The Sunday Times Rich List: 8 of the richest people with ties to Surrey
Surrey is known to be one of the richest counties in England, so it’s no surprise that billionaires are drawn to it, including the fifth richest in the world.
Whether it’s buying property or being raised in the county, Surrey has many connections to the mega-rich.
While there are some obvious connections like Sir Richard Branson who grew up in Surrey, there are other less obvious connections that you may not have heard of.
Sunday Times released their rich list last month and here are eight of the richest billionaires from or with ties to the county.
Lakshmi Mittal and family – 5th – £ 14.68 billion
Lakshmi Mittal is an Indian businessman who in 2011 wanted to build an eco-friendly mansion on a historic estate in Guildford.
He is executive chairman of the world’s largest steel company, ArcelorMittal, and chairman of stainless steel manufacturer Aperam.
Forbes also named him the third richest person in the world in 2005.
Alisher Usmanov – 6th – £ 13.406 billion
The sixth richest on the list has also seen the value of the Surrey property, as it owns the beautiful Sutton Place between Guildford and Send.
It is a Grade I listed Tudor mansion that was built in 1525 by Sir Richard Weston, the former courtier of Henry VIII.
Jorn Rausing – 7th – £ 13bn
While Ocado owner Jorn Rausing was born in Sweden, he is now believed to be residing in Surrey.
He invested £ 26.5million in online grocer Ocado, which appears to have paid off. He is also heir, businessman and co-owner of Tétra Laval.
Gad Rausing and Birgit Rausing were his parents.
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Roman Abramovich – 8th – £ 12.101 billion
Billionaire Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea Football Club in 2003 and has funded its success ever since.
Russian-Israeli businessman and politician owns private investment firm Millhouse LLC as well as Chelsea FC
The Chelsea training ground moved to Cobham in 2005, under the ownership and plans of Abramovich, and as a result, the area has become home to several international footballers over the years.
German Khan – 20th – £ 7.167 billion
German Khan comes 20th on the Sunday Times’ rich list for 2021 and is a billionaire Ukrainian-Russian businessman.
His wife owns a mansion in Surrey, which is his link to the county. The mansion sits on the lavish Wentworth Estate in Virginia Water.
The property was purchased for £ 26million in 2014 and has a 1920s exterior. Another notable feature includes a bathroom with a chandelier.
Ian and Richard Livingstone – 27th – £ 6.1bn
Ian and Richard Livingstone are real estate developers and they bought the Grayshott Health Spa which has since closed in 2020 due to the pandemic.
They bought it as part of a spending spree between 2016 and 2017.
John Grayken – 30th – £ 5.87 billion
You may not have heard of John Grayken, an Irish American-born billionaire, founder and chairman of private equity firm Lone Star Funds.
But if you’re a local, you’ve probably heard of his Surrey property, Pyrford Court. The property was originally listed on Rightmove in January 2020 for £ 20million.
Sir Richard Branson – 45th – £ 3.79 billion
Perhaps one of the most recognizable names on Surrey’s list of people is Sir Richard Branson, who grew up in the county before making his billions.
The 70-year-old businessman was born in the Blackheath area and is the founder of Virgin Media Group. He was knighted as a gentleman in 2020.