How Bristol City's owner Steve Lansdown created a net worth of $2.7 billion | OneFootball

Lansdown has been on board at the Robins for nearly 30 years, and he's put a significant sum of his finances into the club in that time

Bristol City are on an ambitious path to reaching the Premier League for the first time in their history, and with the backing of billionaire owner Steve Lansdown, the club from the south west certainly has a man with the funds available at the helm.

The Robins have an exciting young squad, with the hugely talented Liam Manning in the hot seat at Ashton Gate, and after plenty of seasons sitting mid-table in the Championship, the Robins will be hoping to kick on and reach the top flight of English football.

Things for the club are looking much more rosy than they were this time 10 years ago, thanks to the continued stewardship of Lansdown. But, how did the 72-year-old craft his wealth, which allows him to continually support his club's ambitious project?

How Steve Lansdown created his wealth - the incredible story of Hargreaves Lansdown

Lansdown is reportedly worth $2.7 billion in 2024, according to Forbes. His story is one of triumph, which began in 1981 when he co-founded the British financial services company, Hargreaves Lansdown.

Initially operating out of a bedroom in Bristol, he and his business partner, Peter Hargreaves, set out by providing information to clients on unit trusts and tax planning matters. Just six years later, they were dealing with a high volume of business, thanks to a frenzy which saw clients eager to get onto the stock market.

1987 proved to be a vital year for the company, as Hargreaves Lansdown won over the trust of many during a stock market crash. With many rivals refusing to help people through turbulent times, HL continued their guidance of their clients, which saw more investments in the company.

The company continued its growth into the 1990s and subsequently the 2000s, as technology continued to develop. HL continued to adapt to offer a wide range of services to its clients, which ensured the success of the business remained, even in a new age of transforming technology.

In 2007, HL floated on the stock market for the first time. 25% of the shares went to institutions, employees and clients, whilst the remaining 75% stayed in control of Hargreaves, Lansdown, and their directors. In the same year, HL would also hit £1 billion in assets for the first time, as 2007 proved to be another pivotal year in the company's history.

In 2024, the takeover of HL would be agreed upon with CVC Capital Partners, Nordic Capital and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. This deal valued the company at a whopping £5.4 billion, with the company to be delisted from the London Stock Exchange on completion of the deal. Lansdown is expected to sell his remaining 6% of the company.

Lansdown's long-term Bristol City involvement

The 72-year-old's involvement in his local football club dates back to 28 years ago in 1996 and in 2002, he finally became club chairman, remaining in post for well over 20 years.

In 2009, Lansdown sold 4.7% of his stake in Hargreaves Lansdown, taking his ownership down to 22.9% of the company. This was to raise money to help his beloved club build their new home. Sadly, the plans for the new stadium never came to fruition, so their current Ashton Gate home had to be renovated.

With the high-tech renovations at the ground completed, this gave the Robins an adequate home to match their ambitions of being a Premier League club. Situated in the heart of the city, the newly-renovated stadium is often regarded as one of the best in the Championship.

Over the last ten years, there has been steady progress for Bristol City, as they won League One in 2014-15 and haven't returned to the third tier since.

However, they are yet to get near that elusive promotion they crave. A famous cup run in 2017-18, which saw the Robins reach the semi-final of the EFL Cup has certainly been the highlight, as they beat Manchester United en route to the final four.

There were rumblings last year that Lansdown could be interested in selling the club he's been involved with since 1996. Despite this, the 72-year-old seems to remain fully committed to the project and nothing ever materialized.

Steve Lansdown has revolutionized sport in the city of Bristol

Believe it or not, Bristol City are just one of five teams which are a part of Lansdown's Bristol Sport Group. Along with the men's side, Bristol City Women are also part of it, as they continue to ply their trade at the highest level, the Women's Super League.

Lansdown's venture into sports ownership took a new challenge when he got involved with local rugby side Bristol Bears in 2009.

The billionaire has completed a rags-to-riches job with the Bears, following relegation to the Championship. Since then, the club has become a strong Premiership outfit and were even crowned European Champions in 2020.

Ashton Gate has become the hub for sports in the city of Bristol, as the Bears also use the 27,000-seater stadium for their home matches. Along with their women's side, the former European champions are another big part of the Bristol Sport Group.

The local basketball side, the Bristol Flyers, are the fifth and final team in the Bristol Sport Group. It's undeniable that Lansdown has worked wonders for the sporting scene in the city, maintaining the upkeep of five crucial sports teams in Bristol.

When asked about why he decided to create his elite sports group, Lansdown stated: "Why am I doing it? I suppose life is full of challenges and this is one of them, to put Bristol sport successfully on the map."

With a population of roughly 700,000, the city of Bristol certainly possesses many people who will be interested in different types of sport. With smaller places having established Premier League clubs, the Robins certainly have the foundations for success under Lansdown.