Jacob Rothschild, 4th Baron Rothschild

The Lord Rothschild
Rothschild in 2008
Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
as a hereditary peer
30 April 1991 – 11 November 1999
Preceded byThe 3rd Baron Rothschild
Succeeded bySeat abolished[a]
Personal details
Born
Nathaniel Charles Jacob Rothschild

(1936-04-29)29 April 1936
Cambridge, United Kingdom
Died26 February 2024(2024-02-26) (aged 87)
London, United Kingdom
Political partyCrossbench (1991–1999)
Spouse
(m. 1961; died 2019)
Children4 (including Hannah and Nathaniel)
Parent
EducationEton College
Alma materChrist Church, Oxford
OccupationBanker
Known forRothschild banking family of England
AwardsSee list

Nathaniel Charles Jacob Rothschild, 4th Baron Rothschild, OM, GBE, CVO (29 April 1936 – 26 February 2024), was a British peer, investment banker and member of the Rothschild banking family. Rothschild held important roles in business and British public life, and was active in charitable and philanthropic areas.

He was the eldest son of Victor Rothschild, 3rd Baron Rothschild. Raised in a background that intertwined Jewish heritage with the tenets of Orthodox Judaism through his mother's conversion, Rothschild's education spanned from Eton College to Christ Church, Oxford, where he performed well in history. His early life was marked by membership of the Bullingdon Club and familial connections, including half-siblings Emma Rothschild and Amschel Rothschild.

Rothschild's business career started at N M Rothschild & Sons in London, though a familial dispute led to his departure in 1980. Despite relinquishing his stake in the family bank, he maintained influence through the Rothschild Investment Trust, now RIT Capital Partners plc, among other ventures. Notable business activities included founding J. Rothschild Assurance Group with Mark Weinberg and participating in high-profile bids and partnerships. His tenure as Deputy Chairman of BSkyB Television and involvement with RHJ International and Blackstone Inc. highlighted Rothschild's diverse business interests, leading to a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order honour in 2020, for services to the Duchy of Cornwall.

Rothschild was married to Serena Mary Dunn, with whom he had four children, continuing the Rothschild legacy. His philanthropic efforts were extensive, chairing and contributing to art and heritage organizations, notably the National Gallery and the Heritage Lottery Fund in the UK. Rothschild's participation in restoring Waddesdon Manor and engagement with the Butrint Foundation in Albania showed his interest to cultural preservation. His chairmanship of Yad Hanadiv reflected his commitment to philanthropy in Israel. Under his leadership, the organization went beyond funding national landmarks and began to focus on education initiatives, environmental pursuits and advancing equal opportunity for Israel's Arab minority.
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