Famous brothers in business include the 1) Wright brothers, 2) Koch brothers, 3) Candy brothers, and more. Several successful companies have been founded and run by siblings.
Sibling rivalry is one of the common traits of living in a family. Mainly between brothers, there is always an uncomfortable feeling of competition.
But, when brothers unite, they have the potential to change the world. We have seen the example of the Wright brothers, who pioneered the aviation industry and brought a revolutionary change to how we travel around the world. Similarly, the Collison brothers became the youngest billionaires as the co-owners of the e-commerce giant Stripe.
Here, we have taken 10 brothers who managed to build successful businesses together.
1) Wilbur Wright And Orville Wright
Orville Wright And Wilbur Wright are one of the best examples of brothers turned business partners.
The Wrights are pioneers of the aviation field and also made a large fortune by selling airplanes.
Wilbur and Orville were born as the sons of Bishop Milton Wright and his wife Susan Catherine Koerner Wright. Wilbur, the older of the two brothers, was born on April 16, 1867, whereas Orville’s birthdate is August 19, 1871. The siblings were both born in Dayton, Ohio.
Besides the two, the Wright family consisted of four more siblings, including Lorin Wright, Ida Wright, Katharine Wright, and Otis Wright. Among the four, Ida and Otis were twins who died shortly after birth.
The Wright brothers were involved in a series of businesses before they became known as the inventors of the airplane. They first established a newspaper titled West Side in 1889; Orville was the publisher, whereas Wilbur was the editor of the weekly magazine. The two also owned a bike shop through which they sold their original designs and repaired bikes.
When German aviator Otto Lilienthal passed away in a glider crash in 1896, the Wrights took up the hefty task of designing the first fully-functioning airplane. They eventually made their first prototype and made their first successful flight on December 17, 1903. The first-ever flight lasted for 59 seconds and covered a distance of 852 feet.
Despite the brothers’ revolutionary vision, people in the US were skeptical about flying, so they traveled to Europe with plans to sell airplanes. As expected, Europeans were excited by the idea of flying.
The Wrights made a fortune selling airplanes in Europe and eventually returned to the US in 1909. They became famous airplane manufacturers and made a ton of wealth. The brothers had a combined net worth of around $10 million at the time of death.
Wilbur passed away at the age of 45 on May 30, 1912. Similarly, Orville was 76 years old at the time of his death on January 30, 1948.
The Wright brothers both remained unmarried throughout their lives. Hence, neither Wilbur nor Orville has a direct descendant.
2) David Koch And Charles Koch
David Koch and Charles Koch belong to the famous Koch family.
The Koch brothers served as executives in the family-owned Koch Industries, which is the second biggest privately-owned company in the US.
Their father Fred C Koch was the founder of the company, which made over $115 billion in 2019.
Charles Koch was born as the son of Fred and Mary Koch in Wichita, Kansas, on November 1, 1935. Similarly, David was born on May 3, 1940.
The Koch family consisted of four siblings, including Bill Koch and Frederick Koch. Unfortunately, only Charles and Bill are alive in 2023. David passed away in 2019, whereas Frederick died in 2020.
David and Charles served as executives in their family business. Charles has served as the CEO of Koch Industries for over four decades since 1967. Likewise, David was the executive vice president of the company before retiring due to medical reasons in 2018.
Koch Industries was founded as a company involved in the manufacturing and distribution of petroleum products. Over the years, the company has expanded its business to the food, clothing, and shelter sectors.
As of 2023, Koch Industries CEO Charles Koch has a net worth of $66 billion, according to CelebrityNetWorth. He is currently one of the 20 richest people in the world. Meanwhile, his brother David had a net worth of $58 billion when he passed away in 2019.
Charles has been married to Liz Koch since 1972. Together, the couple has two children named Chase and Elizabeth Koch. On the other hand, David is survived by his wife Julia Koch, and their three children: David Koch Jr, Mary Julia Koch, and John Mark Koch.
3) Christian Candy And Nick Candy
Christian and Nick Candy are London-based luxury property developers.
The brothers are co-founders of Candy London, formerly known as Candy & Candy. The company specializes in the design and development of luxury properties all over the world.
Some of the famous projects developed by the company include the One Hyde Park Penthouse in London, the Providence House in Chelsea, London, The Reserve in Holmby Hills, Los Angeles, the Carlos Place in Mayfair, London, the 11:11 superyacht, and more.
Nick and Christian Candy were born as the sons of Tony Candy and Patricia Candy in London. Nick, aged 50, is the older of the two, while Christian is currently 48 years old.
The brothers started their property development business in 1995 when they bought a small flat located in Redcliffe Square, London. They purchased the flat for £122,000 and renovated it. They made a profit of £50,000 after selling it for £172,000.
The brothers eventually founded Candy & Candy in 1999 with Nick serving as the CEO. The brothers officially split in 2018 and the company was renamed to Candy London to showcase Nick’s ownership. Likewise, Christian also owns a company named CPC Group Limited, which he established in 2004.
As of 2023, Nick has a net worth of $2 billion, whereas Christian’s fortune is valued at $1.1 billion.
Further, exploring their personal lives, Nick has been married to Australian model and actress Holly Valance since 2012. The pair has two children named Luka Violet Toni Candy and Nova Skye Coco.
On the other hand, Christian married Emily Crompton in 2010. The couple has twin kids named Cayman Charles Wolf and Isabella Monaco Evanthia.
4) Albert Warner And Harry Warner
Albert and Harry Warner are the co-founders of the famous American entertainment company Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc.
While the original co-founders also include their two brothers Samuel and Jack Wagner, Albert and Harry became famous as the leading men of the company.
Harry Warner was the eldest among the four; he was born on December 12, 1881, in Krasnosielc, Congress Poland. Similarly, Albert was born on July 23, 1884.
The four Warner brothers started the company in 1923; it was initially named Warner Brothers Pictures, Inc. However, the brothers often argued that the company was operational since 1905.
Harry operated in the New York headquarters and served as the President of the company. Albert worked as the company’s treasurer, whereas Jack and Sam managed the Hollywood studio.
The Warner Bros company came to prominence in its early years with the production of silent movies and plays like The Gold Diggers, Where the North Begins, The Marriage Circle, and more.
One of the earliest stars of the company was a dog named Rin Tin, a German Shepherd from Flirey, France. The dog, rescued by American soldier Lee Duncan from a battlefield of World War I, appeared in over 20 movies of the company, including Find Your Man, Tracked in the Snow Country, Below the Line, The Night Cry, and more.
Over the years, Warner Bros has released many critically and financially successful movies like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, The Dark Knight Rises, Joker, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, and more. The company has an astounding net worth of over $34 billion.
As of 2023, none of the original co-founders of Warner Bros are alive. Harry passed away at the age of 76 on July 25, 1958. Likewise, Albert was 83 years old when he died on November 26, 1967. The other two Warner siblings Sam and Jack passed away in 1937 and 1978, respectively.
5) Gary Rollins And Randall Rollins
Gary and Randall Rollins became billionaires working at their family-owned business Rollins, Inc.
The brothers were born as the son of businessman O Wayne Rollins and his wife Grace Crum Rollins in Georgia. Randall was born on November 5, 1931, while Gary was born nearly 13 years later on August 30, 1944.
Their father O Wayne founded Rollins, Inc. along with his brother John W Rollins in 1948. As of 2023, the company has three major subsidiaries: Orkin, Rollins Communications, and RPC Energy Services, Inc. Orkin’s area of operation is pest control, while Rollins Communications is a media and advertising company. Moreover, RPC Energy is involved in gas and oil services.
Randall Rollins served as the Board Chairman of Rollins Inc. along with the Chief Operating Officer of RPC Energy Services and Rollins Communication. His brother Gary, on the other hand, has worked as the CEO of Rollins Inc. since 2001 and as the Chairman of Orkin since 2004.
Moreover, Randall passed away after a short illness at the age of 88 on August 17, 2020. He is survived by his wife Peggy Hastings Rollins and their five children: Robert, Richard, Amy, Pamela, and Timothy. The businessman left behind a fortune of $2.7 billion to his family.
On the other hand, Gary, aged 78, is still alive and healthy. He is married to Ruth Magness Rollins and the two have four children together. The couple has two sons and two daughters named Glen Rollins, O Wayne Rollins II, Ruth Ellen Rollins, and Nancy Louise Rollins.
According to CelebrityNetWorth, The Rollins, Inc. CEO has a personal net worth of $2.5 billion as of 2023.
6) Maurice Saatchi and Charles Saatchi
The Saatchi brothers are Iraqi-British businessmen involved in the advertising industry.
Maurice and Charles became successful entrepreneurs after establishing the advertising consultancy Saatchi & Saatchi in 1970.
The company made its early breakthrough with the Pregnant Man ad made for the privately funded Health Education Council. The ad became an immense hit with the message that men should be more careful about the contraceptive measures of population control.
In 1975, Saatchi & Saatchi merged with Garland Compton to form a new company Saatchi & Saatchi Garland Compton. The following years proved to be massively successful as the company acquired over 35 marketing businesses.
The Saatchi brothers were forced to quit the company in 1995; Maurice was sacked from the position of Chairman which eventually prompted the brothers to quit the company. After their departure, Saatchi & Saatchi was renamed Cordiant Communications Group.
Maurice and Charles along with Jeremy Sinclair and Bill Muirhead co-founded M&C Saatchi as a rival to their former company. As of 2023, the company operates in over 23 nations with offices in the UK, US, Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Middle East.
Charles has an estimated net worth of $200 million, as per Celebrity Net Worth. Although Maurice’s official net worth is not verified, he reportedly has a fortune equivalent to his brother’s net worth.
Talking about their personal lives, Charles has been married thrice. He was married to Doris Lockhart [1973-1990], Kay Saatchi [1990-2001], and Nigella Lawson [2003-2013]. His only daughter Phoebe Saatchi was born to his second wife Kay in 1994.
Similarly, Maurice has married twice in his lifetime. He first exchanged vows with Gillian Osband in 1972; the former duo was married for 12 years until 1984. He married his second wife Josephine Hart in 1984. The two separated after 27 years in 2011.
Maurice has a son named Edward Saatchi, who is also a businessman. Edward was born on February 19, 1985, to Saatchi and his second wife Josephine.
7) Walt Disney And Roy Disney
Walt and Roy Disney are the co-founders of the multi-billion dollar conglomerate, The Walt Disney Company, aka Disney.
The Disney brothers were the sons of Elias Charles Disney and Flora Call Disney of Chicago, Illinois. Roy, the eldest among the two, was born on June 24, 1893, whereas Walt was born on December 5, 1901.
Walt and Roy founded the company under the name Disney Brothers Studio on October 16, 1923, in Burbank, California. Disney became a global brand after the introduction of Mickey Mouse in 1928.
After the company was renamed Walt Disney Studio in 1926, Walt became the frontrunner of the studio. He eventually bought his brother Roy’s share of the company in 1929. Although Roy lost his title as a co-producer of the company, he still remained an equal partner and went on to serve as the company’s CEO, Co-Chairman, and President.
Meanwhile, Walt was a more creative type and was mostly involved with the animation and designing process. He is considered a pioneer in the field of animation.
Walt Disney married Lillian Bounds, an ink artist, in 1925 in Lewiston, Idaho. Together, the couple had two daughters named Sharon Mae Disney and Diane Disney Miller. Likewise, Roy married Edna Francis in 1925 and had four children named Abigail Disney, Roy Patrick Disney, Tim Disney, and Susan Disney Lord.
Walt passed away at the age of 65 on December 5, 1901. He died after a long battle with lung cancer. Roy died on December 20, 1971, after suffering a stroke.
As of 2023, The Walt Disney Company is valued at over $197 billion. The organization also has multiple subsidiaries, including the Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort, Marvel Entertainment, Hulu, 20th Century Studios, Lucasfilm, and ESPN.
8) David Barclay And Frederick Barclay
David and Frederick Barclay were British billionaire twins with interests in real estate, media, and the retail industry.
Also called the Barclay brothers or Barclay twins, David and Frederick were born 10 minutes apart on October 27, 1934. Their parents Beatrice Cecilia and Frederick Hugh Barclay had eight more children in the family.
Their father died when the brothers were only 12, whereas their mother Beatrice passed away in 1989.
The brothers worked a couple of odd jobs and businesses before filing for bankruptcy in 1960. They first rose to prominence between 1968 and 1974 after receiving lefty loans from the not-for-profit company Crown Agents. With the money received as loans, the twins purchased the Gestplan Hotels in London.
Further, they also invested a large sum in businesses like breweries, casinos, and shipping companies. During the peak of their business, the brothers owned companies like Ellerman Lines, The Very Group, Littlewoods, Yodel, Woolworths, Ladybird, The European, The Scotsman, and more.
David passed away at the age of 86 on January 10, 2021. He is survived by a wife named Zoe Newton and three sons: Howard, Alistair, and Aidan.
On the other hand, Frederick was married to Hiroko Asada for 34 years before divorcing in 2021. He has a daughter named Amanda Rica Barclay and a stepson called Ko Asada Barclay.
As per The Sunday Times, the Barclay brothers had a combined net worth of £7 billion [$8.4 billion] in 2020.
9) Cameron Winklevoss And Tyler Winklevoss
The Winklevoss brothers are American investors and former Olympic rowers.
The identical twins are the co-founders of Winklevoss Capital Management and Gemini, a cryptocurrency exchange company.
Born in Southampton, New York, on August 21, 1981, the brothers are currently 41 years old. They are the sons of American scholar Howard Edward, Winklevoss Jr and his wife Carol Leonard.
The Winklevoss siblings also had an elder sister named Amanda. An aspiring actress and filmmaker, Amanda died in 2002 due to an accident on the sets of the movie Analyze That.
Cameron and Tyler were fascinated by the digital world at a young age. By the age of 13, the brothers had taught themselves to use HTML and used their knowledge to start up a company that made commercial websites.
They founded Winklevoss Capital Management in 2012 and the cryptocurrency exchange Gemini in 2014. The brothers also made a fortune investing in BitCoin.
Tyler and Cameron also co-founded ConnectU in 2004. The same year, they filed a lawsuit alleging that Mark Zuckerberg stole the idea for Facebook from their app ConnectU. Their story was featured in the 2010 movie The Social Network where actor Armie Hammer played the role of the twins.
As of 2023, Cameron and Tyler each have a net worth of $800 million. The brothers combined net worth amounts to $1.6 billion.
10) John Collison and Patrick Collison
Patrick and John Collison are Irish billionaire brothers from Dromineer, Ireland.
The siblings co-founded the online financial services company Stripe, Inc., in 2010. Patrick serves as the CEO of the company, whereas John is the President of Stripe. The company has a market value of over $74 billion as of 2023.
The Collison brothers are the sons of Denis and Lily Collison. Their father Denis is an electronic engineer, while their mother Lily is a microbiologist. They also have a third sibling named Tommy Collison.
John and Patrick became the youngest billionaires in November 2016 after General Catalyst valued Stripe at $9.2 billion, following an investment from CapitalG. Over the years, the company has also received backing from investors like Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, Sequoia Capital, and Max Levchin.
As of 2023, Patrick and John both have a net worth of $6.9 billion each.
Regarding their personal lives, Patrick Collison is married to his wife named Silvana Konermann. The entrepreneur tied the nuptials with his biochemist girlfriend in April 2022. Meanwhile, John is reportedly single.