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Wales Online
National
Taite Johnson

How Wales' rich list has changed over the past decade

This year's Sunday Times rich list has named the richest people in Wales. The publication's rich list announces the wealth of the 350 richest people in Britain each year.

Over the last decade from 2013 until 2023, five men have consistently appeared at the top of that list. Of those, Sir Michael Moritz has been named as the richest person in Wales every year for the past ten years. With his wealth growing by £2.208bn in that time, the billionaire has almost tripled the annual figure starting at £1.125bn in 2013 and increasing to £3.333bn in 2023 after spotting the potential for Google, PayPal, Alibaba, WhatsApp, YouTube and a host of other tech giants ahead of anyone else. This year, however, saw his fortune decrease by £667m in 12 months, despite still bagging the list's top spot.

Amongst Mr Moritz on the rich list at number two this year is Simon Nixon. The internet and property tycoon has been the second richest man in Wales for three years running and has been in the top five over the last ten years. In 2013 he generated £733m whereas in 2023 his wealth equalled £1.825bn. Although over the last decade his wealth has risen enormously, he has seen a £100m loss since 2022.

Read more: The richest young people in Wales worth millions

Sir Michael Moritz, Source of wealth: Internet (Sequoia) (PA)
Simon Nixon, Source of wealth : Internet and property (Moneysupermarket ) (Western Mail)

Douglas Perkins and his family have reached number three on the rich list 2023 with a wealth of £1.566bn. Their wealth has consistently put them within the top five of the list each year over the last decade. Over the last ten years the Specsavers founders' wealth has fluctuated, reaching its highest in 2020 at £2.78bn whilst starting off the decade in 2013 at £870m.

Fourth on the Sunday Times rich list for Wales this year is Sir Terry Matthews. In 2013, Mr Matthews was named the second richest person in Wales with a wealth of £1.122bn just beneath Sir Michael Moritz. His wealth has risen by £211m since then and this year it is recorded at £1.333bn.

Sir Terry Matthews, Source of wealth: Telecoms (Mltel) (Media Wales Ltd.)
David Sullivan (BPM)

For the last half a decade, David Sullivan has placed fifth on the rich list but over the last decade has occasionally slipped below that number. In 2013 he was seventh on the list with a wealth of £400m and has not reached higher than fourth in the last ten years. Over the decade his wealth has increased by £716m, as he reached £1.116bn in 2023.

The Sunday Times rich lists including this year's five richest people in Wales for the last 10 years are:

2013

1- Sir Michael Moritz - £1.125bn

2- Sir Terry Matthews- £1.122bn

3- Douglas Perkins and family- £870m

4- Simon Nixon - £733m

5- Henry Engelhardt and family - £548

6- Steve Morgan - £510m

7- David Sullivan £400m

2014

1- Sir Michael Moritz - £1.688bn

2- Sir Terry Matthews- £1.190bn

3- Douglas Perkins and family- £900m

4- Simon Nixon - £810m

5- David Sullivan - £750m

2015

1- Sir Michael Moritz - £1.75bn

2- Douglas Perkins - £1.45bn

3- Sir Terry Matthews- £1.04bn

4- Simon Nixon - £945m

5- David Sullivan - £850m

2016

1- Sir Michael Moritz - £1.95bn

2- Douglas Perkins and family - £1.55bn

3- Simon Nixon - £1.026bn

4- Sir Terry Matthews- £1.012bn

5- David Sullivan - £1bn

2017

1- Sir Michael Moritz - £2.639bn

2- Douglas Perkins and Mary Perkins - £1.6bn

3- Simon Nixon - £1.176bn

4- Sir Terry Matthews- £1.17bn

5- David Sullivan - £1.1bn

2018

1- Sir Michael Moritz - £2.963bn

2- Douglas Perkins and family - £1.7bn

3- Simon Nixon - £1.25bn

4- David Sullivan - £1.1bn

5- Sir Terry Matthews - £1.075bn

2019

1- Sir Michael Moritz - £3bn

2- Douglas Perkins and family - £1.8bn

3- Simon Nixon - £1.365bn

4- Sir Terry Matthews- £1.24bn

5- David Sullivan - £1.15bn

2020

1- Sir Michael Moritz - £3.047bn

2- Douglas Perkins and family - £2.78bn

3- Simon Nixon - £1.35bn

4- Sir Terry Matthews- £1.24bn

5- David Sullivan and family - £1.1bn

2021

1- Sir Michael Moritz - £3.5bn

2- Simon Nixon - £1.8bn

3- Sir Terry Matthews - £1.24bn

4- Douglas Perkins and family - £1.2bn

5- Henry Engelhardt and Diane Briere de I'Isle - £1.126bn

6- David Sullivan and family - £1.04bn

2022

1- Sir Michael Moritz - £4bn

2- Simon Nixon - £1.925bn

3- Douglas and Dame Mary Perkins and family - £1.33bn

4- Sir Terry Matthews- £1.23bn

5- David Sullivan and family- £1.118bn

2023

1- Sir Michael Moritz and Harriet Heyman - £3.333bn

2- Simon Nixon - £1.825bn

3- Douglas and Dame Mary Perkins and family - £1.566bn

4- Sir Terry Matthews- £1.333bn

5- David Sullivan and family- £1.118bn

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