Sir Alec Reed CBE, the pioneering businessman and philanthropist who founded Reed, the world’s largest family-run recruitment business, has died peacefully at the age of 91.
Born in Hounslow in 1934, Sir Alec left school at 16 and, in 1960, founded Reed in a carpet shop with just £75 to his name. Over the following decades, he transformed the company into a global recruitment powerhouse while remaining committed to philanthropy and social impact.
In 1972, he established the Reed Business School, a residential training centre for accountants and the only business school specialising in recruitment. In 1995, together with his son James, he launched UK job board reed.co.uk, followed in 1998 by Reed in Partnership, which has helped more than 150,000 unemployed people into work.
Reed is now run by Sir Alec’s son James, who was awarded the Spear’s Impact Award in 2024 for his philanthropic work with Big Give, the UK’s largest match-funding charity, which last Christmas raised £44.7 million in a single week.
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Sir Alec founded Big Give, along with several other charitable initiatives, including the Reed Foundation, Womankind and Ethiopiaid, which have collectively raised more than £346 million for causes ranging from international aid to women’s rights.
He received numerous accolades for his contributions to business and charity, including the Beacon Prize in 2010 and a knighthood in 2011.
James Reed paid tribute to his father, saying: ‘In his final days, he told me he had been lucky, had a good life, and was ready to go.
‘Sir Alec was an extraordinary man: my boss, colleague, mentor and teacher but, above all, my Dad. His passing leaves a huge void and I will miss him terribly.
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‘Sir Alec brought energy, ideas and humour to everything he did. He founded several companies, seven charities and two schools, while remaining devoted to his family. Married to my mother Adrianne for 64 years, he was a much-loved father, grandfather and great-grandfather.’
This year’s Big Give Christmas Challenge runs until December 9th. Readers can donate here.
Well known for his interest in philanthropy, he famously said on receiving his knighthood: ‘Without business there would be no charity, and without charity what’s the point of business?’
