National newspaper The Sunday Times has published its annual Rich List — but which north-east tycoons have made the cut?
Every year, the wealth of the rich and famous across the UK is totalled (or at least guesstimated) based on identifiable wealth — including land, property, other assets such as art and racehorses, or significant shares in publicly quoted companies.
ASOS multi-billionaire and Highland resident Anders Holch Povlsen takes Scotland’s top spot once again, despite seeing his wealth decrease by £1.7 billion.
Sir Ian Wood and family, of Aberdeen-based Wood Group, are at number three, with a wealth of £1.911bn.
And Conservative party donor Lord Laidlaw is listed at number 10.
North east’s wealthy land on list
This year’s list of 350 individuals and families together hold combined wealth of £795.361bn.
There has been the largest fall in the billionaire count in the guide’s 36-year history, from a peak of 177 in 2022 to 165 this year.
Scotland’s seven billionaires have a combined fortune of £20.29bn.
If you were to count each pound individually, it would take about 650 years.
Anders Holch Povlsen owns online megastore ASOS and the Danish, family-run Bestseller company.
He owns a number of estates across the Highlands, including private landowner, including a dozen Highland estates and Aldourie Castle by Loch Ness.
Spirit magnates Glenn Gordon and family, who own a number of drinks brands, are second in the Sunday Times Scottish guide, with a combined fortune of £5.619bn.
Their company, William Grant& Sons, produces whisky and vodka.
Their fortune has risen by £1.012bn since 2023.
Sir Ian Wood’s wealth increased by £91m last year.
Lord Laidlaw, who owns the IIR conference company, has a wealth of £741m and takes tenth position on the Sunday Times Scottish list.
Billionaire bus brothers Sandy and James Easdale, who own McGill’s (which operates Flixbus) are placed at number six, with a wealth of £1.45bn — up £25m on 2023.
Fellow bus billionaires, Stagecoach’s Sir Brian Souter and Dame Ann Gloag take up the ninth position on the list.
Their fortune is up £35m on last year, to £815m.
Harry Potter author JK Rowling, who has a home in Perthshire, also makes the list.
Despite controversy surrounding comments she has made on transgender identity and women’s rights, she has seen her wealth bloom by £70m to £945m.
She takes eighth spot, behind newspaper publishers the Thomson family.
The Thomsons have seen their family fortune fall by £90m, and are worth £1.367bn according to The Sunday Times.
The full list is available on The Sunday Times website.
Billionaire boom may be at an end
Robert Watts, compiler of the list, said: “This year’s Sunday Times Rich List suggests Britain’s billionaire boom has come to an end.
“Many of our home-grown entrepreneurs have seen their fortunes fall and some of the global super rich who came here are moving away.
“Thousands of British livelihoods rely on the super-rich to some extent.
“We’ll have to wait and see whether we have now reached peak billionaire, and what that means for our economy.
“These may be harder times to create wealth, but The Sunday Times Rich List continues to unearth entrepreneurs building fortunes in diverse and often surprising ways.
“This year’s new entries include people who have made money from artificial intelligence and virtual worlds as well as plumbing supplies and teaching aides.
“We know many of our readers find such people — especially those from humbler backgrounds — very inspiring.”
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