Simon Marks, 1st Baron Marks of Broughton (9 July 1888 – 8 December 1964), was an English retail businessman and baron, the son of Michael Marks, the co-founder of major British multinational company Marks & Spencer.

Biography

Early life

Marks was born in the Leylands, Leeds, on 9 July 1888, son of Michael Marks and Hannah Cohen, and educated at Manchester Grammar School.

Career

In 1907, he inherited a number of "penny bazaars" from his father, which had been established with Thomas Spencer. With the help of Israel Sieff, he built Marks & Spencer into an icon of British business.

He was knighted on 4 July 1944 and on 10 July 1961 was raised to the peerage as Baron Marks of Broughton, of Sunningdale in the Royal County of Berkshire.