THE top wealthiest people in the region have been revealed.
The Sunday Times Rich List 2023 puts vacuum pioneer Sir James Dyson top of the pile in the South West, with an estimated wealth of £23 billion.
However, in comparison to other billionaires in the UK, he fell from second to fifth place.
The English entrepreneur is well known for founding technology firm Dyson and inventing the cyclone bagless vacuum cleaner in the 1970s.
The pioneering tech giant has recently pledged money to fund a new £6m STEAM centre in Malmesbury as well as a £100m research hub in Bristol city centre.
Meanwhile, landlord John Christodoulou is listed as this year’s second wealthiest in the Southwest at £2.45 billion.
The Cyprus-born property man’s family fled the island in 1974 after the Turkish invasion. He bought a flat in Finchley, north London, aged 19 and now owns swathes of Canary Wharf and Islington.
Stephen Fitzpatrick who founded the fast-growing energy giant Ovo — is this year’s highest climber in the region and is the third richest in the South West.
His wealth is estimated at £2.212 billion - up £1.58 billion, up £872 million from last year.
Mr Fitzpatrick is followed by business partners Peter Hargreaves and Steve Lansdown, who together founded financial advice firm Hargreaves Lansdown.
Top five richest people in the South-West
See below for the full list for the West Country, which will be published in this week's Sunday Times on May 21.
- Sir James Dyson and family, £23 billion
- John Christodoulou, £2.45 billion
- Stephen Fitzpatrick, £2.212 billion
- Peter Hargreaves, £1.865 billion
- Steve Lansdown, £1.179 billion
Top 20 richest people in the UK
These are the 20 richest people and families in the UK, according to the Rich List:
1. Gopi Hinduja and family – £35 billion
Britain’s richest family made their fortune from the Mumbai-based conglomerate Hinduja Group, which spans business sectors including banking and finance, media and entertainment, and energy, and has about 200,000 staff around the world.
Patriarch of the family and Hinduja’s chairman, Srichand Hinduja, died on Wednesday aged 87, described by a spokesperson as a “visionary titan of industry and business”.
2. Sir Jim Ratcliffe – £29.7 billion
Sir Jim, who is the highest climber on this year’s list, is the founder and chairman of global chemicals company Ineos which was formed in 1998.
The Manchester-born businessman is currently battling to takeover football club Manchester United against the son of a former Qatari prime minister Sheikh Jassim.
3. Sir Leonard Blavatnik – £28.6 billion
The third richest Briton is a Ukrainian-born business magnate and philanthropist who built up his fortune in Russia.
His money mainly comes from media and music investments – including buying Warner Music in 2011 before taking it public in 2020 – and his investment firm Access Industries.
4. David and Simon Reuben and family – £24.4 billion
The billionaire brothers made their money through property and technology, with their private equity and investment business Reuben Brothers. They also own sixteen racecourses and five greyhound stadia in the UK through Arena Racing Company.
5. Sir James Dyson and family – £23 billion
English inventor and entrepreneur James Dyson is well known for founding technology firm Dyson and inventing the cyclone bagless vacuum cleaner in the 1970s.
6. Lakshmi Mittal and family – £16 billion
Indian-born Mr Mittal is the chairman of ArcelorMittal, a multinational steel company headquartered in Luxembourg and the largest steel manufacturer in Europe, North and South America.
He owns mansions on Kensington Palace Gardens, one of the most expensive streets in the world.
7. Guy, George, Alannah and Galen Weston and family – £14.5 billion
The Weston family have developed most of their wealth through investing in retail. They have a stake in Associated British Foods, which owns Primark and produces sugar, run by son George Weston.
8. Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken and Michel de Carvalho – £13.1 billion
Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken is a Dutch businesswoman and one of the richest women in the world, after she inherited nearly a quarter stake in beer giant Heineken from her late father Freddy Heineken.
9. Kirsten and Jorn Rausing – £12 billion
10. Michael Platt – £11.5 billion
11. The Duke of Westminster and the Grosvenor family – £9.9 billion
12. Marit, Lisbet, Sigrid and Hans Rausing – £9.3 billion
13. Andy Currie – £9.2 billion
14. John Reece – £9.1 billion
15. Alex Gerko – £9.1 billion
16. Denise, John and Peter Coates and family – £8.8 billion
17. Anders Holch Povlsen £8.5 billion
18. Barnaby and Merlin Swire and family – £8.4 billion
19. John Fredriksen and family – £8.3 billion
20. Mikhail Fridman – £8.2 billion
The 2023 Sunday Times Rich List charts the wealth of the 350 richest people in the UK.
The list is based on identifiable wealth, including land, property, other assets such as art and racehorses, or significant shares in publicly quoted companies.
For more information see - https://www.thetimes.co.uk/sunday-times-rich-list
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