Entrepreneurs

Simon Nixon: The Founder Behind MoneySuperMarket

How a British internet entrepreneur turned simple mortgage information into one of the United Kingdom’s best-known price-comparison businesses

Last Updated on July 30, 2026 by Business Blog Media Editorial Team

Introduction

Simon Nixon is a British entrepreneur and investor best known for co-founding the business that became MoneySuperMarket.

The business started in 1993 by providing mortgage information to financial professionals. The public MoneySuperMarket website launched in 1999 and helped ordinary people compare financial products online.

Nixon later led the company through its 2007 stock-market flotation. He eventually left its board and sold his final shares in 2016.

As of July 2026, he is no longer an executive or shareholder of MoneySuperMarket. His current verified position is director and secretary of Simon Family Office Limited.

Simon Nixon Quick Facts

Fact Verified Information
Full name Simon Justin Nixon
Born August 1967
Age 58 as of July 2026
Nationality British
Profession Entrepreneur and private investor
Best known for Co-founding the business behind MoneySuperMarket
Business started 1993
MoneySuperMarket website launched 1999
Former position Chief executive and deputy chairman
Current verified role Director and secretary of Simon Family Office Limited

Who Is Simon Nixon?

Simon Nixon is a British internet entrepreneur who helped make online price comparison a normal part of everyday shopping.

Before websites such as MoneySuperMarket became popular, comparing mortgages, loans, credit cards and insurance products could take a great deal of time. Customers often had to contact different banks, brokers or insurance companies separately.

Nixon saw that technology could make this process easier. His business collected financial information and presented it in a simpler form.

The early company was not originally a large consumer website. It began by supplying mortgage information to professionals. This service later developed into MoneySuperMarket, a platform that allowed the public to compare different financial products online.

Simon Nixon’s Early Life and Education

Simon Justin Nixon was born in August 1967.

He grew up partly in North Wales and attended school in Flint. He later entered the University of Nottingham to study accounting and finance.

However, he did not complete the degree. Nixon explained in interviews that he did not enjoy the course and decided to follow a different career path.

After leaving university, he worked in mortgage sales.

This job helped him understand a major problem in the financial market. Mortgage brokers needed a faster and clearer way to compare the large number of deals offered by different lenders.

Nixon believed that organised information could solve this problem.

How Did Simon Nixon Start His Business?

Nixon began by creating mortgage best-buy information for brokers.

The early service used printed material rather than a public website. It collected mortgage products and placed them into tables that were easier for professionals to understand.

This was useful because brokers could compare several lenders without completing the same research again and again.

The business charged users for regular access to its information. As computers and internet services improved, the company moved from printed information towards digital tools.

MoneySuperMarket’s official corporate records state that Nixon co-founded the group’s business in 1993.

When Was MoneySuperMarket Launched?

The consumer-facing MoneySuperMarket website launched in 1999.

This date is different from the beginning of the original business:

  • The underlying comparison business started in 1993.
  • MoneySuperMarket.com launched for consumers in 1999.

The difference is important because some articles incorrectly describe 1999 as the beginning of the complete business.

The website first focused strongly on mortgages and financial services. It later expanded into several areas, including insurance, loans, credit cards and household services.

MoneySuperMarket made comparison easier by bringing many choices together in one place.

The company later launched TravelSupermarket in 2004, extending its comparison system into the travel market.

How Did MoneySuperMarket Become Successful?

MoneySuperMarket grew because it solved a simple but important problem.

People wanted to save money, but comparing many products was difficult. The website made information easier to search and understand.

Its business model also benefited from the growth of internet shopping. More people became comfortable researching financial products online instead of depending only on a local bank or broker.

MoneySuperMarket earned revenue when users selected products through its platform. This allowed customers to use the comparison service without paying a direct search fee.

The company also invested heavily in marketing. Its television advertising and memorable brand campaigns helped MoneySuperMarket become widely recognised across the United Kingdom.

Nixon’s career can be compared with that of British digital entrepreneur Alex Chesterman, who also used online technology to simplify traditional consumer services.

MoneySuperMarket’s 2007 Stock-Market Flotation

MoneySuperMarket joined the London Stock Exchange in 2007.

Simon Nixon had become the company’s chief executive shortly before the flotation. The listing gave public investors an opportunity to buy shares in the business.

The flotation valued the company at hundreds of millions of pounds and made Nixon one of the United Kingdom’s most financially successful internet entrepreneurs.

However, the timing was difficult.

The global financial crisis followed soon afterwards. Banks and lenders reduced the number of products they offered, while consumer confidence weakened.

Because MoneySuperMarket depended heavily on financial products, these changes created a serious business challenge.

Why Did Simon Nixon Step Down as CEO?

Nixon stepped down as chief executive in February 2009.

He did not leave the company immediately. Instead, he became executive deputy chairman and focused on strategy, development and new business ideas.

Peter Plumb replaced him as chief executive.

The company’s official annual report confirms that Nixon became executive deputy chairman on 25 February 2009.

His move showed that a company founder does not always need to remain its chief executive forever. A growing public company may require a different management structure as its size and responsibilities increase.

When Did Simon Nixon Leave MoneySuperMarket?

Nixon gradually reduced his direct involvement in MoneySuperMarket.

He later became a non-executive deputy chairman and left the company’s board at the end of 2015.

In March 2016, he sold his remaining 6.9% shareholding for approximately £124 million.

The sale ended his financial ownership of the listed company. The Guardian reported that the total value of his MoneySuperMarket share sales over the years had exceeded £700 million.

Therefore, Simon Nixon should not be described as the current owner, chief executive or chairman of MoneySuperMarket.

What Is Simon Nixon Doing Now?

As of July 2026, Nixon is an active director and secretary of Simon Family Office Limited.

Official Companies House records list his full name as Simon Justin Nixon and confirm that he was born in August 1967. The records also identify him as British and show that his company roles remain active.

A family office is a private organisation that manages business, financial and investment interests. It may oversee investments, property, administration and long-term planning.

Nixon has also become known for private technology investment, contemporary art and luxury property projects.

He has reportedly supported young technology companies at an early stage. However, private investment portfolios can change, so old reports should not automatically be treated as a complete list of his current holdings.

His move from founder to private investor is similar to the career path followed by fintech founder and investor Errol Damelin, who also moved from building companies towards supporting new technology businesses.

Simon Nixon’s Property and Art Interests

Nixon has publicly discussed his interest in modern art, architecture and interior design.

His property activities include a collection of design-led holiday homes. These properties combine luxury accommodation with artworks from his collection.

This work is different from MoneySuperMarket, but it follows a similar business idea: creating a service around a clear customer need.

With MoneySuperMarket, the need was easier financial comparison. With his property projects, the focus is high-quality accommodation, design and art.

What Is Simon Nixon’s Net Worth?

Different financial publications have produced estimates of Simon Nixon’s wealth.

However, these estimates are not official personal financial statements. They may include estimated property values, private investments and other assets whose exact market prices are not publicly available.

For this reason, it is safer to describe Nixon as a billionaire entrepreneur based on reputable financial reporting without treating any single estimate as an exact amount of cash.

His confirmed MoneySuperMarket share sales provide strong evidence that he earned hundreds of millions of pounds from the company. His complete present-day wealth cannot be independently calculated from public records alone.

What Can Entrepreneurs Learn From Simon Nixon?

Find a Real Problem

Nixon did not begin with a complicated idea.

He noticed that comparing mortgage products was slow and difficult. He created an organised service that made the process easier.

Start With a Simple Product

The business started with mortgage information and printed tables.

It did not begin as the large website people know today. The service improved as customer demand and technology developed.

Use Technology to Save Time

MoneySuperMarket became valuable because it helped users compare choices more quickly.

Technology was not the complete purpose of the company. It was a tool used to solve a customer problem.

Change Leadership When Necessary

Nixon moved from chief executive to deputy chairman as the public company entered a different stage.

Founders sometimes need to change their roles when a company becomes larger and more complex.

Know When to Move On

Nixon gradually sold his shares and left the business.

He then focused on investment, property and art. His career shows that leaving one company does not mean ending an entrepreneurial career.

Why Is Simon Nixon Important in British Business?

Simon Nixon is important because he helped develop one of the United Kingdom’s earliest major online price-comparison businesses.

MoneySuperMarket changed how people researched financial products. Instead of contacting many providers separately, users could compare several choices through one website.

The company also helped create a larger comparison industry. Other platforms later used similar systems for insurance, energy, travel, property and shopping.

Nixon’s story is especially useful for readers asking how a simple information service became a major internet company.

The answer is that he identified a common problem, organised complicated information and used changing technology to reach a much larger audience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Simon Nixon?

Simon Nixon is a British entrepreneur and investor best known for co-founding the business that became MoneySuperMarket.

What is Simon Nixon famous for?

He is famous for helping build MoneySuperMarket into one of the United Kingdom’s best-known financial comparison websites.

Did Simon Nixon create MoneySuperMarket?

Nixon co-founded the underlying business in 1993. The public MoneySuperMarket website launched in 1999.

Is Simon Nixon still the owner of MoneySuperMarket?

No. He left the company’s board at the end of 2015 and sold his remaining shares in March 2016.

Was Simon Nixon the CEO of MoneySuperMarket?

Yes. He became chief executive in 2007 and moved to the role of executive deputy chairman in February 2009.

What does Simon Nixon do now?

As of July 2026, his verified role is director and secretary of Simon Family Office Limited. He is also publicly associated with private investment, property and contemporary art.

Where did Simon Nixon study?

He attended the University of Nottingham to study accounting and finance but left before completing the degree.

When was Simon Nixon born?

Official UK company records state that he was born in August 1967.

How did Simon Nixon make his money?

Most of his publicly documented wealth came from building MoneySuperMarket and selling his shares in the company over several years.

Conclusion

Simon Nixon is a British entrepreneur who helped turn mortgage information into a major online comparison business.

The underlying company started in 1993, while MoneySuperMarket.com launched in 1999. Nixon later led the company through its 2007 stock-market flotation and moved from chief executive to deputy chairman in 2009.

He left the board in 2015 and sold his final shares in 2016.

As of July 2026, he is no longer involved in MoneySuperMarket’s management or ownership. His current verified business role is with Simon Family Office Limited.

His career explains how a founder can identify an everyday problem, begin with a simple service, use technology to reach more people and later move into private investment.

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