Ian Livingstone is a British businessman, the self-made billionaire Joint Executive Chairman of London & Regional Properties (L&R), a private global real estate investment and development company. His career is characterized by an unusual blend of medical training and high finance. Born in the U.K., he is the son of a dentist and was educated at St Paul's School London.

Livingstone attended City University London, where he received a B.Sc. (Hons) in Optometry and qualified as an optometrist in 1984. His entrepreneurial career began in retail: he was a majority shareholder and Chairman of Optika Clulow Group (1990–2010), a 170-store retail chain that included Sunglass Hut and Harrods opticians. This retail background provided the foundation for his massive pivot into global property development.

Ian Livingstone, along with his brother Richard Livingstone, co-founded London & Regional Properties (L&R) in 1987 (though Ian became Joint Executive Chairman in 1993). Their strategic vision was audacious: leverage the family's assets to acquire and develop large-scale commercial property, hotels, and urban development projects globally. The L&R model is one of active investment and development across 9 countries.

His structural role involves overseeing commercial property, development, hotel transactions, and international expansion. The brothers' success is tied to their ability to execute complex, large-scale deals and their long-term property acquisition strategy. His wealth is secured by the colossal, long-term appreciation of L&R's vast, privately held global real estate portfolio, cementing the brothers' status as titans of U.K. property development.

• London & Regional Properties (L&R) (Joint Executive Chairman): The core private asset, a major global real estate investment and development company operating in 9 countries (commercial property, hotels, and development).
• Optika Clulow Group (Former Chairman & Majority Shareholder): The major High Street retail chain he owned, including 170 stores (e.g., Sunglass Hut, Harrods opticians).
• Academic Background: He qualified as an optometrist (B.Sc. in Optometry from City University London).
• Investment Strategy: His philosophy is rooted in long-term asset acquisition and international expansion in high-value real estate.

Ian Livingstone's social impact is structural, stemming from L&R's role in shaping the urban landscape through its development projects and providing thousands of stable jobs in construction, hospitality, and property management. His support for the Mayor's Fund for London and other educational/community groups reflects his commitment to civic engagement.

His personal philanthropy supports various community and educational initiatives. His career is a testament to the profitability of leveraging a specialized retail background and financial acumen for high-stakes global property investment.

Ian Livingstone maintains the professional, composed style of a major property executive. His attire is consistently formal and high-quality, favoring bespoke tailored suits. His aesthetic reflects stability and confident authority, befitting a major figure in global real estate finance.

Residing in London, U.K., his luxury is the immense security and financial reward derived from his multi-billion dollar fortune. His life is dedicated to global real estate investment, urban development, and the long-term management of his vast property portfolio.