Hays Travel boss Dame Irene Hays has been named among the wealthiest people in the North East on the Sunday Times Rich List.
Her estimated net worth is £488 million, putting her in sixth place on this year’s regional list, however, the figure is down from £591 million in 2025.
Dame Irene is the owner and chair of Hays Travel, the UK’s largest independent travel agency, founded in 1980 by her late husband, John Hays, in Seaham.
The company began as a small operation at the back of a children’s clothing shop and has since expanded into a national chain with more than 500 outlets.
Before leading the Sunderland-based business, Dame Irene held senior roles in local and central government, including chief executive positions at both South Tyneside Council and Sunderland City Council.
She later served as a senior civil servant and Permanent Secretary in Whitehall.
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She was awarded a CBE in 2008 and was made a Dame in 2021 for her services to training, education, and young people.
In 2019, Hays Travel acquired the entire Thomas Cook retail network, saving over 2,000 jobs.
The move earned Dame Irene and her late husband the title of “heroes of the high street.”
The full Rich List is available online and will appear in The Sunday Times Magazine on Sunday, May 17.
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