How Much is Sir Jim Ratcliffe's Net Worth as He Bids for 25% of MU Shares?

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is now the strongest remaining candidate to invest in Manchester United (MU), according to ESPN.co.uk. The Ineos Group boss has submitted a bid to purchase a 25% minority stake in the Red Devils.

This follows Sheikh Jassim's withdrawal from the acquisition on Saturday, October 14, 2023, after failing to negotiate a full takeover of the Red Devils from the Glazer family.

The Qatari businessman had initially prepared £6 billion (approximately Rp 114.57 trillion, using an exchange rate of Rp 19,096/£) to purchase 100% of the club's shares.

A source familiar with the British conglomerate's acquisition process told ESPN that Ratcliffe was "more astute in his deal execution" compared to his rival bidder, Sheikh Jassim.

Sheikh Jassim's withdrawal from the competition to buy the club with the most Premier League titles has paved the way for Ratcliffe to sign a deal to acquire a quarter stake from the Glazer family, which owns 69% of the club. The remaining shares are held by small investors on the New York Stock Exchange.

According to an ESPN source, Ratcliffe is willing to pay between £1.3 billion (Rp 24.82 trillion) and £1.5 billion (Rp 28.64 trillion) for the stake, although MU's current market value is around £2.6 billion (Rp 49.64 trillion).

The acquisition agreement is reportedly expected to be signed as early as this week, ensuring that the Glazer family retains a majority stake.

How Much is Sir Ratcliffe Worth?

According to Forbes Real Time Billionaires, James Ratcliffe is the richest person in the UK as of October 16, 2023. He has a net worth of US$18.7 billion, equivalent to Rp 293.97 trillion (using an exchange rate of Rp 15,720/US$).

Globally, Sir Jim Ratcliffe's wealth ranks 86th in the world.

The British billionaire's wealth has generally surged over the past decade. However, there have been several periods of decline in James Ratcliffe's net worth, as shown in the chart above.

Compared to the end of last year, Sir Jim Ratcliffe's wealth has increased by approximately US$2.4 billion.

His net worth reached its highest level in 2023 and its lowest in 2014 at only US$1.2 billion.

Forbes states that Ratcliffe is the founder, chairman, and majority owner of the chemical company Ineos Group. His company produces various chemicals, ranging from synthetic oil and plastics to solvents used to make insulin and antibiotics.

Ratcliffe once mortgaged his house in 1992 to lead the purchase of a BP Chemicals business. However, six years later, he bought a plant from that company to form Ineos.