Yorkshire's 50 Richest People: From digital gaming to family fortunes, meet the region's 10 wealthiest women

Among the top names, ten women have made an indelible mark, showcasing the influence and financial prowess of Yorkshire's leading ladies.

Here we highlight the top ten richest women in Yorkshire, who collectively amass a fortune reflective of both their business acumen and family legacies.

1. Carol Healey and Family - £886 Million

Topping the list is Carol Healey and her family, with a staggering £886 million. Property developer Eddie Healey teamed up with Paul Sykes to build Sheffield’s Meadowhall shopping centre. Healey, the brother of kitchen tycoon Malcolm Healey, died three years ago. His widow Carol and her children still own two retail parks. Their main investment company, SPH 2011, shows wealth of £222.4m

2. Susie Seaton and Family - £490 Million

Susie Seaton and her family claim the second spot with £490 million. Their Sheffield-based Twinkl has continued to grow its turnover since a private equity deal last year valued the business at £500m. The Seatons started the teacher aid business at their home in 2010. Susie had been working in a children’s nursery and had found information hard to find. Twinkl now offers more than a million educational resources

3. Janet Hoyle and Family - £264 Million

With a fortune of £264 million, Janet Hoyle is one half of the team behind Card Factory along with her husband, Dean Hoyle. Over a ten-year period the couple averaged one new shop a week. They later invested in another high street retailer, The Works. Balances in their various investment companies show gains of £3.7m over the past year. The couple would be much wealthier were it not for their heavy investment in Huddersfield Town FC.

4. Sonya Eastaugh and the Oughtred Family - £193 Million

Eastaugh chairs the William Jackson Food Group. She is a member of the sixth generation to run the Hull-based company that owns the vegetable box delivery service Able & Cole, balsamic vinegar maker Belazu and the bakers Jacksons. Last year William Jackson also gobbled up the Japanese ingredients brand Miso Tasty. Wellocks, a restaurant supplier, and a food growing operation based in Spain also sit within the group.

5= Stephanie Thirkill and Family - £180 Million

Andrew Thirkill has had one of the most diverse entrepreneurial careers of anyone in this list, spanning advertising, telecoms and financial services. At the moment he is concentrating on Age Partnership and Pure Retirement, two companies that arrange equity release and other financial products for the over 50s. Daughter Stephanie is a shareholder and director in Age Partnership while son Jonathan set up Advice Wise, a tech-enabled service for financial advisers

5= Lesley Wild and Family - £180 Million

The Wilds own the company behind Yorkshire Tea and the five Bettys tearooms. The Taylors of Harrogate coffee brand, a craft bakery and the Bettys cookery school also sit within the group. Profits climbed by 30% to £12.9m in 2023. Taylors of Harrogate remains owned by their family and should be worth £160m. A run of dividends adds another £20m.

7. Sarah Brignall and Family - £117 Million

The late Jack Brignall set up property developer Wykeland Group in 1969. The Hull-based operation has developed more than 11 million square feet of commercial space since.

8. Debbie Bestwick - £108 Million

Debbie Bestwick, co-founder and CEO of Team17, led the company from a small developer to a public entity known for the Worms franchise, significantly increasing her wealth through a successful IPO in 2018. Her leadership expanded Team17’s scope to include indie game publishing, solidifying her status in the gaming industry.

9. Erika Hudson and the Wilson Family - £90 Million

Hudson is the third generation to run her family’s manufacturer of transformers. The Leeds-based group also provides a range of power-related engineering and consultancy services. After profits of £12.7m on £66.5m sales Wilson Power should be worth at least £90m. Hudson serves as managing director and owns nearly 90% of the shares herself.

10. Valeria Sykes - £77 Million

Sykes’s five-star hotel Grantley Hall is garnering an international reputation. The

number of overseas visitors to the “Ritz of Ripon” last year increased by 400%. Sykes, the former wife of Paul Sykes, poured a chunk of her divorce settlement into transforming the 17th century property into a luxurious hotel with 47 bedrooms and five restaurants.

A Supercar Sunday event last summer attracted vehicles worth £1.4 billion. The main Grantley Hall company shows £76.6m of assets and we value Sykes at that level.