City of London finance genius set to buy into Rangers

[Sweeney 241]

This looks promising tbh. Inspirational man with vast intellect and determination with a very impressive business background. Hope he likes what he sees and invests further.

[lutonblue 1,974]

MuirendBear WATP thread was shite anyway

[allgers 735]

Get him on the board a wee bit of financial wizardry won't go wrong. If he is startled by loud noises he will be alright at Ibrox on a Saturday.

[Edmiston Drive 3,846]

Certain bloggers must be going.........why the fuck did I laugh at that remark on the podcast

[Grae 97]

I don't buy the Daily Record but seen this on the front page when I was shopping earlier...

http://www.<No links to this website>/sport/football/football-news/cerebral-palsy-finance-genius-set-1949412

KIERAN PRIOR, who went from a housing estate to a trader at banking giants Goldman Sachs, has overcome countless obstacles in his life to rise to be head of his own private equity firm.

KIERAN Prior is officially one of the most intelligent men in the world but is adamant he isn’t taking leave of his senses by investing in Rangers.

The former Goldman Sachs trader has an IQ of 234, which places him at the very top of the smartest one per cent of the global population.

Prior has a form of cerebral palsy known as dystonia and is the founder of The Priority Trust, which supports greater independence for disabled children and has three-time Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis as its patron.

The 34-year-old says he is on the brink of a deal to buy up to 1.4 per cent of Rangers within the next 48 hours and if he likes what he sees he could increase his stake to 10 per cent, making him the largest individual shareholder at Ibrox.

It is believed he has already held talks with key individuals at Ibrox and they are taking him seriously, although they’re declining to comment at this stage.

It is a tale that sounds as far fetched as Prior’s own life story, which has taken him from a housing estate in Salford, Greater Manchester, to the high-flying world of investment banking.

An economics graduate from Manchester University, Prior’s rise to the top of the cut-throat trading world is all the more remarkable given his severe disability.

He has been wheelchair bound all his life and has never walked. His motor skills and speech are impaired, which makes talking difficult and causes his body to jerk involuntarily, particularly when he is startled by sudden noises or movements.

The force of his reflexes is such he sometimes dislocates his shoulders and he lives in London with a full-time carer.

Prior’s family hail from Connemara in County Galway, but he has been a Rangers fan since childhood, following the Light Blues alongside first love Man United.

He claims his stake in Rangers will, in part, be emotional but also recognises the investment potential, although he says fans will always come first.

He told Record Sport: “For Rangers to return to their proper place in the football world it needs to be run properly.

“Wigan chairman Dave Whelan was offered Man United 25 years ago for £12million. It is now worth £2.5billion because they have done the right things at the right time.

“The club has not been exploited for short-term financial gain by certain individuals and Rangers must also be run appropriately as it hopefully ascends to the SPL – and possibly beyond.

“I see value and growth in the club and I’m buying a stake that will give me a voice. I want to see what’s under the hood of Rangers to find if it’s being properly run on behalf of the fans.

“People can doubt my credibility if they choose, but my education is good and my professional background is second to none after 10 years at Goldman Sachs.”

Prior left Goldman Sachs in April 2010 in the midst of a shake-up of the banking sector in the aftermath of the US Volcker Rule, which prohibited banks from trading with their own money.

He subsequently took his employers to a tribunal citing discrimination, but refused to discuss the outcome or the case.

He said: “I will say only that Goldman Sachs is the best place to be educated in banking. There is no better company in the world.”

Prior’s charity spent almost £350,000 funding mobility equipment for children in the three years to March 2011, although it has been less active in the two years since.

He says he has taken a pause for breath to focus on his start-up private equity firm Pri Arc, which he established 12 months ago and which specialises in investing in fledgling hi-tech firms. He declined to estimate his own wealth, although did confirm Pri Arc have not made a profit in its first 12 months.

He added: “Name me one profitable LLP (limited liability partnership) in its first 12 months and I’ll name you 25 who went on to become so. We’re excited for the future.”

Prior’s dad, Terry, was a butcher who took a second job as a baggage handler at Manchester Airport and his mother gave up her job as a bookkeeper to care for him from birth.

He was determined from an early age to use his intellect to fund a quality of life that he would otherwise be denied.

He said: “I knew the realities of life, I knew from the early age of 13. Otherwise I would have been at home, depending on parents, with no carer in an underfunded system and an ageing wheelchair.” He attended a special needs primary school, where the head teacher urged his parents to push hard to secure their son a place in a mainstream comprehensive.

He subsequently thrived at Kaskenmoor School in Oldham.

As a child, Prior relied on others to help pick him up and carry him around from his wheelchair, but life changed forever when he was given a motorised chair at the age of eight.

He said: “It gave me my life. I wouldn’t have had it otherwise.

“I remember it being staggeringly liberating. The ability to move about the house on my own was unbelievable.

“It was like climbing Everest. Just going down to the garden gate, being able to look out? Amazing.”

Dad Terry recalled how his boy used to watch his older brother play football with other kids from the estate.

On one occasion, the players all left the pitch and it was an hour before they realised Kieran had been left behind.

Terry said: “I set off up the road to fetch Kieran and there he was, sitting in the middle of the field in his chair.

“It was getting dark, but he wasn’t crying. I asked him why he hadn’t called out to anyone and he said he knew someone would come for him eventually.”

Prior risked incurring the wrath of his parents after graduating when he took two unannounced trips to London to interview for Goldman Sachs.

He subsequently became the first disabled-born trader to be employed by them in the UK.

Prior said: “It was all or nothing for me. I could have stayed in Manchester because it was easier to live at home but I thought, basically, ‘let’s go for it’.

“I knew I could pretty much do anything I wanted intellectually and I thought, to use a football metaphor, why not go out and try to play for Real Madrid?”

Gary Williams, the former head of European equity trading at Goldman Sachs, originally hired Prior and he has enormous respect for his determination.

Williams said: “He is an exceptionally smart, perceptive guy who has purposefully risen to – and overcome – so many challenges.”

Former Goldman Sachs president John Thornton has also paid tribute to Prior’s strength of character.

He said: “Kieran’s sheer, raw talent is impressive, and when you add to that the determination he shows getting through the day in a place like Goldman Sachs, which is so demanding, his achievements are simply breathtaking.”

[GOAT 30,449]

Sounds like a Motherwell billionaire story.

[Grae 97]

Apologies, just seen another thread on this. I did search before I posted, honest Guv. Would've saved me the hassle!

[Christchurch Rangers 1,229]

I don't buy the Daily Record but

[Grae 97]

What?! I'm not allowed to even glance at the front page in a shop now??

[Essandoh 21,226]

As wonderful as his story is, the fact that the majority of that article is focused solely on his disability says to me there isn't much to this. Mind you, sensationalist journalism sells.

[Essandoh 21,226]

Can I take over?? Fs I'd look after the club.

You say that as if the guy is a joke investor...why?

[77amurai 258]

This is more like it.

[scarkev 3,540]

At least we know he wont get far if he tries to run off with our money!

[Christchurch Rangers 1,229]

Only look at it if you're burning it

[Hamie 4,849]

The relevance of his mobility being? Ah got love the daily record for the important facts.

Dunno, but there will be a caption competition when he gets his photo taken at the bottom of the marbel staircase.

[Carsons Dog 9,878]

Have the RST made him an honorary member yet?

[quinty 1,445]

This is a fucking disgrace. He's too old, obviously not fit and has absolutely no sell on value. I'm not against him because he's from the Republic, I don't care where he's from, the main reason I'm against him is that obviously Ally had something to do with it. He might do a job in the 2nd division but how many of our own disabled youngsters is he keeping out, they deserve their chance.

I wont be renewing, back until he goes and takes Ally with him.

Bring back Green

an National Service

and Birching

and dont get me fucking started on the Daily Record and

while I'm on the subject

McCoist

[heathen fish boy 8,594]

You just know the bheast is already tryin to link him to shyte,hopefully this chap is the real deal,welcome aboard sir

[quinty 1,445]

Look at Turkey

That's Ally's fault as well

probably

[Carsons Dog 9,878]

He hasn't even got a PHUKKIN TIE ON

[JamieG54 812]

Great news if true. Sad the paper mentions disability more than necessary. ..Whats the big deal?

[binsy08 362]

I hope he doesn't read the RM.

[Jonok 1,245]

The rhebel is really taking the piss now. http://www.google.co...5,d.d2k&cad=rja

Show us the beads!

[StornowayBlue 630]

Bring back National Service

Agreed, and corporal punishment!

[quinty 1,445]

Just for the corporals?