Peter Cruddas is an English banker, businessman, and philanthropist who has an estimated net worth of $2 billion as of March 2012 according to Forbes magazine where he is #960 in the World Billionaires List. Born Peter Andrew Cruddas on September 30, 1953 in Hackney, London, he was a dropout of Shoreditch Comprehensive at the age of 15. He had his first job as a telex operator for Western Union in London City. He has also worked in the foreign currency rooms of banks such as Bank of Iran and Marine Midland and became the head foreign exchange dealer of Jordanian-based Petra Bank in London City in 1989.

In the same year, Cruddas started his own business, CMC Markets, a London-based online financial retailer, with $16,000 in the bank. He has expanded the company over the years. Today, it has a value between $1billion and $2 billion. In 2007, it sold its 10% stake to Goldman Sachs for reportedly more than $100 million.

As a philanthropist, he started the Peter Cruddas Foundation to help disadvantaged youth in discovering their potential through education and sports. Oxford University and Loughborough University has given him honorary degrees for being a leader in his field as well as his philanthropic endeavors. He is a supporter of the Conservative Party and served as its co-treasurer.