Sol Zakay

Sol Zakay’s Biography

Sol Zakay is a prominent British businessman and founder of Topland Group. A self-made billionaire, Sol has led Topland Group in forming high-profile joint ventures across sectors including retail, hospitality, healthcare and finance. With an estimated net worth of £3.7 billion (approx $5 billion USD), Sol ranks among the UK's most successful real estate entrepreneurs.

A pioneer of the sale-leaseback deal, Sol has completed SLB transactions worth over £4bn. In 2001 he secured a £348m leaseback agreement with Marks & Spencer, dubbed ‘the deal of the decade’. In 2004 Topland formed a JV with Tesco to purchase 33 stores for £650m, selling their 50% stake in Tesco for over £1bn in 2007.

Other deals include a JV with Eroski to buy 15 hypermarkets for £289m in Spain’s largest SLB transaction. In 2008 Topland partnered with Duet Group and SARE to buy 800 acres of land in India to develop into residential property worth £900m.

In 2011 Sol established Topland’s Structured Finance division. The business has become a leading provider of property finance, offering funding solutions to developers... Sol Zakay is a prominent British businessman and founder of Topland Group. A self-made billionaire, Sol has led Topland Group in forming high-profile joint ventures across sectors including retail, hospitality, healthcare and finance. With an estimated net worth of £3.7 billion (approx $5 billion USD), Sol ranks among the UK's most successful real estate entrepreneurs.

A pioneer of the sale-leaseback deal, Sol has completed SLB transactions worth over £4bn. In 2001 he secured a £348m leaseback agreement with Marks & Spencer, dubbed ‘the deal of the decade’. In 2004 Topland formed a JV with Tesco to purchase 33 stores for £650m, selling their 50% stake in Tesco for over £1bn in 2007.

Other deals include a JV with Eroski to buy 15 hypermarkets for £289m in Spain’s largest SLB transaction. In 2008 Topland partnered with Duet Group and SARE to buy 800 acres of land in India to develop into residential property worth £900m.

In 2011 Sol established Topland’s Structured Finance division. The business has become a leading provider of property finance, offering funding solutions to developers and investors across the UK and Europe and has amassed a multi-billion pound loan book that is ever-growing and spans across sectors.

Under Sol's leadership, Topland diversified into natural resources, and in 2011 formed a partnership with Barclays to co-invest in 9 BNRIs with a commitment of $660m across a number of sectors including renewables.

The acquisition of the Menzies Hotel Group, Hallmark Hotels & Feathers Hotels from 2013-2015 marked Topland’s expansion into hotels. After combining all 3 under the Hallmark Hotels brand, the group was sold to a group of overseas investors. The company still owns and operates the Royal Crescent Hotel in Bath and the Brighton Metropole. Its leased portfolio includes the Hilton Glasgow and 4 Thistle hotels in London.

Sol Zakay is known for his charitable activities and is a patron of Jewish Care. READ MORE VIEW LESS

Sol Zakay’s Newsfeed

Green Street News

Topland agrees £17m senior loan for Oxford Street purchase

Sol Zakay’s Background

Topland Group

Chairman & CEO

Jan 1995 - Present

London, UK

Topland Group is one of the UK’s largest privately owned investment groups. Its multi-billion-pound portfolio spans real estate, development and structured finance. It is best known for investing in and developing property across sectors, including hotels, offices, residential and strategic land.

Interviews

Business big shot: Sol Zakay

Interview

Jul 2008

London, UK

In a rare interview, Sol Zakay talked to The Times and gave his view of the commercial property market after the financial crash in 2008.

Features

Sol Zakay: The Billionaire Visionary Behind the Topland Property Empire

Profile

Oct 2025

This profile of Sol Zakay examines his role in Topland's growth, from pioneering sale-and-leaseback transactions to expanding the business into hotels, property lending and major development projects.

Property Business Leaders: Who is Sol Zakay?

Profile

2022

Property Business Leaders profiles Sol Zakay, founder and CEO of Topland Group.

Publications

The longer it stands, the more sustainable it is - so why do we always knock it down?

Author

Jul 2022

In this article, Sol Zakay looks at why sometimes it's better to refurbish an older building than to knock it down and start again, and shares his thoughts on Net Zero and ESG.

Awards & Recognition

The Sunday Times Rich List

Ranked at #45

2026

London, UK

Sol is regularly included on The Sunday Times Rich List, ranking at #45 of the top 100 wealthiest people in the UK in 2026.

PROPS Awards

Winner of Lifetime Achievement Award

2024

In recognition of his outstanding contribution to the property industry, Sol Zakay received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2024 PROPS Awards.

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Charitable Interests

Jewish Care

Patron

London, UK

Sol Zakay has worked with Jewish Care for many years, hosting the Jewish Care Business Lunch which in 2023 raised over £400,000 to support the Jewish community in London and the South East.

Chairman & CEO

Topland Group

London, UK

Sol Zakay’s Biography

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Sol Zakay’s Background

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