MR GUMBALL 3000

FOUNDER STORY

“Gumball is about challenging tradition and taking a non conventional approach to exploring and pushing cultural and creative boundaries.”

Born in 1972 in England, Maximillion Cooper is the Founder & CEO of Gumball 3000. 

Cooper studied a degree in Fashion Design at the prestigious Central St. Martins College of Art in London, with peers including Alexander McQueen and Stella McCartney. This was followed by a degree in Law & Film at the University of Sussex. 

During the 1990s he was represented by Elite model agency and appeared in advertising campaigns for global fashion brands including Giorgio Armani and Ralph Lauren. Modelling funded an ambition to become a racing driver, racing successfully for privateer McLaren and Porsche teams throughout Europe. 

These life experiences and an ever increasing international network of contacts within the fashion, music and sports worlds gave rise to Cooper's vision to create his own aspirational lifestyle brand. In 1999 he invited several friends on a road-trip across Europe, hosting glamorous parties attended by rock stars and royalty - including the likes of Kate Moss, Madonna and Jamiroquai. These first rallies appeared on MTV and hit the headlines in GQ, Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair - gaining Gumball 3000 a reputation as one of Cool Britannia's must do events.

Over the following two decades Gumball 3000 has evolved into a leading lifestyle brand and entertainment group, and was recently valued at over $500m by Forbes. 

Cooper has acted as guest Creative Director, ambassador and designer for multiple brands within the automotive and fashion sectors, including LVMH, adidas and Aston Martin; and was voted into the ‘Top 50 Most Influential People in the Automotive Industry’ by US lifestyle publication Complex magazine.

Cooper is a passionate collector of contemporary art, and has assembled one of the world’s most important collections of graffiti and street art. 

He is married to US Grammy winning rapper and actress, Eve; and has 5 children, Lotus, Jagger, Cash, Mini and Wilde.