They backed Brussels ... then got their gongs
The buyout king
Damon Buffini, who receives a knighthood, is a former private equity chief worth an estimated £100million. He is believed to have donated £10,000 to Britain Stronger In Europe.
Known in financial circles as a ‘buyout king’, Mr Buffini, 54, led Permira to huge growth over nearly three decades, but the firm was accused of indulging in ‘blatant asset-stripping’.
He once made partners at the firm eat hamburgers after they moaned about the quality of food at five-star hotels, according to 2009 reports.
The smoothie tycoon
Millionaire Richard Reed (CBE), founder the smoothie maker Innocent Drinks, is deputy chairman of the In campaign. He is a vociferous supporter of the EU, often taking to Twitter to denounce the ‘deliberate lies’ of Brexit campaigners.
The Ocado founder
Tim Steiner (OBE), founder of the grocery delivery firm Ocado, signed a letter to The Times with 200 other businessmen claiming the UK could not stand alone from Europe.
He recently set the stage for a huge divorce battle over his £100million fortune after splitting from his wife of 14 years and starting a new relationship with a 27-year-old Polish model.
Mr Steiner, 4 , cited ‘unreasonable behaviour’ as grounds for separating from his wife Belinda, the mother of his four children.
The hedge fund partner
John Armitage (CBE), founding partner of the hedge fund Egerton Capital LLP, gave £15,000 to the In campaign.
Mr Armitage, 55, now manages more than £10billion in assets, and specialises in a ‘research-intensive stock picking approach to investing’.
The Scottish engineer
Keith Cochrane (CBE), chief executive of Glasgow-based engineering firm Weir Group, signed the letter in The Times warning against Brexit.
Mr Cochrane, 51, was last in the news when shareholders overwhelmingly vetoed plans that could have seen bosses taking home millions in stock options regardless of how well the company performed.