Sir Alec Reed obituary | Enterprise

Sir Alec Reed, who has died aged 91, constructed a massively profitable employment company, one of many UK’s largest non-public companies. However he can even be remembered as the person who modified the face of British philanthropy. His Large Give organisation – an imaginative manner of involving wealthy donors in supporting charities – now raises more cash at Christmas time than the BBC’s Kids in Want or Comedian Reduction. His personal basis attracts its funds from its holding of 18% of the Reed group. He used to joke that Reed workers labored sooner or later every week for charity.

When he was knighted in 2011 for providers to enterprise and charity he stated: “With out enterprise there can be no charity – however with out charity, what’s the purpose of enterprise?”