Who are the richest players in Britain's IT industry?
The Sunday Times Rich List 2009 was released on 26 April. We take a
look at who are the richest people in the tech industry from that
list.
Richard Branson retains his title as the richest person in
Britain's tech sector in 2009 with his internet, mobile phone and
transport businesses, according to The Sunday Times 2009 Rich
List. Despite his fortune falling by £1.5bn from £2700m in 2008 to
£1200m, Branson remains the richest in the UK's tech sector tied in
32nd on the overall list.
Branson's
Virgin Media offers a
one-stop shop for broadband, mobile, TV and phone and was quick
to release its
superfast 50mbs broadband service to consumers at the end of
2008. However, Virgin Media's CEO Neil Birkett has spoken out in a
video interview to ComputerWeekly.com on the barriers to the
commercial roll-out of superfast broadband.
Next on list from the tech sector is the consumer electronics
tycoon and The Apprentice host Sir Alan Sugar, who is number 59
with a fortune worth £730m. Sugar's Essex-based Amshold Group saw
profits soar last year, despite his portfolio's value falling by
£100m on 2008. He also has a holding in the £100m-valued Viglen
computer firm, which
was in merger negotiations with the system builder Stone Computers
last year. The discussions were called off in March 2009.
Third in the list is the first from internet gambling firm
Party Gaming.
It's bosses are Russell De Leon and his wife Ruth Parasol, who are
tied at joint 60th, with a fortune worth £700m. The Gibralter-based
business was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 2005, just
before the business was forced to close down its US operation.
Next comes Welshman Sir Terry Matthews, who has set up several
high tech communications companies, including VoIP company Mitel,
which he sold to BT in 1985 and Newbridge Networks telecoms
company, which he sold to Alcatel in 2000.
Matthews was said to be Wales's first billionaire and also owns
golf's 2010 Ryder Cup venue Celtic Manor. His £600m fortune has
fallen by £350m from its 2008 value. Matthews was joint 70th in the
overall list.
In fifth place is the second of the Party Gaming millionaires,
Indian-born Aurag Dikshit. He left the company in 2006, but still
retains a stake worth £216m. His fortune, which includes past share
sales, is valued at £559 million.
The rest of the top 10 in the UK's tech industry, include Planet
Online's Paul Sykes tied at number 79 with a furtune worth £550m
and number six in the UK's teach sector.
Seventh is Michael Tabor, who has a stake in Victor Chandler's
internet gaming operation. He is also was a major backer of Global
Radio, the UK's largest commercial radio group. Tabor's fortune
weighs in at £520m.
At eight is Felix Dennis, supremo of internet and magazine
publishing business Dennis Publishing. Dennis is worth £500m
placing him equal 88th in the overall list. Dennis's stable of
internet businesses include the IT titles
PC Pro, IT Pro, Computer
Shopper and Computer Buyer.
Ninth in the IT sector is Michael Moritz, who made early
investments in Google and YouTube through Sequola Capital. His
fortune is put at £470m.
The tenth richest players in the tech sector are Peter and
Denise Coates, who are the third of the online gaming websites to
have made it into the top 10. Denise Coates persuaded her father to
set up online gaming
website Bet365 in 2000. Their
fortune is valued at £400m, placing them in 128th spot in the
overall list.
11 (#135) Jan Mol – Dutch computer tycoon. Sold his IT company
to CapGemini and invested his money in his son’s Dutch internet
business. Worth £390m.
12 (#156=) Sir Peter Rigby – Computing, aviation and hotels. Has
£300m stake in Midlands-based
Specialist Computer Holdings. Its
profits fell from £14.5m to £3.2m in 2007/2008. Worth £330m.
13 Peter Wilkinson (#177) – Computers. His company InTechnology
http://www.intechnology.co.uk/ signed a deal in January this year
to supply mobile communications to NHS staff. The Harrogate
businessmen de-listed the business last year. Worth £301m.
14 Michael and Xochi Birch (#222=)– Social networking. The
Birch’s sold Bebo social networking site to AOL in 2008 for
£418m. They have now launched
Wordia, a multimedia
dictionary. Worth £250m.
15 Dr Mike Lynch (#£235m) – Founder of Cambridge software house
Autonomy, who recently released great financial results. Worth
£235m.
The rest of the tech sector in the Sunday Times Rich List 2009
will follow on 28 April. The full list can be found on the
Times online and will be available from 2pm on 28 April.
Photo credit: Roland Hoskins / Daily Mail /Rex Features