millionaire fashion mogul is 32 years older than Lady Kitty Spencer and five years older than her father, Earl Spencer.