A 30-year-old entrepreneur specialising in buy-to-let investment and lettings has been named one of the UK’s top young business people.

Oli Banks (main picture, inset), who co-founded the North Property Group with Tim Cohen in 2017, is one of 79 people under 30 years of age who are running successful businesses identified by global research group Hurun within its latest UK report.

Banks and his Leeds-based firm buck the UK trend – 45 of the 79 people named within the report run London-based companies and property is not one of the leading sectors to boast entrepreneurs like him.

Just five other company founders are mentioned who operate in the property market, with Banks being the only one involved in advising landlords and letting out properties on their behalf.

Food and drinks as well as software entrepreneurs are the most common areas featured in the Hurun report.

Turnover

The North Property Group has, since its started up seven years ago, has so far sold some 1,500 mostly newbuild and off-plan apartments to property investors and landlords, has a turnover of £5.6 million and cash in the bank of approximately £2.5 million, it most recent accounts show.

Banks began his career within the property sector in 2012 working in lettings and working his way up the career ladder, ending up as a lettings manager at the LIV group within the city, prior to setting up his own firm.

Rupert Hoogewerf (pictured), Hurun Report Chairman and Chief Researcher, says: “Our research shows Britain’s entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well.

“Many of these young business leaders have managed to quickly build successful companies despite a difficult geo-political environment, persistent inflation, and the many other headwinds our economies have experienced in recent years.”