Foreign ownership of British businesses has surged to its highest level on record, reflecting a post-pandemic wave of international acquisitions that has reshaped the UK's corporate landscape.
Foreign ownership of British companies has surged to a record high since the COVID-19 pandemic, driven largely by overseas dealmaking.
While North American, European and Asian investors dominate the trend, South African firms have quietly emerged as Africa's biggest corporate investors in the UK.
Bloomberg reports that data from the UK's Office for National Statistics (ONS) says just over 200,000 UK businesses were under foreign control in 2024, up from 148,742 in 2020—a 35% increase—even though the total number of businesses in the country has remained broadly flat over the same period.
While investors from North America, Europe and Asia account for the bulk of that growth, African companies—particularly those from South Africa—have quietly built substantial businesses in Britain through acquisitions and long-term expansion.
