£165m windfall for Moneysupermarket co-founder Simon Nixon

University dropout cashes in 15 per cent stake in the business

Simon Nixon, co-founder of price comparison website Moneysupermarket.com

Another £165 million in the bank and more luxury cars to stock up the garage, that's soooo Moneysupermarket.

Or it is for the comparison site's founder Simon Nixon, 45, who today set out plans to sell up to 80 million shares worth £165 million in his first major stake sale since the firm floated in 2007, when he sold £105 million of shares.

The deal represents about 15 per cent of Moneysupermarket, cutting Nixon's stake to 35 per cent. But even before the sale, he was reckoned to have a £733 million fortune. Today's placing is to "diversify his personal holdings" and "increase liquidity in the company's shares", Moneysupermarket said.

Nixon stepped down as chief executive in 2008, and demoted himself from executive deputy chairman to non-executive deputy chairman in April. The Ferrari lover is thought to be relocating from Chester to Jersey for tax reasons.

Moneysupermarket today announced a special interim dividend of 12.92p, returning £70 million to investors.