Maurice Samuel Ostro
British entrepreneur and philanthropist (born 1965)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Maurice Samuel Ostro OBE (born 16 February 1965) is a British entrepreneur and philanthropist. His business interests have included gemstones, media distribution, property, frozen yogurt, airline catering and logistics.[1] His philanthropic activities include supporting entrepreneurship, interfaith relations and economic development.
Maurice Samuel Ostro | |
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| Born | 16 February 1965 |
| Education | Oxford University, Wadham College |
| Occupations | Entrepreneur & Philanthropist |
| Known for | Business, charity and interfaith relations |
| Spouse | Katy Ostro |
| Children | Eliana Ostro, Tamara Ostrowiecki and Michael Ostro |
Ostro was awarded the OBE (Order of the British Empire) in 2014, for services to business, charity and interfaith relations.[2][3] He has also been appointed a KFO (Knight of the Royal Order of Francis I).[4]
Education
Ostro is an alumnus of the Gemological Institute of America, Harvard Business School and New York University. In 1987 he gained a Masters in Jurisprudence at Oxford University’s Wadham College and was then admitted to the New York Bar in 1988.[5]
Business career
Ostro started his career in the gemstone industry after becoming a graduate gemologist in the early 1980s.
In 1992, he founded a frozen yogurt company called Glasay International PLC. The company became the largest supplier of frozen yogurt to the airline sector.[6][7] Glasay was sold in 2001.[8]
He founded Air Fayre, an airline catering company in 1999.[9][10][11] Air Fayre was sold to Watermark PLC in 2004.[12][13][14]
In 2002, Ostro founded Media on the Move, to supply media content to airlines, shipping companies and train lines.[15][16][11] It was sold to Watermark PLC in 2003. In 2006, with Ostro already serving as managing director of two of the company’s divisions, Watermark appointed him as its CEO.[17][18]
Upon his Father’s death in 2010, Ostro assumed responsibility for the UK operations of the family gemstone business, Ostro Minerals.[19][20]
Philanthropy
Ten percent of Ostro’s companies’ profits go to charities. He's also the founder of the charity, the Ostro Fayre Share Foundation.[21]
In 2008, Ostro became a Vice Chair of the Council of Christians and Jews. He was the initiator and Organising Committee Chair for the then London Mayor Boris Johnson's first Interfaith Conference in 2010.[22] Ostro then instigated and funded the creation of the Faiths Forum for London.[20] He also created Entrepreneurial Giving, a movement that encourages businesses towards charity work.[23]
In 2014, Ostro funded and supported the co-location of multiple charities working in the same sector through the creation of a charitable working space called Collaboration House.[24][25] Working with some of these charities and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), his foundation provides training to over 800 religious institutions, through a nationwide initiative called Strengthening Faith Institutions (SFI).[26]
In the wake of COVID-19, Ostro formed the Business Action Council (BAC), a coalition of multiple business organisations in the UK, developing recommendations for the Government on assisting small businesses and entrepreneurs.[27][28][29]
Governmental experience
- Since 2014, Ostro has served on the Education Expert Group for the Prime Minister's Commission on the Holocaust[30][31]
- From 2003 to 2005, Ostro was part of Prime Minister Tony Blair's Strategy Unit on improving life chances of disabled people[32]
- From 2001 to 2005 he served on the SME Board of the National Employment Panel of the Department for Work and Pensions[33]
Personal life
Maurice is married to Katy.