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Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER
Published: 7 December 2007

Pictured: from left, “Secret Millionaires” Margaret Heffernan, Chek Whyte, David Pearl, Gill Fielding, Mo Chaudry (who will be seen in next week’s programme) and Terry George.

Secret millionaire who hid behind guise of ‘shambling tramp’

ISLINGTON'S flamboyant developer, David Pearl, became a “Secret Millionaire” when he volunteered to care for hospital patients for a Channel 4 TV documentary screened on Wednesday.
In the guise of a retired estate agent on a state pension, Mr Pearl, 61, spent 10 days working with patients at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth for the hour-long programme – before revealing that he was really one of Britain’s richest and most successful businessmen.
One of his fellow carers described him as looking like a “shambling tramp” before she realised who he was.
Mr Pearl was then seen on TV handing out thousands of pounds to the carers he had been working with.
Dressed in his usual “business suit”, a worn threadbare jumper and trousers, and riding his trademark bicycle, he commuted between the hospital and one-room rented digs.
Mr Pearl, who normally lives in Highgate, is chief executive of Structadene, with an office at White Lion Street, in Angel. The firm was behind the controversial £70 million bid for 222 Islington Council-owned properties early this year.
He said: “Doing the programme really opened my eyes to the army of volunteers that work in our hospitals for nothing. I met some extraordinary people – many of whom were ill themselves – who sacrificed much of their lives to give comfort to others.”

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