Anders Holch Povlsen is the richest person in Scotland, according to this year’s edition of The Sunday Times Rich List, published today online at The Sunday Times and in the print edition of the newspaper on Sunday, May 19. The Danish billionaire is Scotland’s largest landowner. David Moulsdale, the founder of the Glasgow-based laser eye surgery business Optical Express, makes his Rich List debut with estimated wealth of £374 million.
There is also a place in the annual wealth rankings for Sandy and James Easdale, the McGill's Buses tycoons with business interests including Blairs Windows, ARC Fleet Services, Clyde Metals and Inverclyde Taxis alongside property holdings in Glasgow, including the old Watt Brothers site.
Lady Philomena Clark and the family of Sir Arnold Clark, who opened his first car showroom in Glasgow in 1954 are prominent on the Scotland section of the Rich List.
The 76-page special edition of The Sunday Times Magazine reveals the largest fall in the billionaire count in the guide’s 36-year history, from a peak of 177 in 2022 to 165 this year. This year’s list of 350 individuals and families together hold combined wealth of £795.361 billion — a sum larger than the annual GDP of Poland. Sir Elton John, Lord Lloyd-Webber and David and Victoria Beckham all appear in the annual survey. The minimum entry for the list of 350 this year is £350 million. Robert Watts, compiler of the Sunday Times Rich List, said: “This year’s Sunday Times Rich List suggests Britain’s billionaire boom has come to an end. Many of our home-grown entrepreneurs have seen their fortunes fall and some of the global super rich who came here are moving away. “Thousands of British livelihoods rely on the super-rich to some extent. We’ll have to wait and see whether we have now reached peak billionaire, and what that means for our economy. “These may be harder times to create wealth, but The Sunday Times Rich List continues to unearth entrepreneurs building fortunes in diverse and often surprising ways. This year’s new entries include people who have made money from artificial intelligence and virtual worlds as well as plumbing supplies and teaching aides. “We know many of our readers find such people — especially those from humbler backgrounds — very inspiring.”
Take a look below to see the 10 richest people in Scotland.
1. Anders Holch Povlsen
Danish billionaire, Anders Holch Povlsen, owner of international retail clothing corporations is worth Bestseller and Asos, is worth £6.73 billion making him the wealthiest person in Scotland. Down £1.77bn from 2023. Photo: TARIQ MIKKEL KHAN
2. Glenn Gordon and family
Glenn Gordon and family are the second wealthiest people in Scotland, owners of Spirits company William Grant and sons - they are worth £5.619 billion, up £1.012 billion from last year.
3. Sir Ian Wood and family
Sir Ian Wood and family are the third wealthiest people in Scotland, known for Oil services and fishing under the Wood Group, they are worth £1.911bn, up £91m from last year.
4. Mahdi Al-Tajir
The owner of Highland Spring, Mahdi Al-Tajir is the fourth wealthiest person in Scotland, he is worth £1.641 billion which is up £4 million on last year.