Robert Edmiston's success as a businessman has put him in seventh place in the Birmingham Post's Rich list with an estimated fortune of £520million.
It could be much more but for the money he gives away to charity every year - he has publicly stated he would like to donate at least £300million before he dies.
He derives his fortune and influence from the IM Group - which includes IM Properties which has £400million of assets and £100million of property under management.
IM Group, which he set up as International Motors in the 1970s, still imports cars and IM Trucks imports commercial vehicles.
A committed Christian, he has supported a city academy in Chelmsley Wood, Birmingham, with £2million and supports Christian schooling provider Grace Academy to build and run secular schools based on Christian principles.
He is also a prominent backer of the Conservative Party, which he supported with a £2million donation which was later converted into a loan.
Mr Edmiston founded the not-for-profit Christian Vision in 1998 to spread the love of God to the masses.
Indeed he embodies a strange union of cut-throat commercial nous and an almost evangelical desire to do good.
He sees his wealth as a vehicle through which he can make a difference to society.
"I am going to die with enough money in the bank so I may as well use it for things I believe in," he insisted.
"Jesus himself said you can sum up the Gospel in two things: love God and love your neighbour.
"If you do those two things you are pretty much fulfilling everything. You give money because life has treated you well and you can help other people who haven't been treated so well."
As someone who lives in the relatively wealthy southern half of Solihull, putting something back into the former Whitesmore School located in the more deprived northern part of the borough proved too good to miss.
"I am disturbed that in Chelmsley Wood there are a thousand kids who don't sleep in the same bed twice. They are referred to as 'sofa surfers'. They wander round from house to house. There are all kinds of issues in the school I am sponsoring.
"Dysfunction. Teenage pregnancy. All these things are happening. I can't say every one of the kids at the school will now be the perfect model citizen, but if we can help them on the road we will have done a good job."
In return for his money, he has gained influence over the running of the school and control over its assets including the salaries of teachers.
The naming of the new school as the Grace Academy reflects his Christian beliefs, attracting criticism from some quarters that pupils will have religion thrust down their throats.
Mr Edmiston has always denied this, but admits Christian principles of treating people with decency, compassion and respect are guiding influences.
Last year he spent more than £750,000 on a luxury weekend in Spain for all 500 of his IM Group employees to celebrate the company's 30th anniversary.
