James Benamor is a British entrepreneur and financier best known for founding Amigo Loans and building Richmond Group, the Bournemouth-based investment group through which he has controlled a range of business interests. Public company records identify him as Rachid James Benamor and record his birth month as May 1977. His name became widely recognized in British business after Amigo developed into a major provider of guarantor loans for borrowers who struggled to obtain conventional credit and used a friend or relative as a guarantor. The business eventually reached the public markets, making Benamor one of the more prominent entrepreneurs associated with Britain’s specialist consumer-finance industry. Companies House currently lists him as a director of Richmond Group and as the person exercising more than 75% ownership and voting control.
Benamor established Richmond Group in the 2000s, with Amigo becoming its most visible success. Amigo’s growth culminated in its 2018 London Stock Exchange flotation, when shares were priced at 275p, and the company was valued at roughly £1.3 billion. Richmond Group retained a controlling interest after the flotation, while Benamor realized substantial proceeds from selling part of the holding. The relationship later became considerably more turbulent. Amigo faced falling share prices, increasing customer complaints and regulatory scrutiny, while Benamor publicly challenged the company’s leadership and returned to its board in 2019. By 2020, Richmond Group was selling down its stake as disagreements over Amigo’s direction intensified. The episode means searches for James Benamor often concern not only his wealth but also the dramatic rise, stock-market debut and subsequent difficulties surrounding the lender he created.
His business story, however, extends beyond Amigo. Through Richmond Group, Benamor has been connected with investments spanning finance, property and other ventures. One distinctive example came in 2018, when Richmond Group agreed to acquire Bestival’s assets and brand for £1.1 million after the festival business entered administration; the group had previously lent Bestival £1.6 million. More recently, Companies House records continue to show Benamor holding active directorships in Richmond-related businesses, including Richmond Group Property Holdings and Richmond Group Debt Capital. Richmond Group itself describes him as its chief executive, while official filings show his continuing control of the parent company. His wealth also remains a source of public interest: reports based on the 2026 Sunday Times Rich List place his estimated fortune at around £683 million. That figure is an estimate rather than a statement of cash holdings, but it helps explain why Benamor continues to attract attention years after Amigo’s flotation.
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