Rocco Forte
Encyclopedia
Sir Rocco Forte is a British
hotel
ier born in Bournemouth
.
After Downside School
he went on to read modern languages at Pembroke College, Oxford
, where he won a blue for fencing
. He is the son of the late Lord Forte
from whom he took over as CEO
of the Forte Group
in 1992.
In 1983, in Rome
, he married Aliai Ricci, a seventeen year old Italian, daughter of a psychiatrist.
In the mid-Nineties, the Forte Group was faced with a hostile takeover
bid from Gerry Robinson
's Granada
. Ultimately, Granada succeeded with a £3.87 billion tender offer in August 1995 that left the family with around £350 million in cash.
In 2001, following the de-merger of Compass Group
from Granada's media interests, the use of the Forte trademark
was returned to Forte in a gesture intended to dispel the bitter legacy of the takeover.
After the takeover, Forte set up his own chain of hotels - initially known as RF Hotels and re-branded as The Rocco Forte Collection
after the return of the Forte brand name. He bought the Balmoral Hotel
, Edinburgh
and Brown's Hotel
, London
for £51.5m. The Rocco Forte Hotels group now operates 11 luxurious hotels around Europe, with three more to open within the period 2008-2009.
Forte's family wealth
in 2006 was listed as £385,000,000.
Forte funded a series of lectures at Westminster Cathedral
in April 2008 organised by Cardinal Archbishop Cormac Murphy-O'Connor. The first of these was given by former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair
, who launched his "faith foundation" there. Later, Forte was reported to have criticised Blair for passing anti-Catholic legislation.
His niece is Alex Polizzi
, a hotelier
and the presenter of Five's the Hotel Inspector
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
ier born in Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
.
After Downside School
Downside School
Downside School is a co-educational Catholic independent school for children aged 11 to 18, located in Stratton-on-the-Fosse, between Norton Radstock and Shepton Mallet in Somerset, south west England. It is attached to Downside Abbey...
he went on to read modern languages at Pembroke College, Oxford
Pembroke College, Oxford
Pembroke College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, located in Pembroke Square. As of 2009, Pembroke had an estimated financial endowment of £44.9 million.-History:...
, where he won a blue for fencing
Fencing
Fencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...
. He is the son of the late Lord Forte
Charles Forte, Baron Forte
Charles Forte, Baron Forte was a British caterer and hotelier. His obituary in The Guardian obituary stated that: He created a worldwide empire of restaurants and hotels from virtually nothing-Early life:...
from whom he took over as CEO
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of the Forte Group
Forte Group
Forte Group plc was a British hotel and restaurant company. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index until it was acquired by Granada PLC.-History:...
in 1992.
In 1983, in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, he married Aliai Ricci, a seventeen year old Italian, daughter of a psychiatrist.
In the mid-Nineties, the Forte Group was faced with a hostile takeover
Takeover
In business, a takeover is the purchase of one company by another . In the UK, the term refers to the acquisition of a public company whose shares are listed on a stock exchange, in contrast to the acquisition of a private company.- Friendly takeovers :Before a bidder makes an offer for another...
bid from Gerry Robinson
Gerry Robinson
Sir Gerrard Jude "Gerry" Robinson is an Irish businessman. He is the former non-executive Chairman of Allied Domecq and the ex-Chairman/Chief Executive of Granada.-Early life:...
's Granada
Granada Ltd.
Granada plc is a former British conglomerate which was best known as the former parent of the Manchester-based Granada Television....
. Ultimately, Granada succeeded with a £3.87 billion tender offer in August 1995 that left the family with around £350 million in cash.
In 2001, following the de-merger of Compass Group
Compass Group
Compass Group plc is a global contract foodservice and support services company headquartered near London, United Kingdom. It is the largest contract foodservice company in the world and has operations in over 50 countries...
from Granada's media interests, the use of the Forte trademark
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
was returned to Forte in a gesture intended to dispel the bitter legacy of the takeover.
After the takeover, Forte set up his own chain of hotels - initially known as RF Hotels and re-branded as The Rocco Forte Collection
The Rocco Forte Collection
The Rocco Forte Collection is a family of 13 hotels and resorts across Europe.As brand of Rocco Forte & Family PLC, the company owns and part-owns luxury five-star hotels...
after the return of the Forte brand name. He bought the Balmoral Hotel
Balmoral Hotel
The Balmoral is a luxury five-star hotel and landmark in Edinburgh, Scotland, known as the North British Hotel until the late 1980s. It is located in the heart of the city at the east end of Princes Street, the main shopping street beneath the Edinburgh Castle rock, and the southern edge of the New...
, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and Brown's Hotel
Brown's Hotel
Brown's Hotel is a luxury 5-star hotel in London, United Kingdom. Opening its doors in 1837, it has been owned by The Rocco Forte Collection since 3 July 2003 and is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World....
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
for £51.5m. The Rocco Forte Hotels group now operates 11 luxurious hotels around Europe, with three more to open within the period 2008-2009.
Forte's family wealth
Wealth
Wealth is the abundance of valuable resources or material possessions. The word wealth is derived from the old English wela, which is from an Indo-European word stem...
in 2006 was listed as £385,000,000.
Forte funded a series of lectures at Westminster Cathedral
Westminster Cathedral
Westminster Cathedral in London is the mother church of the Catholic community in England and Wales and the Metropolitan Church and Cathedral of the Archbishop of Westminster...
in April 2008 organised by Cardinal Archbishop Cormac Murphy-O'Connor. The first of these was given by former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
, who launched his "faith foundation" there. Later, Forte was reported to have criticised Blair for passing anti-Catholic legislation.
His niece is Alex Polizzi
Alex Polizzi
Alessandra Maria-Luigia O Polizzi Di Sorrentino is a British hotelier, and the presenter of the British TV series The Hotel Inspector on Channel 5, taking over from Ruth Watson....
, a hotelier
Hotel manager
A hotel manager or hotelier is a person who holds a management occupation within a hotel, motel, or resort establishment. Management titles and duties vary by company. In some hotels the title hotel manager or hotelier may solely be referred to the General Manager of the hotel...
and the presenter of Five's the Hotel Inspector
Hotel Inspector
Hotel Inspector can mean:* The Hotel Inspector, a television programme in the United Kingdom* "Hotel Inspector", an episode of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody...
.
External links
- The Rocco Forte Collection
- FORTE TRIES TO SAVE STRUGGLING HOTELS, DAILY MAIL (London), January 26, 2010
- "The Return of Rocco", Total Business
- "Rocco Forte Revealed", CNN
- Interview with Sir Rocco Forte, Hotel Management International
- Rocco Forte speaks about his father's influence to the Catholic Herald