 Although publicity-shy, he has been named as one of the most influential business leaders for Greater Manchester and the North West by the "Manchester Evening News" (2007) and was named the most influential northerner by "The Big Issue" magazine in 2010 thanks to his large investments in North West England and wider afield in Northern England.According to The "Sunday Times Rich List" in 2019, Whittaker is worth £1.95 billion, a decrease of £300 million from 2018.Whittaker was born to John and May Whittaker in Bury, Lancashire in 1942.