Foreigners, spin doctors, brassy broads ...and the ‘Man who sold Britain’
BRASSY BROADS
Jacqueline Gold CBE, chief executive of Ann Summers. Age: 55. Estimated wealth: £240m. Latest profit: £1.025m her main claim to fame is bringing the rampant rabbit sex toy to the UK. Says her recent CBe owes nothing to political cronyism. Claims to have empowered women in the bedroom and boardroom, but has not until now been known for her trenchant views on such matters as the Schengen agreement or eU banking directives. Baroness (Karren) Brady, vicechairman of West Ham United. Age: 46. Wealth: £ 5m Cameron elevated The apprentice star to the house of Lords in 2014, where she rejoices in the title of Lady Brady of Knightsbridge. now the Pm’s small business ambassador. at the age of 23, she was made managing director of Birmingham City, and installed as vicechairman of West ham United in 2010. married to former footballer Paul Peschisolido, she is also a director of Simon Cowell’s company Syco. Kelly Hoppen MBE. Founder of Kelly Hoppen Interiors. Age: 56. Wealth: £50 m The former Dragons’ Den star was awarded an mBe by Gordon Brown in 2009. Best-known for doing up the homes and yachts of the super-wealthy, and for her high-profile love life. Twicemarried hoppen’s previous boyfriends include former footballer Sol Campbell and hairdresser nicky Clarke.
THE MEDIA MATES
Roland Rudd, chairman Finsbury. Age: 54. Pay: Estimated £3 m a former fT journalist, rudd is the founder of City Pr firm finsbury, which he sold in 2001, making an estimated £40m. a committed europhile, he is chairman of pressure group Business for new europe, which lobbies for the UK to stay in the eU. Peter mandelson is godfather to one of his three children with fashion designer wife Sophie hale, and Tony Blair’s son euan did a work placement at his firm. rudd’s sister amber is Cameron’s energy & Climate Change Secretary. Small world! Sir Alan Parker, chairman Brunswick Group. Age: 59. Estimated wealth £112 m foUnDer of one of the world’s most successful Pr companies, with more than a quarter of the fTSe 100 firms as clients. he was knighted in 2014, and the Camerons were guests at his 2007 wedding to second wife Jane. many of his fTSe 100 clients are ardent supporters of the eU, so his signature should come as no surprise. Sir Martin Sorrell, chief executive of WPP. Age: 71. Pay: £43 m. Company value: £19.26 bn aS heaD of the world’s largest marketing communications group, which includes roland rudd’s firm finsbury, Sorrell is arguably the world’s best-connected executive. Cynics might wonder if he is more concerned about the effect of a Brexit on his international empire than what’s best for Britain.
THE FOREIGNERS
Xavier Rolet, chief executive London Stock Exchange Group. Age: 5 . Pay: £6.4 m. Company value: £ bn The frenchman yesterday entered the London Stock exchange into merger talks with Deutsche Boerse, the German stock exchange. If he sells out, the
historic City institution will be controlled by frankfurt. Marc Bolland, departing chief executive Marks & Spencer. Age: 56. Pay: £2m. Company value: £7bn the Dutchman never got to grips with British women’s taste in fashion and is leaving m&S this year after failing to transform its fortunes. Vittorio Colao, chief executive Vodafone. Age: 54. Pay: £2.8 m. Company value £57.3 bn UnDer Italian Colao, the company has run into tax controversy. Despite making profits of £50 m in the UK in the year to march 2015, its corporation tax contribution was zero. Bob Dudley, chief executive BP. Age: 61. Pay £10 m. Company worth: £67bn the American oilman took the reins following the disastrous gulf of mexico oil spill in 2010, but has not yet pulled the company out of difficulty. A member of Cameron’s business advisory board. Ben Van Beurden, chief executive Royal Dutch Shell. Age: 57. Pay: Around £20 m. Company value: £125 bn the Dutchman has embarked on a £36 billion takeover of Bg group, the multinational oil and gas group, which many commentators think is reckless given rock-bottom oil prices. Stefano Pessina, executive vice chairman and chief executive Walgreens Boots Alliance. Age: 74. Net worth £10bn. Company value: £60bn ItAlIAn tycoon behind the multibillion-pound merger of Alliance Boots, which owns the British chemist store chain, with American firm Walgreens.
DAVE’S DARLINGS
Dido Harding, chief executive of TalkTalk. Age: 48. Pay: £1 m. Company value: £2bn the granddaughter of field marshal John harding, who commanded the Desert rats in World War II, Dido studied alongside Cameron at oxford. She is married to tory mP John Penrose and was made a life peer in 2015. her tenure as boss of talktalk has been beset with problems, including a computer hacking scandal last year. Baroness (Martha) Lane Fox CBE, co-founder Lastminute. com. Age: 43. Net worth: £313m She was the darling of the dotcom boom when she floated lastminute. com on the stock market in 2000 — but shares plunged and it was sold. Became youngest woman member of the house of lords in 2013.
CITY SLICKERS
Sir Nigel Rudd, chair Meggitt Plc. Age: 6 . Estimated wealth: £50m. Company worth £3bn A CorPorAte grandee nicknamed ‘the Businessman who Sold Britain’ because he flogged household names including Boots and Pilkington glassmakers to overseas predators. now, defence company meggitt is expected to suffer a similar fate. Sir Roger Carr, chairman BAE Systems. Age: 6 . Pay: £602,000. Company value: £16bn A former president of the CBI — the lobby group that campaigned for Britain to join the euro — he was also the chairman of Cadbury when it was sold off to Kraft foods. Sir Mike Rake, chairman BT. Age: 68. Pay: £686,000. Company value: £45.6bn SIr mike is another former president of the slavishly pro-eU CBI, which last year said there was ‘ no credible alternative’ to Britain remaining in the eU. Gavin Patterson, chief executive BT. Age: 48.
Pay: £4.4m DArK good looks are said to go along with a sharp mind, but he still wants the UK to stay with Brussels. Sir Andrew Witty, chief executive GlaxoSmithKline. Age: 51. Pay: £3. m. Company value: £67.7bn fIghtIng for his future at gSK following stiff criticism of company performance from investors. Rupert Soames, chief executive Serco. Age: 56. Company value: £865m the grandson of Churchill and brother of tory mP nicholas Soames is a prominent supporter of the remain campaign. Lord (Stuart) Rose, chairman Britain Stronger In Europe. Age: 66. Estimated worth: £34m the former m&S boss and now tory peer is leading the campaign for Britain to stay in the eU. this is a U-turn considering he used to be a member of opposing group, Business for Britain.
THE BANKERS
Stephen Hester, 55, group chief executive RSA Insurance. Pay and benefits: Up to £5.7m. Company value: £4.12bn former rBS boss appointed in 2008 to turn around the bailed-out bank. ran into rows about his pay and bonus before leaving with a package of £1.6m and hopping to insurer rSA. Tidjane Thiam, chief executive Credit Suisse. Age: 53. Company Value: £17.5bn ControverSIAl Ivorian-born financier who earned £11.8m in his final year at Britain’s Prudential and is now toiling in geneva for a Swiss bank far from Britain. Richard Gnodde, co-CEO Goldman Sachs International. Age: 54. Wealth: Estimated at £120m. Company Value: £44bn SoUth-AfrICAn born financier who jointly runs london office, which has financially backed the remain campaign. Warns that one-third of goldman’s 6,000 london jobs could move to frankfurt after Brexit.