- Source: Bruce Rockowitz
Bruce Philip Rockowitz (born 1958; Chinese name: 樂裕民) is a Canadian businessman based in Hong Kong. He is the chairman of Rock Media International, co-founder of the Pure Group and a director of technology consultancy firm Step Digital Group.
Early life
Born in 1958, Rockowitz grew up in Boston, Massachusetts. Rockowitz dropped out of the University of Vermont to play tennis professionally in Hong Kong in 1979. He became head tennis coach at the Hong Kong Country Club, where he taught the then-chairman of Li & Fung.
Career
Rockowitz was hired by fellow Canadian immigrant Allan Zeman after a chance meeting in an ice-cream parlor in Repulse Bay, Hong Kong. In 1981, he co-founded Colby International with Zeman, and served as CEO and president from 1986 to 2000. In 2000, Victor Fung and Li & Fung acquired Colby for HK$2.2 billion, and Rockowitz was CEO from 2011 to 2014.
In May 2014, Rockowitz became vice chairman and CEO of Global Brands Group, as it was spun off from Li & Fung. At the time, it was manufacturing apparel, shoes, and accessories for brands such as Calvin Klein, Kate Spade, Disney, Coach, and Tommy Hilfiger. He left Global Brands in 2019.
He is the co-founder and non-executive chairman of The Pure Group fitness and restaurant chain.
Rockowitz is a member of the advisory boards for the Wharton School's Jay H Baker Retailing Center and the Fashion Institute of Technology.
Personal life
Rockowitz is Jewish. He has two daughters from his first marriage. For his birthday in 2008, then-fiancée Lee hosted a party at Hong Kong's Grand Hyatt hotel, guests included Philip Green, Richard Caring, Solomon Lew, and Marc Ecko, and performers included Dita von Teese, Lionel Richie, Rihanna, Jewel, and David Blaine.
Rockowitz married the Hong Kong singer Coco Lee in a Jewish ceremony in October 2011. Performers at the lavish wedding banquet included Bruno Mars, Alicia Keys and Ne-Yo.
On 2 July 2023, Lee (who had been suffering from depression) reportedly attempted suicide in Hong Kong and died there on 5 July 2023, at the age of 48.
Bruce was blamed by some for allegedly cheating on Lee. There were reports saying that Lee and her husband had been separated for some time before she died, and that they were due to sign the divorce papers in July 2023. When asked, "Can you say something to Coco?" on 1 August 2023 outside the crematorium where he was mobbed by Coco's fans, Rockowitz said, "I love her. My whole life."