Forecourt entrepreneurs the Issa brothers together with Sir Gerald Ronson have moved up the Sunday Times Rich List of Britain’s wealthiest individuals or families.
The latest annual survey, published on May 18, ranks Zuber and Mohsin Issa in 32nd place, up from 39th the year before, with an estimated value of £6 billion.
Sir Gerald, of Rontec fame, climbs to 129th from 152nd in 2024.
The newspaper says the Issa brothers hope to float EG Group, the international part of the petrol station chain they built together, on the New York stock market, aiming for a valuation of at least £10 billion.
It says they learnt the trade by helping their father run his filling station before buying their own site in Bury for £150,000 in 2001.
They have since added more than 6,000 others, after a tie-up with private equity group TDR.
The report says that hosting fast-food chains such as KFC and Subway has been key to their success.
It goes on: “Unafraid to take risks, the brothers and their backers bought Asda in 2020 for £6.8 billion. Next came the upmarket fast-food group Leon for £100 million. Zuber, 52, left, sold his 22.5 per cent stake in Asda last year; Mohsin, 53, retains his holding.”
In 2024 the brothers were worth £5 billion, according to the report.
Zuber used the proceeds from his share in Asda to buy the UK forecourts formerly owned by EG Group. This has left EG Group as an international enterprise only, with Zuber going solo to build an empire of over 150 forecourt sites in the UK under the EG On The Move brand.
Meanwhile, described in the report as a “developer”, who made his money from petrol retailing and property, Sir Gerald Ronson increased his wealth from an estimated £1.145 billion in 2024, to £1.242 billion.
