Kirsty Bertarelli (born Kirsty Roper) is a song writer, former Miss UK and wife of Ernesto Bertarelli, a Swiss businessman who was the owner of biotech giant Serono until 2007 and winner of the America's Cup in 2003 and 2007 with his yachting syndicate Alinghi. In the Sunday Times Rich List 2012 ranking of the wealthiest people in the UK, she and her husband were placed 6th with an estimated fortune of £7.4billion.[1] She is one of Britain's richest women.[2] Born in the United Kingdom, Kirsty spent her childhood in Staffordshire. Her family owns one of the world’s major manufacturers of ceramic products, Churchill China. She was crowned Miss UK in 1988, giving her the right to compete in the 1988 Miss World pageant where she placed 2nd runner-up. After moving to London, she began to write music professionally and was signed on to Warner Records. Kirsty married Ernesto Bertarelli in 2000. The couple and their children live in Switzerland, where she supports several charities, notably the Smiling Children Foundation, and plays an active role with the Bertarelli Foundation.[3] Recent projects include a research Centre for Neuroprosthetics at the EPFL university in Lausanne, a partnership with the British government supporting the marine reserve in the Chagos Archipelago, a joint research and education programme in neuroscience between Harvard Medical School and EPFL;[4] the Swiss Sailing Grants in partnership with the Swiss Sailing Federation; and the Henna Pre-School in South Africa. They are the owners of the 314 ft yacht Vava II.[5]