Business Big Shot: Robert Tchenguiz

Iranian-born Robbie Tchenguiz has a lingering reputation as a playboy property tycoon.

In fact his days as a playboy (he once went out with Caprice) are but a distant memory following his marriage to his girlfriend, Heather Bird. While Mr Tchenguiz, who lives in Kensington, still enjoys boating, skiing, scuba diving and country sports, life today revolves around his wife and two-year-old daughter, Violet.

One thing that has not changed is the American-educated entrepreneur’s ability to make money. Yesterday, his third share of Whyte & Mackay, the Scotch whisky maker, netted him a profit of about £150 million in five years.

His 5 per cent stake in J Sainsbury has yet to show such returns, and the prospect of doing so will not be helped by the grocer’s rejection of his suggestion that it should split in two.

Mr Tchenguiz, who with his brother Vincent is reputed to be worth £850 million, is likely to meet a similar response next week from Mitchells & Butlers, the pub company, where he has a stake of about 15 per cent. However, given that he is sitting on a paper profit of at least £400 million, rejection will presumably not hit him too hard.