Russian tycoon Usmanov tops Sunday Times Rich List
- Published
Russian businessman Alisher Usmanov has topped the Sunday Times ranking of the wealthiest people in Britain and Ireland with a fortune of 拢13.3bn.
The Surrey-based tycoon, 59, who has a 30% stake in Arsenal football club, owns iron ore producer Metalloinvest.
Warner Music's Len Blavatnik comes next in the 25th annual list with 拢11bn but steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal's 拢10bn sees him drop from first to fourth.
The 1,000 richest people in Britain and Ireland share a wealth of 拢450bn.
The highest UK-born person in the list is the Duke of Westminster in eighth place with 拢7.8bn from property. He is the only person to make the top 10 of the list in each of its 25 years.
Other Britons include Sir Philip and Lady Green, who are 16th in the list with 拢3.8bn from their retailing empire, and Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin brand, in 19th place, with 拢3.5bn.
Former Miss UK Kirsty Bertarelli shares her 拢7.4bn pharmaceuticals fortune with husband Ernesto, the same amount as last year, but they have slipped three places down the list to ninth place.
In third place are Sri and Gopi Hinduja, of the London-based global conglomerate Hinduja Group, with 拢10.6bn.
Chelsea FC's Russian owner Roman Abramovich, who made his fortune in the oil industry, is down two places to fifth with 拢9.3bn.
There are a record 88 billionaires in the list - compared to 77 last year and just nine when the rich list started in 1989, and the Queen was placed top.
Her then wealth of 拢5.2bn included the Crown Estates and the royal art collection but since 1993 the Queen has been valued only on personal worth for the purposes of the list.
The combined wealth of the top 200 people in list is 拢318.2bn which is more than eight times the figure 25 years ago.
Mr Usmanov started his business empire with the manufacture of plastic bags.
His interests now include Russia's biggest iron ore producer Metalloinvest, a stake in internet business mail.ru and a holding in mobile phone operator MegaFon which became listed on both the London and Moscow stock exchanges last year.
Mr Usmanov owns Sutton Place in Surrey, the former home of the late oil baron J Paul Getty, as well as a 拢48m mansion in north London.
Mr Blavatnik saw the biggest rise in wealth among those listed with an increase of 拢3.4bn over the past year.
The Russia-born media mogul, who now holds US citizenship, sold his stake in Russian oil and gas giant TNK-BP for 拢2bn last month.
India-born Mr Mittal, who topped the list for the past eight years, was the biggest faller in wealth terms after his 40% stake with his wife in steelmaker ArcelorMittal plunged from a peak of 拢28bn to just under 拢6bn.
Earlier this month former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney was revealed to have topped the Sunday Times Rich List of musicians with the 拢680m fortune he shares with his wife Nancy Shevell.
Sir Paul, whose American heiress wife is said to be worth 拢150m, has topped each music list since 1989 when he was worth an estimated 拢80m.
Andrew Lloyd Webber was second with 拢620m and Irish rock band U2 were third with 拢520m.
- Published11 April 2013
- Published28 April 2012