Alexander Proud

Alexander 'Alex' Proud is a British entrepreneur. He was born in Brighton,^[1] on 14 September 1969 and educated at Tonbridge School and then the University of York, where he studied Politics. In 1998 he founded Proud Gallery,^[2] in London, which has since grown into the Proud Group.

Alexander Proud
Born	Brighton
Occupation	Entrepreneur

In 2020, Proud was accused of bullying and inappropriate behaviour by five female staff members.^[3] Alex Proud has also been accused multiple times of owing thousands of pounds worth of debt to people that worked for him in various venues , as well as liquidating companies multiple times in order to not pay any of the people or business involved. As of 2020, he owes £275,000 to HMRC, £95,012 to Westminster City Council and £19,049 to the City of London Corporation, while a document from 2013 states that almost £2 million was owed to a list of 134 organisations and businesses. ^[4]

In 2025, a public petition is being organized by people that were financially harmed by Alex Proud, asking for justice and repayment of debts.

Early career

On leaving the University of York in 1991, Proud began an apprenticeship with a Japanese art dealer in London before opening his first gallery in 1994, selling rare Japanese prints.^{[citation needed]}

Proud Group

In the autumn of 1998, Proud founded the photography gallery Proud Central in London’s West End.^[5] It has since re-branded as Proud Galleries.

Since its inception, the Proud Group has expanded into a number of areas including live music events, cabaret shows and restaurants.^[6]

Proud Camden was located in the 200-year-old Grade II listed Horse Hospital ^[7] in the Stables Market in Camden, London. The venue has been restored, but it retains most of its original features. It closed in 2018.^[8]

In 2018, Proud Embankment was opened under Waterloo Station to then be closed in 2024 after declaring bankruptcy ^[9]

Other work

With photographer Rankin, Proud co-founded the photographic art book publishers Vision On,^[10] launching with Rankin’s books Nudes, Snog and CeleBritation, Audrey Hepburn by Bob Willoughby, and over 100 other titles.

Since 2013, Proud featured as a returning dealer on the Channel 4 series Four Rooms,^[11] wherein entrepreneurs and businessmen and women are pitched collectibles from members of the public. Four Rooms won Best Daytime award at 2014's Royal Television Society awards.^[12]

Proud served as a judge on Channel 4’s Picture This with photographer Martin Parr of the Magnum Photos photo agency and Brett Rogers of the Photographers' Gallery.^[13]

Proud writes a weekly column for The Daily Telegraph^[14] and has also written for the London Evening Standard^[15] and The Sunday Times.^[16]

Proud is active in politics engaging with development proposals local to the Camden community, serving as a vice chairman for Camden Town Unlimited, and also worked as an advisor to the former Liberal Democrat leader, Charles Kennedy.^[17]

Proud has been invited to judge several photography competitions including the Nikon Press Awards and The Observer Hodge Awards.^[18]

In 2008 Proud co-founded the Sony World Photography Award.^[19]

Personal life

Proud has divorced his wife and moved out of the family home in Sussex. He moved in with his then girlfriend, an ex Proud Cabaret employee more than 25 years his junior. They met when she was waitressing at one of his venues when she was only 19 years old. She left him in 2024 and has alleged domestic violence and cohersive control. He now lives alone in London.