Ian Livingstone (property developer)
Ian Livingstone | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 22, 1962 United Kingdom |
| Occupation(s) | Property investor, businessman |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Known for | Co-owner of London & Regional Properties |
Ian Malcolm Livingstone (born 22 May 1962) is a British billionaire and property investor, co-owning the private company London & Regional Properties alongside his brother Richard Livingstone.
Early life
Born in the United Kingdom, Livingstone is the son of a dentist from Ealing, London. He attended St Paul's School, London and later graduated with a bachelor's degree in Optometry from City University London, becoming a qualified optometrist in 1984.
Career
Together with his brother, Livingstone established London & Regional Properties in 1987, initially focusing on purchasing distressed commercial real estate during an industry downturn. Since 1993, they have held the roles of co-Executive Chairmen. Their holdings include ownership of David Lloyd Leisure, the leasehold interest in Berkshire’s Cliveden House, and several notable hotels in London such as the Hilton Hotels located on Green Park and Park Lane. Additionally, they transformed the former Marks & Spencer headquarters at 55 Baker Street into office space now occupied by companies like Knight Frank and BDO Stoy Hayward.
Between 1990 and 2010, Livingstone was chairman and majority owner of the Optika Clulow Group, a retail chain with 170 optician outlets including David Clulow and Sunglass Hut. The brothers divested this retail enterprise in 2011 to concentrate exclusively on property ventures. Early projects were often funded by Dawnay Day, the merchant bank associated with Jacob Rothschild, which Livingstone described as "highly supportive."
Livingstone controls Brightark, an investment vehicle. In 2005, he collaborated with Claudio Del Vecchio of the Retail Brand Alliance to introduce Brooks Brothers stores to the UK market, opening shops on Old Broad Street and Regent Street with further expansion plans.
In 2012, the Livingstone siblings unveiled plans for a £600 million redevelopment at London's Waterloo station, proposing demolition of the Elizabeth House office block to make way for two towers measuring 29 and 10 storeys. This followed an earlier proposal for three towers that had been approved by Mayor Boris Johnson but ultimately rejected by government authorities in 2009.
By 2015, alongside Jaime Gilinski Bacal, they were advancing the $700 million Panama Pacifico development on the site of the former Howard Air Force Base near Panama City. Ian Livingstone also holds a position on the Board of Trustees for The Mayor's Fund for London.
Personal life
Livingstone is married to Natalie, a journalist educated at Cambridge who has contributed to publications such as Tatler and OK!. In 2015, she authored The Mistresses of Cliveden, chronicling the stories of notable women who resided at Cliveden. The couple has three daughters: Grace, Alice, and Elizabeth. In 2011, they purchased a home in Notting Hill valued around £20 million, previously owned by PR executive Matthew Freud and Elisabeth Murdoch, daughter of Rupert Murdoch. Livingstone is of Jewish heritage.
The Evening Standard has referred to Ian and Richard Livingstone as "arguably London's most low-profile billionaire brothers," highlighting their desire for privacy and maintaining a conventional family lifestyle.
According to the 2024 Sunday Times Rich List, their combined wealth was estimated at £6.3 billion. In April 2025, reports indicated that Ian Livingstone and his brother had moved to Monaco primarily for tax purposes.