The collective wealth of Britain’s richest people has more than doubled in the last 10 years, according to the Sunday times Rich List compiled by Philip Beresford.
This year’s list found the wealthiest 1,000 individuals and families now have a combined fortune of just over £547bn – or £547m each on average.
The figure has more than doubled since a total of just under £250bn was recorded in 2005, despite the world economy being gripped by a punishing recession over much of the last decade.
Plain old millionaires increasingly struggle to count themselves among the mega-rich, with a fortune of £100m now required to make it into the top 1,000. That is £15m higher than last year’s minimum.
Back in 1997, it took a personal wealth of just £15m to make the grade.
The list, published on Sunday 26 April, includes 117 billionaires – up from 104 last year. And 80 of these are based in London – giving the capital more sterling billionaires than any other city in the world.
London-based Ukrainian businessman Len Blavatnik, whose empire includes the Warner Music Group, came top of the list thanks to his estimated fortune of £13.17bn.
He rose from fourth to first after his wealth rose by more than £3bn.
Blavatnik ousted brothers Sri and Gopi Hinduja from top spot. They were nudged into second, despite their fortune rising by £1.1bn to £13bn.
Galen and George Weston and family, who run a retail empire including Selfridges and Primark enjoyed a particularly prosperous year – with their wealth soaring by £3.7bn to £11bn.
Not all those in the top 25 have got richer, however.
Steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal’s fortune fell by £1.05bn to £9.2bn and Chelsea Football Club chairman Roman Abramovich’s total fell by £1.23bn to £7.29bn.
The list charts wealth including land, property, assets or significant shares but excludes bank accounts.
The richest Cypriot in the UK
Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou
The richest Cypriot in the List is Easy Jet founder Sir Stelios Haji –Ioannou (Photo below) at number 36 with a value of £2.76 Billion His family have a stake worth 2.38 billion in Easyjet. His family recieved £94 million when their shipping company Stelmar was sold. Easy Group donated £1.6million to the Stelios Foundation in the past year. It funds scholarships at the London School of Economics and elsewhere. He also has a charity food from the heart provides poverty relief in Greece and Cyprus.
Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou
Chris Lazari
Second richest is Cypriot is property Entrepreneur Chris Lazaris (Photo below) from Dora in Cyprus who has a blue chip London based property operation with a fortune of £1.45 Billion in position 65.
chris lazari
Alki David
Third is Alki David (pictured below) at 80 valued £1.25 billion,he was born In Nigeria his parents from Cyprus and lives here in the UK and Los Angeles. David, who has appeared as heavies and the like in films or TV series in Britain, runs FilmOn, a patented live-streaming Internet business, allowing access to live HDTV streaming via PCs, televisions and cell phones. David had a controlling 80% stake. Alki David is a member of the prominent Cypriot Leventis family. His late father, Andrew A David, was the managing director of the Leventis-David group, a family business which owns bottling plants for Coca-Cola in 28 countries.
Alki David
John Christodoulou
4th richest is 49 year old John Christodoulou at £1.1billion and position 93 is Nicosia born John Christodoulou who came to the UK after the Cyprus Turkish invasion he bought his first property in 1964. Assets at his London based Yianis holdings rose to £291.3 million in 2013/14 and is the second largest freeholder in Canary Wharf which includes two five star hotels the Marriot and Four Seasons. He also has 2,000 residential and commercial freehold units in Central London other interests include Brazilian land , New York apartments and Manchester’s Hilton Tower.His overseas assets are worth £600 million.
Theo Paphitis
Former Dragon’s Den star Theo Paphitis was born in Limassol, in Cyprus, in 1959 and came here aged six with his parents. He went to the local comprehensive in North London, where they failed to detect his dyslexia but did let him run the school tuck shop. His first job, when he left at 16, was helping make the tea at a Lloyd’s insurer. He revived stricken brands such as Ryman, the stationer and the Contessa lingerie chain as well as La Senza. The latter was sold in 2004 netting Paphitis around £100m for his stake.Theo saw strong trading at Ryman stationers and Boux Avenue Lingerie. He also has commercial properties all round the UK. Is worth £280m and is placed at 357.
Theo Paphitis
Touker Suleyman
The man behind some of the most iconic brands in British fashion is set to join the next series of Dragons’ Den. Touker Suleyman, the award-winning businessman and entrepreneur, has been appointed to the panel for the 13th series of the popular show.
62 year old Famagusta born Turker Suleyman who will be part of the panel of 5 successful entrepreneurs is the owner of famous shirt brand Hawes and Curtis, women’s fashion brand Ghost and textile company Low Profile.
Famous footballer David Beckham and his wife Victoria and 4 children rent Suleyman’s 20 million south London house… The home of the Turkish businessman is decked out in James Bond style and with the latest technology
Turkish Cypriot Touker is best known as the founder of quintessentially British menswear brand, Hawes & Curtis and the man credited for the reinvention of seminal ‘90s womenswear label, Ghost. With 40 years of retail and manufacturing experience behind him, Touker brings with him a wealth of knowledge and expertise to scrutinise fledgling entrepreneurs entering the Den.
They can see £5 million profit and £43 million of net assets in in his three main companies in 2013. These should be worth £75 million at least. Suleyman has a large property portfolio in Central London and numerous other investments. Touker is a new entry and is worth £150 million at position 637.
Touker Suleyman
Stelios Stefanou
In position 688 Stelio Stefanou born in Egypt parents from Ktima and Peyia in Cyprus came to England and studied and remained here and built up the Accord maintenance which was sold for £180 million in year 2007. He runs his Hertfordshire based Stefanou foundation charity and the times value him at £140 million.
George Michael
At Spot 901 at a value of £105 million we have George Michael the son of a Greek Cypriot businessman, Michael rose to prominence as a member of Wham from 1982 to 1986. Michael topped the charts last year with his sixth solo studio album, Symphonica.
George Michael
We also have John Fredriksen Shipping Billionaire said to be the World’s biggest tanker operator in the list. A Norwegian by birth and holds a Cypriot Citizenship since Norway tightened the Tax regime. He made his fortune during the Iran – Iraq war in the 1980’s. He is the eleventh richest person in the UK worth £7.24 billion.
Greeks from Greece
We have Aristotelis Mistakidis in position 73 valued at £1.35 billion works in commodities at Glencore. He is chairman of several of Glencores mining companies.
In position 172 at a value of £650 million London born brothers George 40 and Constantine 35 run Libra group a Greek shipping ,property, aviation and energy empire.
Coming in at 185 spot is Michael Lemos from the well known Greek shipping family who is worth £605 million.
Anthony Green from the Greek Zochonis Family who produce branded soaps is placed 432 and is valued at £223.
At spot 262 and 476 at the value of £400 and £200 million we have Greeks Chris Rokos and Trifon Natsis respectively Who set up the Brevan Howard hedge Fund with two other traders . It is one of Europe’s top operations managing funds worth about £22 billion.