The city’s top tycoons, detailed in Insider Media’s annual Yorkshire Rich List, include Jet2 founder Philip Meeson, who transformed a small freight business into what is now the UK’s third largest airline.
Alongside him are the Caddick family, who have shaped skylines across the country with their ambitious construction projects. This year’s list also features the Waltons, the family that own jewellery chain Berry’s, that has 13 shops including three in Leeds.
Here is the full list of the 14 richest people in the city that have been included in the latest edition of the Yorkshire Rich List -
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1. Philip Meeson, 77 (£730m)
An RAF pilot in his youth, Meeson later transformed a small freight business into Jet2. The Leeds-based outfit is now the UK’s third largest airline. Rising profits have helped the shares gain altitude over the past year and the Meeson holdings are now worth £600.9m – £112.4m more than a year ago. He should also have received almost £5m of dividends. Meeson retired in 2023. | Simon Hulme
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2. Paul and Johnny Caddick - £515m
The Caddicks’ Moda Living has developments around the UK and plans to create 10,000 student home units by 2033. Miner’s son Paul Caddick still chairs the Leeds-based group and his son Johnny oversees Moda. Turnover at the Caddick Group grew by 17 per cent to £575m in 2023. The Caddicks have most of the shares in Leeds Rhinos and own the Headingley sports grounds. | National World
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3. Steve Parkin - £509m
Parkin now pours his energies into horseracing, with two studs and his Bronte Collection syndicate attracting investors including the England cricket star Jonny Bairstow. Parkin made his money from Clipper, the Leeds-based logistics giant. He banked £139m from the £1bn sale two years ago. There was a good run of share sales and other pay-outs in earlier years. | National World
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4. Lawrence Tomlinson - £464m
Tomlinson’s LNT Group aims to build its 300th care home by 2026. He started the developer after taking over a care home run by his parents at 23. The Leeds-based firm made profits of £60m last year and should be worth the £450m net assets on the balance sheet of one of its largest subsidiaries. Tomlinson also owns racing car manufacturer Ginetta. | Simon Hulme
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5. Roderick Evans - £462m
Evans Property Group recently unveiled plans for a new 140-room hotel in York. Leeds-based Evans develops, manages and owns property projects from hotels and offices to logistics hubs, civic buildings, log cabins and university colleges. Roderick Evans is the grandson of founder Fred Evans. The family’s property portfolio typically generates rent of more than £25m a year and includes Leeds’ White Rose Shopping Centre. | Bruce Rollinson
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6. Frank Hester - £395m
Hester has given more than £20m to the Tories over the past two years. The Leeds-based IT entrepreneur, who grew up in Armley to Irish immigrant parents, also found himself apologising for historic unsavoury comments he was alleged to have made about Diane Abbott, the Labour MP. Profits at his TPP Group, fell by more than 20% to £28.3m. | National World