The 60 greatest entrepreneurs of the Queen’s reign

The winner is a 61-year-old who launched his first business in 1968, 16 years after the Queen’s coronation, and the rest, as they say, is history. Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin brand has since grown into one of the world’s most respected companies employing 50,000 people in 34 countries with current revenue hovering around £13bn. The Queen knighted Branson for his contribution to commerce in a Millennium Honours List in 1999 and it appears the adventurous entrepreneur is as popular as ever.

Next time, it could be you who tops that list. Why not? In fact, Real Business writer Charlie Mullins is already on it – congratulations! A four day weekend and some time off is not going to keep you from it. So, have a cup of tea, relax and read the full list below.

1.  Sir Richard Branson – Virgin
2. James Dyson – Dyson
3. Lord Alan Sugar – Amshold Group, Apprentice
4. Dame Anita Roddick- The Bodyshop
5. Nick Robertson –ASOS
6. Martha Lane Fox – Lastminute.com, LuckyVoice
7.  Karan Bilimoria – Cobra Lager
8.  John Bird – The Big Issue
9. Sir Martin Sorrell – WPP Group
10. Michelle Mone – Ultimo
11. Sir Tim Berners-Lee -Inventor of the World Wide Web
12. Mike Lynch – Autonomy
13. Simon Cowell – Syco
14. James Caan – Alexander Mann Group, Dragons’ Den, Hamilton Bradshaw
15. Duncan Bannatyne – Bannatyne Group, Dragons’ Den
16. Hilary Devey – The Pall-Ex Group, Dragons’ Den
17. Peter Jones – Phones International, Dragons’ Den
18. Deborah Meaden – Dragons’ Den and various investments
19. Tim Smit- The Eden Project
20. Richard Reed – Innocent Drinks
21. Bernie Ecclestone – F1
22. Charles Dunstone – Carphone Warehouse
23. Brent Hoberman – Lastminute.com, Mydeco.com
24. Mike Ashley -Sports Direct
25. Jamie Oliver – Jamie’s Italian
26. Johnnie Boden – Boden
27. Sir Terence Conran – Designer, Restaurateur
28. Steve Pankhurst- Friends Reunited
29. Sir Clive Sinclair -Sinclair Radionics, Sinclair Vehicles
30. Cath Kidston – Cath Kidston
31. Theo Paphitis – Ryman, Boux Avenue, Dragons’ Den
32. Michael Acton Smith – Moshi Monsters, Firebox.com, MindCandy
33. Michael Birch- Bebo
34. Hayley Parsons – GoCompare
35. John Timpson – Timpson
36. Dame Vivienne Westwood – fashion designer
37. Sarah Beeny – Mysinglefriend.com, Tepilo
38. Jacqueline Gold – Ann Summers, Knickerbox
39. Peter Cullum –Towergate
40. Dame Mary Perkins – Specsavers
41. Sir PhilipGreen – Arcadia Group
42. Sir Tom Farmer – Kwik-Fit
43. Charles Saatchi – Saatchi and Saatchi
44. Kanya King- MOBO Awards
45. Anthony Bamford – JCB
46. John Caudwell -Phones 4U
47. Chrissie Rucker – The White Company
48. SimonFuller – XIX Entertainment
49. Toni Mascolo – Toni and Guy
50. Sir Tom Hunter- Sports Division, West Coast Capital
51. Simon Woodroffe – YO! Sushi
52. Julian Dunkerton – Supergroup
53. Sir Gulam Noon – Noon Products
54. Peter Boizot – PizzaExpress
55. Delia Smith – Author, Chef, TV presenter
56. Linda Bennett – LK Bennett
57. Mike Clare – Dreams
58. Simon Nixon- Moneysupermarket.com
59. Charlie Mullins – Pimlico Plumbers
60. Stelios Haji-Ioannou – EasyJet

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