Name Charles Finch | ||
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Charles Finch (born August 15, 1962) is a British-born international businessman, creative entrepreneur, CEO of Finch & Partners (brand development and investment), chairman of Dean & DeLuca Worldwide, partner with Pharrell Williams in Williams Family Kitchen, film producer and director.
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Early life and family
Finch was raised in Jamaica and France and schooled at Gordonstoun in Scotland. His father was British-born Australian actor Peter Finch, and his mother was theSouth-African British born actress and writer Yolande Turner (real name Yolande Turnbull).
Film
Finch wrote and directed the 1988 fantasy film Priceless Beauty, and the 1991 thriller Where Sleeping Dogs Lie. He wrote, directed and acted in the 1998 film Never Ever.
Films Finch has produced include Bad Girls (1994), starring Andie MacDowell and Drew Barrymore, co-written by his mother Yolande Turner; and Spider (2002), starring Ralph Fiennes, directed by David Cronenberg, was awarded the Directors Guild of Canada award for Outstanding Achievement in Direction in Feature Film.
In 2008 Finch was executive producer on Battle for Haditha, directed by Nick Broomfield. The film was awarded the Grierson Award for Best Drama Documentary. In 2014 Finch teamed up with Nick Broomfield again as executive producer on Tales of the Grim Sleeper, shortlisted for an Academy Award, Documentary Features and was executive producer on Broomfield's latest documentary Whitney: Can I Be. Finch was executive producer on the documentary Cecil Beaton directed by Lisa Immordino Vreeland.
In 2014 Finch was developing Custom of the Country, starring Scarlett Johansson, under his film and TV company Pink Sands, which has a production deal with Sony Entertainment.
Business
After a 10-year career of writing, directing, producing, Finch joined the William Morris Agency in 1997 as head of international operations and was responsible for working with artists including Kevin Spacey, John Malkovich, Willem Dafoe, Cate Blanchett and Kristin Scott-Thomas, as well as corporate clients including Granada, BBC, Carlton, Pearson, Channel 4.
In 2005, Finch founded Finch & Partners, a London and Paris-based media company representing and advising global luxury brands, entertainment companies, celebrated individuals and philanthropic organisations on all aspects of image from brand development, product endorsement and placement, to events and marketing. Clients include DIOR, Chanel, Armani, Pernod Ricard, LVMH, PACE, Jaeger-Le Coultre, Cartier, Gucci, Mulberry as well as consumer brands such as Kleenex, Aviva, BT and BA.
In 2014 Finch opened offices of Finch & Partners Asia in Bangkok and Hong Kong.
In 2009 Finch started Finch’s Quarterly Review with Nick Foulkes and Tristram Fetherstonhaugh. The paper is distributed in London, New York, Los Angeles and Paris.
A serial entrepreneur, Finch started his own leisure and swimwear brand, Chucs Dive & Mountain Shop. Chucs was inspired by both his legendary climbing grandfather, George Ingle-Finch’s early mountain technical equipment and by his father Peter Finch's swimwear and style from the 60's. Chucs flagship store is located on 31 Dover Street, Mayfair. Chucs Bar and Grill opened in August 2014 on Dover St. Oakley Capital became an investor in 2013. Chucs Bar & Grill and Chucs Dive & Mountain Shop Notting Hill was opened in February 2016 on 226 Westbourne Grove, London W11 2RH.
In the spring of 2015 Finch became a shareholder and Vice Chairman of Dean & DeLuca Worldwide and in 2016 Chairman of Dean & DeLuca UK, with the aim of further developing and expanding the brand globally.
Finch has interest in a number of companies and sits on the board of Assouline, the luxury book publisher and the fashion house, Giles Deacon.
Finch published the book "The Night Before BAFTA" in 2016. The coffee table book published by Assouline is a book on Finch's annual and infamous Pre-BAFTA party.