In this success post, we are going to share the story of James Ratcliffe, a British chemical engineer turned financier and industrialist. James Ratcliffe is the chairman and CEO of the Ineos chemicals group, which he founded in the year 1988 and still owns two-thirds of it, and which has been estimated to have a turnover of around $44 billion.
He does not have a high public profile, and has been described by the Sunday Times as “publicity shy.”
According to the 2020 Sunday Times Rich List, he is one of the richest people in the United Kingdom.
James Ratcliffe Early life and education
James Ratcliffe, born in Manchester, the son of a joiner father and accounts office worker mother. James lived there in a council house in Failsworth until the age of ten. His father ran a factory making laboratory furniture. Aged ten, he moved with his family to Yorkshire, and James attended Beverley Grammar School and lived in Hull up to the age of 18.
James graduated from the University of Birmingham with a degree in Chemical engineering in the year 1974.
James Ratcliffe Career
His first job was with the oil giant Esso, but he decided to broaden his skills into finance by studying management accounting. And taking an MBA at London Business School. He subsequently, in the year 1989, joined US private equity group Advent International.
James was a co-founder of INSPEC, which leased the former BP Chemical site in Antwerp, Belgium. In the year 1998, James formed Ineos in Hampshire to buy out INSPEC and the freehold of the Antwerp site.
James Ratcliffe Personal life
James has two sons with his first wife and one daughter with his second wife.
And James enjoys skiing and sailing and is also reported to have completed the 207 London Marathon.
James has owned two super Yachts, Hampshire and Hampshire II. His first Yacht was built as Barbara Jean by Feadship. In the year 2012, he took delivery of the 78 meters Feadship Hampshire II, built by the Royal Van Lent, which he still owns.
He enjoys physical adventure, and has made expeditions to the South and North Poles as well as a three-month-long motorbike trek in South Africa. And has founded a charity “Go Run For Fun”. Encouraging thousands of children aged between 5 and 10 years, to get active by creating celebrity-driven events.
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