The dastardly Mr Deeds Big shot of the week

Rowan Gormley spent his formative years as a surfer bum, riding waves on South africa’s East Coast. This might not necessarily surprise you to look at him.

His shirts could use a good iron, his hair is in dire need of a comb and his flushed chops sprout permanent four-day whiskers.

He’s affable, jocular, a seasoned raconteur and, as you might expect from the chief executive of Majestic wine, enjoys a tipple or two.

His topsy-turvy career has seen him make a few million, lose the lot and then make it all back again.

what an engaging character Gormley is.

He came in to the wine industry with the help of Sir Richard Branson, who poached him from private equity in 1994 when Beardie was looking for new business opportunities.

Gormley’s bright idea was to use Virgin’s trusted brand name to start a bank. The result – Virgin Money – proved a great success, leaving Gormley, aged just 33, with £5m in his back pocket.

Buoyed by a new found entrepreneurial self- confidence, Gormley thought that he could pull off a similar wheeze with wine, which he had developed a nose for in his teenage years. He ploughed his money into what became Virgin wines in 2000 – though this time success was to prove trickier.

He made what he terms ‘classic dotcom’ mistakes – swanky London offices, big ad campaigns – none of which created any traction. The workforce was cut by 90pc, and Gormley was forced to move the firm to norwich, feeling considerably humbled.

Things improved, and five years later the company was bought by Direct wines, whose bosses then promptly made a decision to sack him. The experience was brutal.

By the time Gormley learned of his dismissal, his work phone had been disconnected.

He dashed over the road to get a new handset, contacted a dozen members of staff he wanted to poach, and set about creating a rival business, naked wines.

The idea was to make it like a social network, where customers were urged to review its wines and interact with each other.

They were also encouraged to become ‘angels’, paying a direct debit of £20 a month, in exchange for wines at wholesale prices.

HaVinGbuilt a network of some 320,000 angels, naked wines was snapped up by Majestic in 2015 for £70m. Gormley’s 29pc stake netted him £5m.

instead of retiring to his home in the norfolk countryside, he agreed to take the top job at Majestic.

as part of his turnaround plan, he’s scrapped the company’s minimum six-bottle order and introduced next- day delivery. worldwide sales currently stand at £300m, which he now aims to raise to £500m by 2019.

Despite his success, Gormley admits his own personal finances are shambolic, and leaves the household expenditure to wife Jenny. They met on a blind date in South africa where, ironically, he was working as an accountant.

She had bought a one-way ticket to London, and so Gormley, loathing the stuffy world of accountancy – where he had to shave every day – decided to follow her, and they were engaged within six weeks.

His staff seem to love him, and it’s not hard to see why. a visitor to California, where he and Jenny based themselves for a while when running naked wines, recalls them regularly hosting barbecues for employees and local winemakers.

when Majestic bought naked wines, many of his workers were able to pay off their mortgages with their shares. Gormley also declined £7m of stock in the new firm, preferring it to be redistributed among staff should certain targets get met. Despite his job, he has no truck with expensive wine. His describes the perfect glass as ‘whatever is in front of me.’

The most expensive bottle he has ever bought, he claims, was a £50 napa Cabernet he ordered at his son’s 21st in California.

when not home in norfolk, he and Jenny enjoy sailing holidays around Croatia and Thailand.

Gormley likes to skipper the boat himself, which allows him to sail his own course.

Just as he’s done throughout his eventful business career.