Money talks, but there are a few people whose pockets shout from the rooftops, like the five richest people in the UK. The UK houses some of the most successful business moguls and entrepreneurs the world has ever seen, and these five men stand out among them.
The British soil has proven incredibly fertile for lucrative business ventures across multiple sectors, from hedge fund managers to chemical company owners to vacuum inventors. The richest of the rich in the UK have amassed billions upon billions through a combination of disruptive thinking, bold and calculated risks, hard work, and more than a bit of good fortune.
So, who are the five richest people in the UK? Let’s find out below.
Michael Platt
At the very top, with a fortune of $18 billion, is Michael Platt. He is the co-founder and boss of BlueCrest Capital Management, a huge hedge fund firm that he started way back in 2000 after working at JP Morgan for nearly 10 years.
Under Michael’s leadership, BlueCrest grew to become one of the world’s largest hedge funds, managing up to $35 billion at its peak. However, some poor results led to investors withdrawing their money, so in 2015 Michael returned all the outside investors’ cash. He then turned BlueCrest into his own family office.
Since then, the firm has performed incredibly well, making returns as high as 153% in 2022 and 95% in 2020, with no annual returns dipping below 20%. Michael’s trading skills have clearly paid off enormously.
James Ratcliffe
The next billionaire on the list, with a $16.1 billion net worth, is James Ratcliffe, the founder and majority owner of the Ineos Group chemical company. Ineos produces all sorts of products like synthetic oils, plastics, solvents used in medicines, and much more.
James started Ineos in 1998 after previously working as a chemical engineer. He mortgaged his own house to help fund the buyout of a chemicals business from BP to get Ineos off the ground. In more recent years, Ineos has become a leader in the UK shale industry and was the first to transport U.S. shale gas into Europe on its huge “Dragon Ships.”
The company continues to grow through acquisitions and joint ventures. Notably, it holds a one-third equity share in the prestigious Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team. In early 2024, James also bought a major stake in the legendary Manchester United soccer club for $1.5 billion.
James Dyson
Our third highest-ranked billionaire, with a $13.1 billion net worth, is James Dyson, the vacuum cleaner inventor and founder of the Dyson company. Way back in 1978, James set out to create a better vacuum using cyclone technology to improve suction power after being frustrated with his own vacuum’s poor performance.
It took a full five years of testing and 5,127 prototypes, but James finally invented the world’s first bagless vacuum cleaner. And it was incredibly powerful, able to pull cigarette smoke out of the air at over 900 mph.
Today, Dyson employs over 5,000 engineers globally and invests tens of millions each year into research and development of new products like its intelligent air purifiers. The company’s growth has made James one of the richest self-made entrepreneurs in the UK.
Alexander Gerko
Next up, one of the richest people in the UK is Alexander Gerko, the co-CEO of the successful XTX Markets algorithmic trading firm that he founded in 2015. With a $10.1 billion net worth, the former Deutsche Bank trader has truly cracked the code of computerized trading. Born in Russia, Gerko has lived in the UK since 2006 after receiving his PhD in mathematics.
XTX became the largest emerging markets currency trading firm in 2022 and posted record profits in 2021. His firm was so profitable that Gerko received over $1 billion in dividends from XTX just in 2022 alone. Clearly, his background in mathematics, combined with trading talents honed at major banks, has paid off immensely.
Gerko has also shown some humanitarian qualities, especially after Russia invaded Ukraine. His company released a statement voicing support for Ukraine and also donated over $25 million to nonprofits to help people in the region.
David and Simon Reuben
Rounding out the top five richest people in the UK are the Reuben brothers, David and Simon, who have a net worth of $9.2 billion each. The Indian-born siblings made their wealth primarily through real estate and technology investments.
Some of their biggest wins include selling off stakes in their data center firm GlobalSwitch to investors for billions in 2016 and 2018. They also made lucrative investments in Russia and Kazakhstan in the 1990s through their metals trading company Transworld.
Today, part of the Reuben family’s assets include a 14% ownership stake in Premier League football club Newcastle United, with David’s son Jamie serving as a director. From relatively humble beginnings dealing in metals and carpets, the brothers have ascended to become property moguls extraordinaire.
Final Words About 5 Richest People in the UK
So there you have it – the five richest people in the United Kingdom at the moment. Through their hedge funds, chemical companies, vacuum innovations, trading algorithms, and real estate empires, these five businessmen have all found tremendous success. Who will join the top five billionaires in the UK or even in other parts of the world like Zimbabwe? Only time will tell.
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