3. Galen & George Weston & family: £11 billion
The Weston family are famous business people with global interests in food and clothing business. The company was started by George Weston in Toronto, Ontario.
Through George Weston Limited and various holding companies, the Canadian branch of the Weston family owns or controls over 200 companies, including Canada’s largest supermarket chain, Loblaws.
Among their other businesses, they own or control a number of retailers such as upscale department stores Holt Renfrew in Canada, Brown Thomas in Ireland and Selfridges at various locations in the United Kingdom.
The main holding company of the British branch of the family is Wittington Investments. 79.2% of this company belongs to a charitable trust called the Garfield Weston Foundation, with the balance owned personally by family members.
