Video : We are INEOS , and we ’ re taking on a challenge .
Learning the ropes Feeling confident he possessed the tools necessary to succeed in business , Sir Jim worked for a while at Courtaulds , the fabric , clothing and chemicals manufacturer , prior to boldly joining US private equity firm Advent International .
It was here that Sir Jim learned the art of making big-money investments and , in 1992 , he teamed up with chemist Dr John Hollowood to purchase a chemicals division from BP in what was a huge US $ 50m deal – putting his family ’ s finances on the line .
But it proved a smart move ; when the newly-formed Inspec floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1994 , it was already valued at US $ 125m . The organisation subsequently acquired BP ’ s equivalent site in Antwerp , Belgium .
Building the Ineos empire In 1998 , Sir Jim decided to leave Inspec and launch his own chemicals company called Ineos , signalling the dawn of a new era . It would prove to be the smartest move of his career and one that would make him a billionaire businessman .
And , in what was another ambitious manoeuvre – not to mention a sign of things to come – Ineos subsequently bought the Antwerp chemicals site from Inspec for more than US $ 100m .
Over the ensuing years , the firm completed a raft of deals to acquire unwanted subsidiaries from various big companies , ultimately making Ineos a heavyweight in itself . When considering these acquisitions , executives were asking
INEOS SPORT
Ineos continues to make a name for itself in the world of sport and has its own cycling and sailing teams . In Formula 1 , the company name adorns the cars of Mercedes pair Lewis Hamilton and George Russell .
20 October 2023