About half of these success stories are self-made, often having sprung from humble starts.
That includes Meadowhall developer Paul Sykes and DFS boss Graham Kirkham. And it includes the 40-something bosses of Twinkl, who are the top of the cash pile in Sheffield.
The rich, for our purposes, include those who are working in a business they either started themselves or inherited. We also include those still living in the area who have recently sold their main businesses but retain interests in other ventures.
We valued stakes in quoted companies in September 2024 according to prices prevailing in the Financial Times.
Private companies were valued according to the ratios in their sectors or more generally where a sector rating was not evident, at around ten times their latest profit figures, which in many cases is more conservative than the stock market ratings.
We deduct appropriate sums from dividends and company sales to reflect tax unless we are aware someone is not domiciled in the UK for tax.
Here’s a list of South Yorkshire’s richest people in business.
1. Sir Andrew Cook and family: £180m
Cook is the sixth generation to run his family’s business and has grown revenues to within touching distance of £100m. With Yorkshire bases in Sheffield and Leeds, William Cook Group makes a wide range of components for the rail, energy and manufacturing clients. Profits more than doubled to £22.5m over the past year - and this was after the payment of a £13.8m dividend. | Yorkshire Post
2. Alan Beardshaw and family: £187m
Beardshaw runs the Sheffield steel producer founded by his grandfather 100 years ago. There are now six companies in the Special Steel Group, employing 230 people in the UK and US. Rolls-Royce is among the company’s clients and exports now account for more than half of the £95m turnover. Pictured: Benn Beardshaw managing director at Special Quality Alloys. | Yorkshire Post
3. Richard Teatum and family: £214m
Teatum and family lost £61 million this year. Stoneacre now amounts to more than 100 dealerships, selling 26 different car brands. The Doncaster-based group is now one of the largest independent vehicle dealer groups, turning over around £1.4 billion and employing more than 3,000 staff. Its balance sheet shows net assets of £213.6m. Teatum also owns the Darrington Golf Club near Pontefract. | Google
4. Chris Edwards - £215m and family
Up £14m on last year, Edwards and his son Chris Edwards Junior have grown the Barnsley-based group One Beyond quickly, opening around 120 stores since launching in 2019. One Beyond was set up just five years after Edwards sold Poundworld for £150m. Chris Junior also runs online retailer Gem Imports, which should be worth £50m. | Bruce Rollinson