Mike Ashley named in Forbes rich list

[Christmas Tree 4913]

BILLIONAIRE Toon owner Mike Ashley has been named as the 655th richest person in the world, according to wealth magazine Forbes.

 

The reclusive 50-year-old tycoon is recorded as having a £1bn ($1.5bn) fortune, earned on the back of his sporting goods empire.

 

In February 2007 he floated his sports goods firm Sports Direct International on the stock market, but retained a 70% stake in the company, which has 422 stores and owns brands like Kangol, Lonsdale and No Fear.

 

According to Forbes, Sports Direct lost £16m ($25m) last year, but shares more than doubled.

 

Mr Ashley bought Newcastle United in 2007, but failed to sell the club when it was put on the market.

 

A Mexican billionaire was ranked as the richest person in the global league table, the first time the title has been held by a non-American for 16 years.

 

Telecoms tycoon Carlos Slim Helu saw off Microsoft boss Bill Gates and investor Warren Buffett to claim the top spot.

 

Slim Helu controls a string of companies, including Telmex and America Movil, and has a net worth of $53.5bn (£35.7bn).

 

In the UK, the Duke of Westminster, Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor was again the wealthiest man, as he has been for much of the past decade.

 

Property tycoons David and Simon Reuben were second in the UK, followed by high street billionaire Sir Philip Green.

 

All three have increased their wealth despite the recession, with the Duke gaining $1bn (£668m) to amass a total net worth of $12bn (£8bn).

 

The Reubens are worth £5bn, while Sir Philip has a fortune of £4.5bn.

 

Gates was knocked off the top spot for only the second time since 1995 despite gaining 13 billion US dollars (£8.7 billion) in the past year.

 

In 2008 Buffett was ranked as number one.

 

Forbes today published its 24th list of the world’s richest people, which saw the number of billionaires rise from 793 last year to 1,011 now. It has yet to reach the 2008 total of 1,125.

 

The ranking of more than 900 of the world’s richest people includes 29 Britons and a total of 97 new billionaires from across the globe.

 

Of these, 62 are from Asia, and for the first time China has the most billionaires - 64 - outside the US, where there are 403.

 

Pakistan added its first billionaire this year, bank chairman Mian Muhammad Mansha, as did Finland with Antti Herlin from engineering company KONE Corporation.

 

The tally of the richest Europeans was dominated by retailers with Bernard Arnault from LVMH (Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton) ranked number one in the continent and seventh in the world.

 

Amancio Ortego from Zara was second in Europe and ninth in the world, while Karl Albrecht from Aldi was third and 10th.

 

The full list is available at www.forbes.com/billionaires

[Kitman 2207]

So the Duke of Westminster is the UK's richest person. Well done sir for being born......we're all very proud of your achievements!

[sammynb 3613]

Someone should start emailing the top 100 on the list to see if they'd like to buy a football club!

[khay 10]

Stuff that anyone above 500 would do for me!