S tephen Rubin is a British billionaire who built his family's fortune in the sportswear and fashion industries. He is the chairman and majority owner of the Pentland Group, a privately held brand management company. He represents the third generation of his family's business, which was started by his parents as a small shoe wholesale business. Stephen took over the company and made a career-defining investment in the 1980s by acquiring a stake in the then-struggling American sneaker brand, Reebok, for a small sum. The investment paid off spectacularly as Reebok's popularity soared, and he later sold the stake for a massive profit.

This windfall provided the capital to transform Pentland into a major brand management powerhouse. The company now owns a portfolio of well-known sportswear, outdoor, and fashion brands, including Speedo, Berghaus, Canterbury of New Zealand, and Ellesse. It is also the global licensee for Lacoste footwear. After decades at the helm, Rubin has passed the chairmanship to his son, Andy, but remains a key figure in the family's highly successful and privately held enterprise.