from betting tycoon Denise Coates. Gerko, 42, who established trading company XTX Markets in 2015, paid roughly £487.4 million in tax, up from the £117.4 million he paid the previous year when he ranked in tenth place.
Ben Francis, 30, the founder and CEO of athletic and leisure brand Gymshark, is the youngest person to appear on the list with the his tax payments coming in at £11.6 million. Other notable names on the record include Sports Direct founder and retail tycoon Mike Ashley who came in at sixth placing having paid £133.5 million in taxes.
In total, the 100 wealthy individuals and families who made the Sunday Times Tax list were accountable for a staggering total of £5.181 billion in tax. “So-called ‘unicorn’ tech firms may dominate the headlines, but they often aren’t cash cows for the Treasury because they don’t employ large numbers of people or show big profits. It’s the long-established retailers, pub groups and other bricks-and-mortar businesses that often contribute more.