Mike Danson
Profile Verified by The Marque
Last Updated: 22 Sep 2026
Founder & CEO
London, GB
Profile Verified by The Marque
Last Updated: 22 Sep 2026
THE MARQUE
In Their Own Right
Biography
Mike Danson is a serial entrepreneur, media proprietor, philanthropist and data guru. He is the founder and CEO of London-listed GlobalData PLC, a data analytics and consultancy business employing over 3,700 people globally.
Danson began his career as a management consultant but in 1990 turned his attention to the world of data. Using funds from four credit cards, he set up Datamonitor, a subscription-based business intelligence company. Datamonitor grew quickly as Danson bought out smaller companies, broadening coverage and increasing global reach and in November 2000 the company was listed on the London Stock Exchange. In 2007 Datamonitor was sold to Informa for £502 million, just months before the global financial crash, reinforcing Mike’s reputation as a shrewd deal-maker.
Mike went on to found GlobalData in 2008, re-purchasing parts of Datamonitor in 2015.
Mike’s other business interests include ownership of The New Statesman, the left-of-centre political magazine; Spear’s Publishing; and Press Gazette. He is also the owner of Wigan Athletic Football Club, and co-owner of Wigan Warriors, a professional rugby league club and part of the Super League.
In 2010 Mike set up The Danson Foundation with an initial donation of £10 million. The Foundation is run by Helen Danson, Mike’s wife, and focuses on education and mental health. In 2012 the Foundation gifted £1.5 million to Danson’s Alma Mater, St Anne’s College, Oxford to provide undergraduate bursaries. It also organises internships for St Anne’s students at companies that Mike owns, or is associated with.
Mike grew up near Wigan in North West England, the grandson of miners. After completing his secondary education at Bolton Grammar School Mike went on to study at St Anne’s College, University of Oxford from where he graduated with an MA in Law.
The Record
Background
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2008 — Present
Founder & CEO
GlobalData PLC
GlobalData is one of the top data and analytics companies in the world, providing expert analysis and unique data to over 4,000 of the world’s largest companies across an array of sectors.
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1990 — 2007
Founder
Datamonitor PLC
Founded in 1989 by Mike Danson, Datamonitor was a global market intelligence and data analysis company serving over 6,000 clients. It was bought by Informa in 2007 for £502 million. In 2015, Danson acquired key parts of the Datamonitor business from Informa for £25 million.
In The News
Newsfeed
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30 April 2025 · The Times
KKR makes approach to buy GlobalData in £1.4bn deal
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16 February 2025 · The Sunday Times
Mike Danson, the Wigan warrior with a plan to challenge Bloomberg
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6 February 2025 · Morningstar
GlobalData shares up as move planned to London's main market
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19 December 2024 · BusinessCloud
GlobalData unveils £340m ‘M&A firepower’ deal
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13 November 2024 · Morningstar
GlobalData buys job data provider LinkUp as part of 3-year growth plan
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5 June 2024 · City AM
Deal that values GlobalData arm at over £1bn nears completion
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4 March 2024 · City AM
GlobalData posts uptick in profits, hails ‘milestone’ £1.2bn healthcare valuation
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11 January 2024
GlobalData sustains growth through second half
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21 December 2023 · BusinessCloud
PE deal values GlobalData health division at £1.1bn
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15 July 2023 · BBC Sport
Wigan Warriors chairman to stand down
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14 June 2023 · BBC Sport
Wigan Athletic: Local businessman Mike Danson takes over at troubled club
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27 February 2023 · Investing.com
GlobalData reports strong growth in revenue and profit
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31 December 2022 · This is Money
MIDAS SHARE TIPS: Revitalise your numbers in 2023 with these stocks
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16 August 2022
GlobalData employee share option scheme vests £82 million
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28 February 2022 · City AM
GlobalData reports boost in profits to £32.5m as growth plans pay off
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Formative Years
Education
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St Anne's College, University of Oxford
MA, Law
1982 — 1985
Areas Of Focus