Wealthiest people in the Midlands named in the Sunday Times Rich List 2019
The Sunday Times Rich List for 2019 has been released, detailing the wealthiest people in the Midlands and across the UK.
Coming in at first place in this year’s Midlands list are Ernesto and Kirsty Bertarelli with an estimated wealth of £9.711bn. Mr Bertarelli is a Swiss billionaire whose fortune comes from the biochemicals and pharmaceuticals industries.
He sold the company his father and grandfather developed, Serono, splitting a €9bn stake before launching his own ventures in the same sector. Kirsty Bertarelli is a songwriter and former Miss UK. She was born in Staffordshire and her family owns ceramics manufacturer, Churchill China.
Ranjit and Baljinder Boparan, owners of the 2 Sisters Food Group, had a rough year by Rich List standards, with their estimated worth falling by £106m down to £640m. Earlier this year it was announced that 87 restaurants in his food empire, including Ed’s Diner and Giraffe, would be closing down.
Other major business figures who made the list include the owners of Bet365 – Denise, John and Peter Coates. They have a combined wealth of £6.86bn – an increase of £1.1bn on last year.
Other notable figures include Tony Murray, the oldest person on the list, who is set to turn 100 this year. He is now the chairman of heating and airconditioning company the Andrew Sykes Group, based in Wolverhampton, but in another life Murray was also an Second World War RAF navigator.
Tony Gallagher has reached billionaire status this year after selling Warwick-based Gallagher Estates for £525m in 2017, reinvesting the profits from the sale in property.
The full list is as follows:
1.Ernesto and Kirsty Bertarelli, £9.71bn (up £52m)
2.Denise, John and Peter Coates, £6.86bn (up £1.1bn)
3.Lord Bamford and family, £4.15bn (up £550m)
4.John Caudwell £1.576bn, (up £10m)
5.Tony Murray and family, £1.24bn (up £15m)
6.Lord Edmiston £1.06bn, (up £20m)
7.Tony Gallagher £1bn, (up £75m)
8.Steve Morgan £950m, (up £8m)
9.Sir Peter Rigby £660m (up £35m)
10=Ranjit and Baljinder Boparan, £640m (down £106m)
10=Caspar MacDonald-Hall and family £640m (up £30m)
12 Richard Harpin, £531m (up £73m)
13 Roy Richardson and family, £470m (no change)
14. Thomas Hartland-Mackie and family, £369m (down £100m)
15. Paul Newey, £242m (up £2m)
16. Michael and Chris Miller £220m (up £20m)
17. Keith Bradshaw and family, £219m (up £1m)
18. Andrew and Linda Leaver, £211m (down £14m)
19. William Lloyd and family, £203m (no change)
20. Simon Clarke and family, £194m (down £18m)
