He’s reportedly worth £14.3billion – and yet his identity remains shrouded in mystery.READ FULL ARTICLE>>>>
Michael Platt, 56, is the richest person in Britain and his immense fortune even surpasses well-known billionaires Sir Jim Ratcliffe and James Dyson . But despite his eye-watering net worth, the Preston-born billionaire stays largely under the radar – so much so, that his own company’s receptionist doesn’t even know his name.
Back in 2000, Michael and businessman William Reeves co-founded investment firm BlueCrest Capital Management. Unlike most hedge funds, it uniquely operates as a personal investment vehicle for its employees and senior partners, instead of external clients, and has racked up billions of pounds for wealthy tycoon Michael.
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He lives such a low-key life that his company’s receptionist allegedly doesn’t know who he is And yet, his low-key presence means even the receptionist who works at the entrance of BlueCrest’s London headquarters doesn’t know his identity, according to Mail Online. It’s been over a decade since Michael was interviewed publicly and he reportedly doesn’t respond to emails directed towards him.
He isn’t a fan of paparazzi or photoshoots either. Back in 2006, when Michael and William were interviewed by The Times, they refused to be photographed under any circumstances. Financial editor Patrick Hosking wrote: “They guard their privacy fiercely and detest their regular appearances in newspaper rich lists.”
But, Michael has shared glimpses into his bold personality over the years. In 2019, he went viral for boasting about his fortune during a New York taxi ride. When the driver asked what he does for a living, Michael confidently dubbed himself the world’s highest earner. “You’re the highest what?” the cabbie asked.
To which Michael replied: “I’m the highest-earning person in the world of finance. In the world.” After the footage was shared worldwide, Michael insisted it was a joke following “a good bottle of wine with a friend”. He said he was only accommodating driver Manny Anzalota, who is known as the unofficial ‘cabbie to the stars’.
He owns a private jet, numerous homes in different countries and is a father-of-two
He wasn’t always worth billions of pounds though. Michael was just 14 years old when he made his first investment with a £500 birthday gift from his gran. Then he studied mathematics and economics at the London School of Economics, during which time he made up to £30,000 investing in the newly privatised utilities.
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But his stock lost half its value in one day during the financial crash of October 1987. Michael claims it is one of the only times he has ever been unsuccessful. He went on to join JP Morgan before founding BlueCrest a decade later.
In 2020, his company made headlines when it was ordered to pay $170m (£137m) to investors by US authorities. A year later, the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority handed out a £40.8M fine to the hedge fund “for conflict of interest failings”, which the company denied and is legally challenging. Then last year, the Court of Appeal ruled that BlueCrest’s partners should be liable for income tax on a pay scheme dating back to 2008.
Still, Platt reportedly remains worth more than £14bn, with homes in London, Switzerland and the US, and owns a Bombardier Challenger private jet to travel between them. He is also an art collector and father of two children with his ex-wife Helen Sanderson, whom he married in 1995. His eldest son Marcus, who is in his mid-20s, recently joined BlueCrest to follow in his father’s footsteps.READ FULL ARTICLE>>>>
