What was David Gold’s net worth? Business career explored as West Ham owner passes away
Mia Phillips
Updated on April 03, 2026
On Wednesday afternoon, West Ham United announced the passing of David Gold.
The Hammers’ co-chairman died peacefully after a short illness, and he leaves behind a legacy in both the sporting and business worlds.
Gold, alongside co-owner David Sulllivan were two of the most divisive and successful businessmen in the UK, but how much was Gold himself worth? Let’s take a look.
What was David Gold’s net worth?
Gold made his money as the owner of Gold Group International, the parent company of many businesses – most famously Ann Summers.
As one of the high street’s most notorious and recognisable chains, as you can imagine Gold made his fair share of cash over the years.
According to the 2020 figures from the Sunday Times’ Rich List, Gold had a net worth of around £500m – while his partner at West Ham, Sullivan has a net worth himself of around £1.2bn.
Of course, Gold was best known for his exploits in the footballing world.
As a youngster he was a West Ham fan, and he was actually born just down the road from Upton Park in east London.
As a kid he was reportedly on the books at West Ham, but he pursued a business career rather than football.
Before owning West Ham, Gold was actually the owner of Birmingham City FC, but in 2010 he and Sullivan combined to become the co-chairmen of West Ham.
Their time in charge of the Hammers was polarising to say the least. They tasted relegation in their first season before bouncing back, while the move away from the Boleyn Ground in 2016 was one of the most controversial decisions in the club’s history.
However, West Ham did also have plenty of success in this era. The new stadium has been a money-making machine, while the club have come close to reaching the Champions League on multiple occasions in recent years.
What happens next with West Ham’s ownership structure remains to be seen, but Gold leaves behind a huge legacy at the club and will be remembered by fans for generations to come.
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