Aberdeen Rich List 2025

GROUP 4

 

43. Adrian Taylor & Family –Taylors Industrial Waste

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Estimated Net Worth £35 Million
 

Taylors Industrial Waste was established in 1962 by Wyllie and Adrian Taylor, originally operating under the name Taylors Cesspool Cleaners. The business began at Doonies Farm in Altens, Aberdeen, focusing on cleaning remote cesspools in rural steadings and farms, as well as clearing rubble from local construction sites.

The company evolved steadily over the decades. Kevin Taylor, the current CEO, joined the family business in 1984 as a young apprentice. A major turning point came in 1991 when the firm constructed large-scale waste separation tanks at its Altens facility, enabling them to secure major waste disposal contracts across the region.

With the rapid growth of the Oil & Gas industry in the 2000s, Taylors Industrial Waste expanded into handling waste generated from Oil & Gas drilling and production operations, further cementing its status as a leader in industrial waste management.

What sets Taylors Industrial Waste apart is its ability to remain an independent, family-owned business, despite its commercial success. The company has built a reputation for reliability and innovation in waste services.

In 2020, the company paid a notable dividend of £9 million to its owners and directors. With company assets valued at £29 million and annual sales reaching £20 million, the estimated net worth of Adrian Taylor & Family is approximately £35 million. The business currently employs around 200 people, making it a significant contributor to the local economy.

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41. Robert Kidd – Oil & Gas Rental Equipment – ITS (International Tubular Services)

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Estimated Net Worth £36 Million
 

Robert Kidd grew up on a council estate in Aberdeen, where he developed a passion for sport and excelled in the city’s competitive boxing gyms. In 1985, with just £5,000, he founded ITS (International Tubular Services), a company focused on supplying Oil Well Drilling Pipe and Oil Well Casings to the global Oil & Gas Industry.

Under Robert Kidd’s leadership, ITS grew rapidly. By 2008, the company had become a leading force in oil & gas rental equipment, employing over 1,000 people and reaching a valuation of £490 million.

However, Robert Kidd’s business journey was not without controversy. The sale of ITS became embroiled in a legal saga involving alleged conflicts of interest among multiple law firms. When he initiated the sale of his company, the law firm representing him as the seller was allegedly also—without his knowledge—advising, through an intermediary, a separate law firm acting for the potential buyer, Lime Rock Partners.

In 2013, ITS was forced into bankruptcy due to cash flow issues related to the failed sale process, despite strong financials with reported sales of £163 million and operating profits of £14 million. The company was later acquired by Texas-based Parker Drilling in a confidential deal estimated at $125 million. The sale was reportedly conducted over a weekend, with no competitive bidding process. Robert Kidd, who once owned a £174 million stake in ITS, received nothing from the sale.

Determined to fight back, Robert Kidd launched what is believed to be the largest legal claim in Scottish business history, rumored to be worth up to £600 million. He reached an out-of-court settlement with one of the law firms involved, but continues legal action to this day, expressing deep frustration over what he views as a betrayal and loss of his life's work.

Despite the dramatic collapse of ITS, Robert Kidd's estimated net worth remains at £36 million, with ongoing interest in Oil & Gas and business litigation.

 

36. Stewart Milne – Housebuilding | Property Development

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Estimated Wealth: £45m
 

Stewart Milne is one of Aberdeen’s most recognisable business figures—a self-made entrepreneur who rose from humble beginnings to build a construction empire and serve as Chairman of Aberdeen FC.

Raised in Alford, Aberdeenshire, Milne was the youngest of five sons. His father worked as a farmhand, and his mother was an auxiliary nurse. The family lived in a small three-room cottage without electricity until he was 14. While school held little appeal for him, football and sport were his true passions.

Milne trained as an electrician, and in partnership with a plumber, began renovating flats in Aberdeen during the 1970s. With the city’s aging tenement housing in dire need of modernisation, demand for his work quickly grew. By 1975, he had founded his own housebuilding company, employing 30 people and pioneering rapid timber-frame construction.

His company, the Stewart Milne Group, expanded significantly, opening offices in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Manchester, and growing to employ over 1,000 staff. At its peak, the company had a turnover of £306 million in 2022. However, the combined impact of COVID-19, rising interest rates, and the economic ripple effects of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine devastated the housing market—and the business ultimately entered administration, sending shockwaves through the Aberdeen business community.

Milne’s contributions have been recognised with honorary doctorates from Robert Gordon University, Napier University, and Heriot-Watt University. In 2005, he was the highest-paid executive in Scotland, earning £5 million in a single year.

Today, he owns several luxury assets, including Dalhebity House, one of the most expensive private homes ever built in Scotland. Situated on the former site of Princess Diana’s grandmother’s home, the 30,000 sq ft mansion is set in 10 acres of woodland and was estimated to cost £15 million to build—it has been on the market for two years at just under £7.5 million. Milne has also owned a £20 million yacht in the Mediterranean and properties in Gleneagles.

Despite the collapse of his company, Stewart Milne has an estimated wealth of £45 million.

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47. Eddie Anderson – ARR Craib – Transport and Logistics

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Estimated Wealth: £30m
 

Eddie Anderson is the former Managing Director of transport powerhouse ARR Craib, a name synonymous with haulage across the northeast coast of Scotland. The business was originally founded in 1983 by George Craib. As it expanded, ARR Craib merged with another local firm, Aberdeen Road Runners, cementing its position in the coastal logistics landscape.

Eddie joined the company in 1985 as a young lorry driver. His drive and vision were quickly recognised by senior management. With a keen ability to implement new ideas and streamline operations, Eddie steadily rose through the ranks. His ambition culminated in 2008, when he led a management buyout and became the majority shareholder.

Under Eddie’s leadership, ARR Craib grew into one of the largest privately owned haulage companies in the UK, with a fleet of over 250 lorries and around 500 employees. Much of its success was tied to the oil & gas sector, servicing ports, harbours, and offshore support infrastructure throughout Aberdeen and other maritime hubs.

In 2017, Eddie sold the company for an estimated £50m. He later ventured into hospitality, opening the restaurant No.1 on Rubislaw Terrace.

 

Rich List Number

Name

Net Worth

 

44

Ricky Simpson – Bars, Nightclubs, Property

£35M

 

29

Johanna Basford – Publishing & Bestselling Author

£90M

 

19

Leslie Benzies – Rockstar Games Visionary | Grand Theft Auto Creator | Video Game Industry Icon

£178M

 

14

Martin Dickie – BrewDog Co-Founder, Brewing Pioneer

£290M

 

7

Klaas Zwaart – Oil & Gas | Motor Racing | Investments

£560M

 

63

Colin Lawson – Transport Logistics

£18M

 

55

Stewart Proctor – Tech Industry – Motor Racing

£22M

 

50

Dan Millard – Oil & Gas Inspection and Integrity Services

£28M

 

45

Stuart Clarkson – Bars – Property Development

£32M

 

6

Dave Cormack – Software & Football

£600M

 

66

Steve Judge – Space Solutions

£10M

 

58

Considine – The Aberdein Considine Family

£20M

 

47

Eddie Anderson – ARR Craib – Transport and Logistics

£30M

 

43

Adrian Taylor & Family –Taylors Industrial Waste

£35M

 

36

Stewart Milne – Housebuilding | Property Development

£45M

 

41

Robert Kidd – Oil & Gas Rental Equipment – ITS (International Tubular Services)

£36M

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Peter Tait – Fishing

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Roy Macgregor - Global Energy Group

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Nicky Walker – Walkers Shortbread | Food & Drink

 

Martin Gilbert – Finance, Investment & Consulting

 

Sandy Clark – Finance Expert | Investment Strategist | Corporate Leader

 

Paul Lawrie – Golf

 

Jimmy Buchan – Fishing & Seafood Supply

 

Ian Dunbar – Kirkwood Homes Founder & House Building Pioneer

 

Marshall Family – Marshall Trailers & Agricultural Innovation

 

Ian Suttie – Property and Oil

 

Douglas Craig – Craig Group | Shipping & Offshore Services

 

Alistair Locke – Abbot Group | Motor Fuel Group | Distilleries

 

Trond Mohn – Framo & One Subsea – Oil & Gas - Inheritance

 

Andy Bird – Inoapps Founder & Software Development Visionary

 

Mike Straughen – Executive Leadership | Management Expert | Non-Executive Directorships

 

Eric Evans – Oil Services | Media | International Trade

 

Alan Massie – Carlton Rock – Property Developer

 

Jim Geddie – Oil & Gas – Apex Tubulars – Motor Racing

 

Bob Drummond – Hydrasun | D2Zero

 

Tommy Dreelan – Oil & Gas | Motor Racing

 

64. Scott Martin – CEO Glacier Energy – Accountancy MBOs

 

59. Mark Cavanagh – XPD8 and Oil Plus Ltd – Property Investment

 

Alistair Thomson – Fishing Rights | Land Investment | Property Development

 

Malcolm Allan – House Building Entrepreneur

 

John Ray – Rigblast | Property | Oil & Gas Services

 

Derek Nicol & Stephanie Nicol – Nicol of Skene – Civil Engineering

 

Doug Duguid – Oil & Gas Services & Renewables

 

Tony Quinn – Pet Food, Confectionery & Motorsport

 

James Watt – BrewDog | Brewing | Beer | Investment

 

Glenn Gordon – Whisky – Glenfiddich – Distilling - Inheritance

 

Ean Emslie – Commercial Property Rental

 

Maitland Mackie 3 – Ice Cream & Agribusiness

 

Shaun Ross – Founder of Metrol Technology (Photo Unavailable)

 

Sir Jim Milne – Balmoral Group | Hotelier | Property

 

Tom Cross – Oil & Gas | Parkmeade Group

 

Steve Mackie – Prosource – I.T. Software and Corporate I.T. Services

 

John Heiton – OEG Group | Oilfield Equipment Rental

 

Robert (Bob) Keiller – Oil & Gas Services | Business Consultancy

 

Larry Kinch – Oil & Gas Exploration

 

George Maxwell – Eland Oil & Gas | Oil & Gas Exploration

 

Doug Milne – MTM Construction – Civil Engineering

 

Alistair Langlands – WOODGROUP – Investments & Directorships

 

Graham Wood – Hotels – Bars – Property Development

 

Michael Freeman – CAN Offshore | Oil & Gas Services

 

Steven Ferguson – Ferguson Group, Oil & Gas Logistics

 

Scotoil Graham Davidson Family

 

Mackintosh Plant Hire – Moira, Suzanne, Albert, Gary, and Moira Mackintosh

 

Graeme Bone – Drum Property Group Founder | Prime Four Developer | UK Commercial Real Estate Visionary

 

Conrad Ritchie & The Ritchie Family

 

John Clark – Car Dealership

 

Sir Ian Wood – Fishing & Oil & Gas – Rig Maintenance – Philanthropy