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Kwik Save founder charity donates £10m to uni

BBC Albert Gubay wearing a suit. BBC
Albert Gubay founded the Kwik Save supermarket chain in 1965

Bangor University has received a donation of over £10m from The Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation.

The donation marks the largest gift in the institution's history and arguably the largest gift within the universities in Wales.

The news comes as other universities struggle financially, including Cardiff University, which recently announced job cuts.

Professor Edmund Burke, Bangor University's Vice-Chancellor, said the "extraordinary" contribution will "inspire future generations".

Bangor University An artist's impression of the Albert Gubay Business School. It shows brown buildings with large glass windows. There are people along the path in front of buildings on paths and grass areas. Bangor University
The donation will enable the creation of the business school, the university said

The contribution will enable the start of creating the Albert Gubay Business School, the university said.

Construction of the new Albert Gubay Business School is set to begin in 2026 and expected to be completed by 2027.

Prof Burke said that the donation "will not only elevate Bangor University's reputation as a centre of academic excellence, but also open up further opportunities for students to make a significant impact in the business world.

"Although the financial landscape for universities is currently challenging, strategic investments in key areas like this are instrumental in ensuring the long-term sustainability and growth of our institution," he added.

Who was Albert Gubay?

Albert Gubay, born in Rhyl, Flintshire, founded the Kwik Save supermarket chain in 1965 before amassing a fortune in excess of £1bn.

In 2011, Mr Gubay was honoured by the Pope for his charity work. In the same year, he told the BBC, that, as a young businessman, he had made a divine pact.

Since then, profits from his business empire have been distributed each year to charitable causes.

Half of his money, from his £1bn fund, goes to causes identified by the Roman Catholic Church, with the other half going to good causes selected at the discretion of the trustees.

In 2016, Mr Gubay died at his home in Cheshire, at the age of 87.

The Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation was set up to support and provide funding for charities and develop projects.

A spokeswoman from the Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation said the foundation is proud to support this visionary project.

"The Albert Gubay Business School will be a place where students can grow, innovate, and become the entrepreneurs of tomorrow.

"We believe it will help shape the future of business education, both in north Wales and beyond," she said.