David Soskin

David Soskin (HF 1977-79) was from an early age interested in a business career. Following a First Class Honours degree in Modern History from Magdalen College, Oxford, and a stint at an American commercial bank, he was awarded a Fellowship to study at the Harvard Business School. In 1984, after several years as management consultant, David was appointed Director of Corporate Planning for Redland PLC, a FTSE 100 company. In 1989, he left to start his first entrepreneurial venture, Asquith Court Schools which became the UK’s largest independent nursery school company. In 2000, David led a management buy-in of Cheapflights, the first travel flight price comparison business website and spent eight years as CEO and another six as a board member during which time Cheapflights purchased Momondo and became one of the world’s largest travel search companies. In 2017, Cheapflights/Momondo was acquired by the Bookings Holdings (Priceline). In 2006 David co-founded HOWZAT Partners, a Venture Capital company which invests in early- stage digital businesses globally. It has a portfolio of sixty companies. David took time out of his commercial career to work for the Prime Minister in the Number 10 Policy Unit where he advised John Major on law and order and welfare policies. David retains his interest in politics and supported the Leave campaign in the 2016 referendum. David’s philanthropic activities include his support for City Year, a leading youth and education charity, the Chichester Festival Theatre and the American Civil War Trust where he is a Regimental Color Bearer.