David Meller


David Robert Meller is a British businessman, and the sponsor of an academy trust, and a member of the Department for Education's board of directors, until the scandal surrounding the Presidents Club, of which he was the joint chairman, led to his resignation in January 2018.

Early life

David Robert Meller was born in December 1959. He is the son of Percival Meller, and his wife Anita. He has a brother, Michael Meller.
Meller has said that he attended a comprehensive school, earned four O-levels and "struggled with dyslexia".

Career

In 1987, Meller was the joint chief executive of Julius A. Meller Ltd of London, a "diversified manufacturing company", from which his father had retired. The company was founded by his grandfather, Julius Aaron Meller.
As of 2018, Meller "helps run his family's company", the Meller Group, a luxury goods company. In 2013, he was chairman of the Meller Group, a cosmetics firm.
Meller founded the Meller Educational Trust, which runs four schools and a university technical college.
In June 2013, Meller joined the Department for Education as a non-executive board member. He also served as chair of the Apprenticeship Ambassadors Network and co-chair of the Apprenticeship Delivery Board from January 2016.
He set up the Meller Educational Trust, which runs four schools and a university technical college, and served as chair of the National Apprenticeship Ambassador Network and the Apprenticeship Delivery Board. In 2013, he was the "main backer" of a new school opening that autumn in Elstree.
Following calls by MPs and others, Meller resigned from the Department for Education's board of directors, and the apprenticeship delivery board, the day after the story broke in the Financial Times. Meller also resigned as a trustee of the Mayor's Fund for London.

Honours

Meller received a CBE in the 2018 new year's honours list.

Politics

Meller has been a "generous Conservative party donor".
Meller was a trustee of the think tank Policy Exchange, founded by Michael Gove, and finance chair of Gove's Conservative leadership campaign.

Personal life

On 24 October 1987, Meller married Wendy Susan Frumkes, the daughter of Herbert M. Frumkes of New York, president of Tradex Brokerage Service Inc, at New York's Metropolitan Club, with Rabbi Ronald B. Sobel officiating.
In May 2015, Meller sold a 10,000  sq  ft six-storey Grade II listed Arts and Crafts-style brick house at 79 Mount Street, Mayfair, London to the Qatari royal family for £40 million.