Peter Kendal Hargreaves CBE (born 5 October 1946) is an English co-founder with Stephen Lansdown of Hargreaves Lansdown, one of the United Kingdom's largest financial services businesses. He is a shareholder of Hargreaves Lansdown^[1] but no longer a director or employee. He is a partner in Blue Whale Capital, an investment boutique that was launched in 2017.^[2]

Hargreaves was born in Clitheroe and educated at Clitheroe Royal Grammar School in Lancashire.^[3][4][5]

Trained as an accountant,^[5] Peter Hargreaves initially worked as a computer salesman.^[5] He then started Hargreaves Lansdown trading from a bedroom in 1981; in 2010, he stood down as chief executive and, in the same year, received £18 million in payouts from dividends. He was succeeded as CEO by Ian Gorham. His wealth was reported at £2,315 million according to the Sunday Times Rich List 2017, making him the 51st richest person in the UK.^[6] Hargreaves joined the board of ITM Power in February 2004 as a non-executive director:^[7] he has invested heavily in ITM Power.^[8] In March 2016 he joined the Leave.EU movement to campaign for the UK's exit from the European Union.^[9] He was the top donor to the Brexit campaign contributing over £3 million to the Leave campaign.^[10] In September 2017, Hargreaves announced a £25 million backing in Blue Whale Capital – a new asset management company set up by previous colleague, Stephen Yiu.^[11][12]

It was announced in August 2020 that Hargreaves would receive £63.4 million in dividends after Hargreaves Lansdown's profits increased by 24% to £378.3 million in the 12 months leading up to 30 June 2020.^[13][14]

According to The Sunday Times Rich List in 2020 his net worth was estimated at £2.4 billion.^[15] In 2021, he came ninth in a list of the top ten biggest taxpayers in the UK, having paid a tax bill of £91.4 million that year.^[16]

Hargreaves was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2014 New Year Honours for services to business innovation, financial services, and the City of Bristol.^[17]

Hargreaves financially supported the Leave.EU campaign in 2016,^[18][19] donating £3.2m to the Leave.EU campaign founded by Arron Banks and wrote to 15 million UK householders asking them to support the leave campaign in the European Union membership referendum.^[20][21]

In May 2016, Hargreaves said that Brexit will lead to insecurity, which will turn out to be very effective.^[22] Hargreaves said that Theresa May should reassure the three million EU nationals already in the UK that their current rights would be maintained.^[23]

Hargreaves donated £1m to the Conservatives’ election fund in 2019.^[24]

In 1986 he married Rosemary; they have one son and one daughter.^[25] They live in a Georgian property in the West Country, where he grows his own vegetables.^[3] He owns three racehorses.^[5]