French billionaire unveiled as backer of online retailer

A French billionaire has emerged as a major backer of London-based online wine retailer, 31Dover.com.

According to accounts at Companies House, unearthed by Thisismoney.com,  Frenchman Bertrand Perrodo, heir of oil group founder Hubert Perrodo of Perenco, now owns around a quarter of the online wine company.

Perrodo owns more than 18% of the shares in parent company DMD Operations Limited, which operates 31Dover, a confirmation statement for the parent company said.

The company was founded in 2013 by the team behind on-trade drinks distributor Vanquish Wine, David Elghanayan, and Jimmy Metta, which specialised in supplying premium nightclubs. In 2014, Thisismoney.com reported that the retailer had apparently sold a 35% stake in the business to a group of French investors for around £1.3m after raising funds to boost its website.

It went on to win db’s online retailer of the year award in 2015 for its “accessible and well-presented website and neatly-curated range”.

The report also cited James Bagley, a former marketing director at Naked Wines, who previously worked at Sky and T-mobile, was poised to become the new CEO for the business, however 31 Dover has not yet responded to db’s enquiry for confirmation.