By IANS,
London : Indian steel tycoon Lakshmi Niwas Mittal has once again topped the Sunday Times Rich List – the definitive rundown of Britain’s wealthiest people.
Mittal and the Hinduja brothers Srichand and Gopichand are the two Indian business conglomerates that dominated the list for 2008 in the midst of a global credit crunch.
The 57-year-old Mittal, worth an estimated 27.7 billion pounds, tops the list for the fourth year running. He was valued at 19.2 billion pounds in last year’s list.
His world-leading steel company ArcelorMittal produces 110 million tonnes of steel – about 10 percent of the market.
Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, with a 11.7 billion pounds fortune, takes the second spot, followed by the Duke of Westminster – the richest property developer in Britain, worth 7 billion pounds.
Srichand and Gopichande Hinduja, who own the Hinduja industry and finance empire, are at number four. The group, worth 6.2 billion pound, was set up by their father in 1914.
Alisher Usmanov, a former prosecutor in Uzbekistan, appears at number five, having built his 5.7 billion pound fortune through steel and ore mines.
At number six are Ernesto Bertarelli, Swiss owner of the pharmaceutical company Serono, and his wife Kirsty, a former Miss United Kingdom.
Next on the list are Hans Rausing and family, who helped develop the Tetra Pak, shipping owner John Fredriksen, retail millionaires Sir Philip and Lady Green, and property tychoons David and Simon Reuben.
The Sunday Times list for 2008:
1. Lakshmi Mittal and family
2. Roman Abramovich
3. The Duke of Westminster
4. Sri and Gopi Hinduja
5. Alisher Usmanov
6. Ernesto and Kirsty Bertarelli
7. Hans Rausing and family
8. John Fredriksen
9. Sir Philip and Lady Green
10. David and Simon Reuben