Thu, 12 Feb 2026

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 Who is billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe and how did he make his money?

The industrialist and Manchester United co-owner has apologised over comments he made about immigration.

* He is one of the UK's richest men, estimated to be worth £17bn or £12.8bn depending on the source
* His net worth comes mainly from his chemicals company Ineos, which generates sales of around £50bn and employs over 26,000 people in 154 facilities across 27 countries
* Ratcliffe made his fortune by buying a chemicals company that BP was selling in 1992 and expanding it into the global market
* He has been labelled "wrong and offensive" by Prime Minister Keir Starmer for comments suggesting the UK had been "colonised by immigrants"
* Despite being one of the UK's biggest taxpayers, Ratcliffe changed his tax domicile to Monaco in 2020, reportedly saving him £4bn in taxes
* He owns several properties around the world, including mansions in London and Hampshire, a hotel in the French Alps, and two superyachts
* Ratcliffe is a lifelong Manchester United fan and recently bought a 27.7% stake in the club for £1.25bn
* He was knighted in 2018 "for services to business and investment" but drew criticism for changing his tax residency to Monaco despite being a vocal supporter of Brexit
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