Sir Ken Morrison tops Yorkshire rich list
YORKSHIRE’S 10 richest business tycoons are worth nearly £7bn, according to the Sunday Times Rich List.
Veteran supermarket tycoon Sir Ken Morrison leads the way in top spot with a fortune of £1.54bn.
The 78-year-old’s 56-year career with the Bradford-based grocer earns him 30th place in the overall Rich List, and sees him retain top spot in Yorkshire.
Property and kitchen magnates Eddie and Malcolm Healey are the only other members of the White Rose billionaire’s club with a combined total of £1.25bn.
Eddie Healey, 72, made his fortune from the development and subsequent sale of Sheffield’s Meadowhall shopping centre. Brother Malcolm, 65, runs Wren Kitchens.
Robert Miller, 76, who co-founded the Duty Free Shoppers chain, and Hong Kong-based hedge fund Sail Advisors, is worth £950m, up £200m on last year. Born in the US, Mr Miller has home and country estate in Yorkshire.
In fourth place is Paul Sykes with a £650m fortune from property and forestry. Mr Sykes partnered Eddie Healey in the Meadowhall development, which was sold for £1.2bn in 1999.
Veteran Tony Murray is worth £481m. The 90-year-old has made his fortune from plant hire, property and the Leeds-based London Security fire protection business.
Terry Bramall, 67, who built up and sold off Doncaster-based construction firm Keepmoat and is now funding a new venture called 4Urban, is worth £450m.
The Yorkshire top 10 is completed by Lord Kirkham, £430m; Michael Evans, £400m; Lawrence Tomlinson, also £400m and Hamish Ogston, £358m.
Meanwhile, a young Yorkshire entrepreneur has been ranked as one of the UK’s top earners according to the Sunday Times.
Sean O’Connor, 29, founder of Clean Energy Capital (CEC plc) has made it onto this year’s Young Rich List 2010.
Worth an estimated £33m, Mr O’Connor made number six in the top 100 richest people aged under 30, just behind actor Daniel Radcliffe, in the list which was released yesterday.
After graduating from university, Mr. O’Connor successfully jumped on the property market boom at the age of 23. Developing a number of property ventures, he built up a personal property portfolio of 40 properties.
He now runs a leading financing company – Clean Energy Capital – for low carbon businesses and technology.
Clean Energy Capital has created investment opportunities for its own funds and that of institutions and a select group of high net worth individuals.
With business growing at a rapid rate, CEC employs 11 members of staff across its head office in Leeds and offices in London and Sunderland.
