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Sunday Times Rich List 2020: Mike Ashley s wealth soars as UK s super rich get richer despite pandemic
Mike Ashley MIKE Ashley s wealth soared by more than £750m last year as the country s super rich got even richer during the pandemic. UK billionaires have seen their fortunes soar by more than a fifth as they shook off the financial toll of the pandemic, according to the latest Sunday Times Rich List. The list revealed that there are now a record 171 billionaires in the UK, with Ukranian-born Sir Leonard Blavatnik topping the pile as the richest person in the country.
Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley, founder of Sports Direct, is among the richest people associated with the North-East, with a current worth of £2.718bn – up by £769m and placing him 61st on the list.
Strive Masiyiwa named Britain’s first black billionaire
London-based Zimbabwean telecoms tycoon, 60, who fled Zimbabwe and is now trying to provide Africa with Covid vaccines while sitting on Netflix and Unilever boards
A telecoms tycoon whose family fled unrest in Zimbabwe, who took on Robert Mugabe in order to start his businesses, and who is now helping to provide Covid vaccines to Africa, has been named as Britain’s first black billionaire.
London-based Strive Masiyiwa, 60, has clinched the accolade according to the Sunday Times Rich List.
However the Zimbabwe-born businessman, who sits on the boards of Netflix and Unilever, has a more pressing goal in mind – attempting get Covid vaccines to Africa.
UK billionaires have seen their fortunes soar by more than a fifth as they shook off the financial toll of the pandemic, according to the latest Sunday Times Rich List. The list revealed that there are now a record 171 billionaires in the UK, with Ukranian-born Sir Leonard Blavatnik topping the pile as the richest person in the country. The number of billionaires jumped by 24%, in stark contrast with the wider economic turmoil of the pandemic which saw millions enter furlough and the rate of unemployment lift to its highest in almost five years. Wealth among billionaires increased by 21.7% over the year, rising by £106.5 billion to £597.2 billion.
BBC News
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image captionSir Leonard Blavatnik is the richest person in the UK, according to the Sunday Times.
The UK s billionaires saw a sharp increase in their wealth during the pandemic, according to the latest Sunday Times Rich List.
Their wealth increased by 21.7% over the past year, rising by £106.5bn to £597.2bn, and there are now a record 171 billionaires in the UK.
Ukranian-born oil and media magnate Sir Leonard Blavatnik is the richest person in the country, according to the list.
He took the title from Sir James Dyson, whose wealth rose by only £100m.
Mr Blavatnik - who owns Warner Music - saw his fortune surge by £7.2bn to around £23bn during the pandemic-hit year.
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