Property entrepreneur Cyril Dennis has passed away at the age of 71.
Dennis suffered a heart attack while on holiday in Florida last week. A funeral was due to be held today in Monaco, where he moved from the UK in 1994.
His portfolio interests were managed by Capital & Provident.
A renowned philanthropist, he was awarded an MBE in 2002 for his services to the Jewish community in his birthplace of Essex. He was best known for his smooth negotiating skills and ability to charm whomever he was doing business with.
Dennis started his working life in the 1960s as a market trader where he honed his selling skills before moving into estate agency at Ilford firm Harry Rona and then to Douglas Allen Spiro. He then went into housebuilding before becoming an investor.
An early proponent of London’s Docklands and a prolific buyer in the early 1990s, he made major sales in 1994 and 2006 in sync with market cycles. In 2008 his wealth was estimated by the Sunday Times to be £130m and he had property investments in the US and Europe as well as the UK.
Dennis’s interests were hit by the most recent downturn but he managed to avoid distressed sales. Most recently he agreed a joint venture in Peruvian Wharf, E16, with Cain Hoy Enterprises and Galliard Homes.
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