Donna Benton (born 1975) is an entrepreneur and founder of a UAE-based lifestyle company called The Entertainer.

Biography

Originally from Melbourne Australia, Benton was born in 1975.[1] In 2000, at age 26, she moved to Dubai to save money.[2]

Her original job in Dubai proved unsuccessful,[2] so she founded a company The Entertainer, offering discounted lifestyle products. As of 2018, her company was operating in fifteen countries across the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Europe.[3][4] As well as being the company's founder, she has also served as its CEO and Chairman, a role she currently holds in 2019.[1]

In early 2012, a subsidiary of Abraaj Capital, a regional investment fund, acquired a 50 per cent stake in the company.[5] They announced plans in 2017 to divest their stake.[6]

In May 2018, Benton confirmed the sale of 85% of her company for a nine figure sum to GFH Financial Group.[1][3][7]

Benton is also a mother of two children.[1][3][4]

Awards

Benton received Esquire Middle East's Man at His Best Award for her work through The Entertainer.[8] She was also featured among Forbes Middle East's Most Influential Women of 2018.[9]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "A Dubai-based company was partly sold for Dh367 million". gulfnews.com.
  2. 1 2 "Donna Benton: are you not entertained?" (Interview). Esquire Middle East. 2 January 2018. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 Webster, Nick (7 May 2018). "Dubai founder of The Entertainer brand sells majority stake". The National. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  4. 1 2 "Inside the chic home of one of Dubai's most well-known business women". insideout. Retrieved 2019-08-03.
  5. ↑ "Dubai-based 'The Entertainer' gets acquired for over $100 million". 8 May 2018.
  6. ↑ "Dubai's Abraaj to sell Entertainer stake, sees IPO for Careem - CEO - Banking & Finance - ArabianBusiness.com". Archived from the original on 2017-01-18.
  7. ↑ Debusmann, Bernd Jr. "The Entertainer stake sold for 'nine-figure' sum, says founder". ArabianBusiness.com.
  8. ↑ "A Woman We Admire: Donna Benton". Esquire Middle East. 8 January 2018. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  9. ↑ "Ten Notable Business Women Made The Forbes Middle Eastern Power List". ExpatWoman.com. September 20, 2018.
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