The Midlands is home to some of the UK's most successful entrepreneurs, with a wealth of billionaires who have made their mark in industries ranging from online gambling and engineering to retail and motorcycles.
We’ve analysed Forbes’ real-time billionaire list, which tracks the net worth of the world’s wealthiest people each day. According to Forbes, the nine richest billionaires in the region have built empires that span across diverse sectors, from Denise Coates’ dominance in online gambling with Bet365 to John Caudwell’s fortunes from mobile phone retailing.
These business magnates have not only amassed personal fortunes but also shaped the economic landscape of the Midlands.
1. Denise Coates ($9.1bn)
Coates - who was born in Stoke-on-Trent - serves as the co-CEO of Bet365, one of the world's largest online gambling companies, alongside her billionaire brother, John. Initially trained as an accountant, Coates began her career by managing several of her family's betting shops, which she later sold to bookmaker Coral. Recognising the growing success of online gambling, she purchased the domain Bet365.com in 2000 and launched the website in 2001. Today, Coates owns approximately half of the privately held company, which processes over $65 billion in bets annually. | Getty Images
2. Anthony Bamford ($7.5bn)
Bamford (left) and his family own leading construction equipment manufacturer JCB, generating nearly $7 billion in annual revenue. The company was founded in 1945 by Bamford's father, who started it in a garage in Uttoxeter. Today, JCB operates in 150 countries, with customers that include the US military. Bamford was born in Staffordshire. | POOL/AFP via Getty Images
3. Mike Ashley ($4.2bn)
Ashley is the founder of Sports Direct, the UK's largest sporting goods retailer. Ashley - born in Walsall - launched Sports Direct in 1982 at just 18 years old, growing it into a business with around 800 stores. In 2007, he took the company public, earning $1.8 billion from its IPO. That same year, he purchased the iconic soccer club Newcastle United, which he sold in 2021 to a consortium backed by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund for approximately $400 million. In 2019, Ashley rebranded Sports Direct's parent company as Frasers Group following the acquisition of department store chain House of Fraser. | Getty Images
4. John Coates ($4.1bn)
Coates (left) is the co-CEO of Bet365 alongside his sister, Denise. The pair - both born in Stoke-on-Trent - teamed up in 2001 to launch Bet365 after she sold some of their father's betting shops. Since then, Bet365 has grown into a global powerhouse, serving over 53 million customers in 200 countries. John holds a 25% stake in the company. In July 2015, he became vice chairman of Stoke City Football Club, in which Bet365 holds a majority ownership. | Getty Images