Midlands Rich List 2024: The Solihull people & companies named in Insider’s Midlands Rich List

The new Insider Media Rich List has been released this week revealing the wealthiest people from the Midlands.

Many of the UK’s richest residents have their origins in Birmingham and the West Midlands. Some are continuing a legacy while others are new entrepreneurs - who made it big.

The full Midlands List has been compiled by Robert Watts, known for the Sunday Times Rich List, and has been revealed in the December edition ofMidlands Business Insider. 

Lord Bamford is the richest person from the Midlands, with a net worth of £9.45 billion, with Mike Ashley the richest person from the West Midlands region (Walsall) with a net worth of £3.828bn (£3.862bn)

The Solihull based entries

Lord Edmiston, aged 78, has a net worth of £857m (£871m) from his Car sales and property empire.

The evangelical Christian’s car dealing business is ticking along well. His Solihull-based property empire chalked up a £37.6m loss last year.

Gymshark

Gymshark owner Ben Francis has a net worth of £725m (£925m). The company’s headquarters is based in Solihull.

Francis set up the ath-leisure brand Gymshark after dropping out of university and working as a Pizza Hut delivery boy. Fond of pumping iron himself, he started out selling health supplements with his school friend Lewis Morgan.

The pair changed tack after clocking that margins on clothing were higher. Francis’s mum taught him how to sew, and he began making muscle vests and hoodies in his family’s garage. An investment round in 2020 valued Gymshark at more than £1bn. Francis and family still own 72 per cent.