Sir Terry Matthews: still Wales's richest man

Telecoms tycoon Sir Terry Matthews remains the richest Welsh person but, like many business leaders, he is believed to have suffered a sharp fall in his fortune.

His estimated wealth has halved from £1.7bn to £829m over the last twelve months.

Many business leaders have seen their earnings fall due to declining share values and falling profits, especially in hi-tech inudstries.

Mixed fortunes

But Newbridge-born Sir Terry will have been cheered by his knighthood, and his success in attracting the 2010 Ryder Cup golf tournament to his Celtic Manor resort near Newport.

Property and leisure magnate Albert Gubay is still the second-richest Welsh person, although his estimated wealth has also fallen, from £755m to £650m.

Tom Jones' fortune increased even more

David Sullivan, Penarth-born publisher of the Sunday Sport, stays third in the Welsh Top 20 with an unchanged fortune of £500m.

Lord Heseltine, who was born in Swansea, moves up to fourth despite a fall in his estimated wealth to £222m, deriving mainly from his Haymarket publishing group.

But it was another good year for singing legend Tom Jones.

His fortune, which doubled to £100m in 2001, rose by another £10m, promoting him from tenth to eighth in the Welsh list.

Catherine Zeta-Jones, Britain's wealthiest female film star, is joint sixteenth in the Welsh Top 20.

Sir Anthony Hopkins - who co-starred with her in Zorro - shares nineteenth place in Wales with two newcomers to the list.

They are Cardiff City owner Sam Hammam and artist Andrew Vicari, believed to be the highest-paid painter in the world.

Richest in Wales - Sunday Times

1 - Sir Terry Matthews - Electronics - £829m

2 - Albert Gubay - Property/Fitness - £650m

3 - David Sullivan - Media/Property - £500m

4 - Lord Heseltine - Publishing - £222m

5 - Stanley & Peter Thomas - Airports/Property - £160m

6 - Sir Chris Evans - Biotechnology - £152m

7 - Sir Julian Hodge* - Finance - £142m

8 - Tom Jones - Pop Music - £110m

9= Christopher Brain* - Brewing - £70m

9= Anders Hedlund* - Greetings cards - £70m

11 - Eric Payne* - Industry - £65m

12 - Glyn Watkin Jones* - Construction - £52m

13= Dr Drew Nelson - Semiconductors - £51m

13= David Richards - Engineering/Motorsport - £51m

13= Dr Mike Scott - Semiconductors - £51m

16= Peter Neumark - Parcel delivery - £50m

16= Catherine Zeta-Jones - Films - £50m

18 - Dr Ceri James - Software - £45m

19= Sam Hammam - Football/Property - £40m

19= Sir Anthony Hopkins - Films - £40m

19= Andrew Vicari - Art - £40m

* denotes family wealth