Richard Grenville Russell Evans | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Other names | Dicky |
| Citizenship | United Kingdom, Kenya |
| Education | King's College London |
| Website | Official website |
Sir Richard Grenville Russell Evans KCMG is a British-Kenyan businessperson, sports team owner and philanthropist. [1] Evans was born in Penzance and played school rugby for the county before moving to East Africa, where he also represented Kenya in rugby. [1] Charles III knighted Evans in his 2024 New Year Honours ceremony. [2]
Evans studied civil engineering at King's College London and graduated in 1967. [3]
In 1969 Evans became a consulting engineer for the United Nations and the World Bank in Uganda, moving to Kenya in 1971 where he set up a horticultural business, Homegrown Ltd in 1982. He went on to establish the Hemingways Collection of hotels in Kenya for which he remains chairman. [4]
In 1997 when managing director of Homegrown Ltd, he was appointed by President Moi of Kenya to be a member of a Presidential Economic Commission. [5]
Evans took control of Penzance & Newlyn RFC in 1995 [6] when the team was competing in the Western county league and struggling with financial problems. The team became the Cornish Pirates under his backing and rose through the National Leagues. [6]
Evans handed over the club to its shareholders and a seven-person board of directors on 1 July 2014. However, he returned to the club in 2016 after it experienced further financial difficulties. [7] Evans bought Truro City F.C. in 2019. [8] The club was promoted to the National League (South) at the end of the 2022/23 season [9] and was sold to a Canadian company during the 2023/24 season. [10]
On 1 January 2024, Evans was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George, a knighthood offered to British citizens for service overseas, in recognition of his services to business, sport and charity in Kenya and Cornwall. [11] [2]
In 2013 Evans was appointed as a Cornish bard in recognition of his contribution to Cornish culture and given the Cornish name Morlader Pensans, The Pirate of Penzance. [12]
On 12 December 1996 Evans was awarded the Order of the Grand Warrior of Kenya for his services to agribusiness. [13]