Jim Ratcliffe is a well-known British businessman and philanthropist. He is the founder and CEO of the chemical company INEOS and has an estimated net worth of $25.2 billion. In addition to his business ventures, Ratcliffe is also known for his links to football.
Ratcliffe was born in Manchester, England, in 1952. He attended the University of Birmingham, where he earned a degree in chemical engineering. After graduation, Ratcliffe started his career in the chemical industry, working for companies such as Esso and BP. In 1998, he founded INEOS, a chemical company that has since become one of the largest producers of chemicals in the world.
Jim Ratcliffe’s love for football
Jim Ratcliffe’s love of football is well-documented. In 2017, he purchased the Swiss football club FC Lausanne-Sport. He has since invested heavily in the club, hiring new coaches and players and upgrading the club’s facilities. Despite his efforts, however, the club has struggled to compete in the Swiss Super League, finishing in the bottom half of the table in each of the last three seasons.
In addition to his ownership of FC Lausanne-Sport, Ratcliffe has also been linked with a number of other football clubs. In 2018, he made a failed bid to purchase Chelsea Football Club, one of the most successful clubs in English football history. Although the bid was unsuccessful, it highlighted Ratcliffe’s ambition to become involved in the sport at the highest level.
In 2019, Jim Ratcliffe paid £88 million to purchase Nice, a Ligue 1 team. During his leadership, Nice reached the quarterfinals of the European Conference League and finished fifth in Ligue 1 last season.
Ratcliffe has officially announced his intention to pursue “majority ownership” of Manchester United in February 2023. He is up against Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, chairman of one of Qatar’s largest banks, who has also submitted a bid.
Ratcliffe said he wants to make Manchester United a “beacon for a modern, progressive, fan-centred approach to ownership” and return them to their former glory as the number one team in the world. He added that by strengthening English football’s culture and reviving Manchester United, he hopes to contribute to the next phase of football governance in England.
Other Sports Ventures
Jim Ratcliffe has a keen interest in sports and owns several teams and projects across different disciplines. He owns the sailing team Ineos Britannia, led by Sir Ben Ainslie, which is aiming to win the 2024 America’s Cup for Britain.
He also owns the Formula 1 team Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, which has won seven consecutive constructors’ and drivers’ championships since 2014.
Also, in 2019, he acquired control of the cycling team Ineos Grenadiers (previously Team Sky), which has won seven Tour de France championships since 2012.
