Digging Deep into Tottenham Owner Joe Lewis (Part 1)

Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, commonly referred to as Spurs, is one of the Premier League’s most prominent teams.

During Spurs matches, many fans notice a bald Jewish man on the sidelines—the club’s chairman, Daniel Levy. Yet, Levy isn’t the true power behind the scenes. The real mastermind is the reclusive Joe Lewis, another Jewish billionaire who rarely appears in public. Despite his low profile, legends about him abound.

Reportedly, Lewis entered the football world through his neighbor—Sean Connery, the original James Bond actor—who introduced him to investing. His first football club acquisition was Rangers FC. Unlike Levy, a die-hard fan, Lewis cares little for the sport itself. Under his investment firm ENIC Group, he owns stakes in six clubs (including Spurs), valuing their commercial influence over the game.

01 The Low-Key Billionaire: Rising Through Crises

Joe Lewis is a phenom in global finance. Despite dropping out of high school at 15 with no formal economics training, he became a legendary forex trader, earning a fearsome reputation among elites. His rags-to-riches story is iconic in trading circles.

Starting with his father’s catering business, Tavistock Banqueting, Lewis made his first fortune. After early success, he relocated to the Bahamas in 1979 for tax benefits. There, he multiplied his wealth through financial maneuvers.

In 1992, Lewis ventured into forex, joining George Soros in shorting the British pound. During the "Black Wednesday" crash, he profited massively before quietly exiting. He repeated this in 1995 by betting against the Mexican peso during its financial crisis.

Today, as founder of Tavistock Group, Lewis controls over 200 companies worldwide, including 135 restaurants, luxury resorts, and even a "medical city" near Orlando’s Lake Nona.

"I do believe that if you’re successful, part of the reward is to enjoy it quietly," he once told reporters. "Front-page headlines ruin that."

Yet, the mystique of success keeps the world curious. Among traders, Joe Lewis remains a figure of relentless fascination.