The Arcadia Group has recently been named as the largest private retail company in Britain by the Daily Telegraph newspaper.

The British born company is famous for its reputation in owning a string of high street clothing retails in the UK such as Topman, Miss Selfridge, Topshop, Evans, Burton, Dorothy Perkins, Wallis and Outfit. Arcadia’s outlets are found almost in any major street and shopping center in UK.

The group also owns a few major department stores, including Debenham and Selfridges.

Altogether, Arcadia operates more than 2,500 retail outlets across the United Kingdom, with presence in more than 30 countries in Europe, Middle East and Asia. It is now in the planning to launch its first store in the United States end of this year.

Arcadia has a long history dating back almost 70 years ago, and made a household name after a successful introduction of its very first brand, Burton. It then underwent expansion through buy-outs, mergers and acquisitions to include a number of best-selling brands. Its last ownership change occurred in 2002 when Sir Philip Green, a British billionaire who is also the 7th richest men in the UK, bought the group for £850 million through his company Taveta Investments.

Fortune’s global ranking of World’s Largest Companies in 2008, by revenues.

1. Wal-Mart

Country of origin: United States.
Industry: Retail/consumer.
Revenues: $379 billion.
Top jobs: Sales, customer service, marketing.

2. Exxon Mobil

Country of origin: United States.
Industry: Oil and gas, petroleum, exploration.
Revenues: $372 billion.
Top jobs: engineering, IT sales, marketing.

3. Shell

Country of origin: Netherlands.
Industry: Oil and gas, petroleum, exploration.
Revenues: $356 billion.
Top jobs: Engineering, marketing, finance.

4. BP

Country of origin: United Kingdom.
Industry: Oil and gas, exploration and production.
Revenues: $291 billion.
Top jobs: Sales, engineering, marketing.

5. Toyota Motor

Country of origin: Japan.
Industry: Automotive.
Revenues: $230 billion.
Top jobs: Sales, customer service, R&D, engineering.

6. Chevron

Country of origin: United States.
Industry: Oil and gas, drilling.
Revenues: $210 billion.
Top jobs: Sales, engineering, marketing.

7. ING Group

Country of origin: Netherlands.
Industry: Finance/insurance, wealth management.
Revenues: $202 billion.
Top jobs: Finance, sales, advisory.

8. Total

Country of origin: France.
Industry: Oil and gas.
Revenues: $187 billion.
Top jobs: Engineering, sales, marketing.

9. General Motors (GM)

Country of origin: United States.
Industry: Automotive, assembly.
Revenues: $182 billion.
Top jobs: Engineering, Sales, Customer Service.

10. ConocoPhillips

Country of origin: United States.
Industry: Oil and gas.
Revenues: $179 billion.
Top jobs: Engineering, production, marketing.

11. Daimler

Country of origin: Germany.
Industry: Automotive.
Revenues: $177 billion.
Top jobs: Engineering, sales, production.

12. General Electric (GE)

Country of origin: United States.
Industry: Energy, power.
Revenues: $176 billion.
Top jobs: Sales, engineering, customer service.

13. Ford Motor

Country of origin: United States.
Industry: Automotive.
Revenues: $172 billion.
Top jobs: Sales, engineering, customer service, R&D.

14. Fortis

Country of origin: Belgium/Netherlands.
Industry: Banking, finance.
Revenues: $165 billion.
Top jobs: IT, finance, sales, customer service.

15. AXA

Country of origin: France.
Industry: Insurance, finance.
Revenues: $163 billion.
Top jobs: IT, finance, sales, customer service.

16. Sinopec

Country of origin: China.
Industry: Oil and gas, exploration and production.
Revenues: $159 billion.
Top jobs: Engineering, IT, finance, sales.

17. Citibank

Country of origin: United States.
Industry: Banking and Finance.
Revenues: $159 billion.
Top jobs: Sales, corporate communication, IT, finance.

18. Volkswagen

Country of origin: German.
Industry: Automotive.
Revenues: $149 billion.
Top jobs: Sales, engineering, customer service, R&D.

19. Dexia Group

Country of origin: Belgium.
Industry: Banking and Finance.
Revenues: $148 billion.
Top jobs: Sales, corporate communication, IT, finance.

20. HSBC Holdings

Country of origin: United Kingdom.
Industry: Banking and finance.
Revenues: $147 billion.
Top jobs: Sales, IT, finance, advisory.

21. BNP Paribas

Country of origin: France.
Industry: Banking and finance.
Revenues: $141 billion.
Top jobs: Sales, IT, finance, advisory.

22. Allianz

Country of origin: Germany.
Industry: Banking, finance, insurance.
Revenues: $141 billion.
Top jobs: Sales, IT, finance, advisory.

23. Credit Agricole

Country of origin: France.
Industry: Banking and finance.
Revenues: $138 billion.
Top jobs: Sales, marketing, IT, customer service.

24. State Grid

Country of origin: China.
Industry: Energy, power.
Revenues: $133 billion.
Top jobs: Engineering, sales, marketing, customer service.

25. China National Petroleum

Country of origin: China.
Industry: Oil and gas.
Revenues: $130 billion.
Top jobs: Sales, engineering, marketing, support.

26. Deutsche Bank

Country of origin: German.
Industry: Banking, finance.
Revenues: $123 billion.
Top jobs: Sales, IT, marketing, customer service.

27. ENI

Country of origin: Italy.
Industry: Oil and gas.
Revenues: $121 billion.
Top jobs: Engineering, IT, sales, marketing, customer service.

28. Bank of America

Country of origin: United States.
Industry: Banking and finance.
Revenues: $119 billion.
Top jobs: Sales, IT, advisory, customer service.

29. AT&T

Country of origin: United States.
Industry: Telecommunication.
Revenues: $119 billion.
Top jobs: Engineering, IT, customer service.

30. Berkshire Hathaway

Country of origin: United States.
Industry: Fund management, investment.
Revenues: $118 billion.
Top jobs: Finance, advisory.

31. UBS

Country of origin: Switzerland.
Industry: Finance and investment.
Revenues: $117 billion.
Top jobs: Finance, actuary, research.

32. JP Morgan and Chase

Country of origin: United States.
Industry: Banking and finance.
Revenues: $116 billion.
Top jobs: Finance, corporate communication, customer service.

33. Carrefour

Country of origin: France.
Industry: Retail and wholesale.
Revenues: $116 billion.
Top jobs: Procurement, customer service, finance.

34. Assicurazioni Generali

Country of origin: Italy.
Industry: Finance, insurance.
Revenues: $114 billion.
Top jobs: Sales, advisory, customer service, finance.

35. America International Group (AIG)

Country of origin: United States.
Industry: Finance, insurance.
Revenues: $110 billion.
Top jobs: Sales, advisory, customer service, finance.

36. Royal Bank of Scotland

Country of origin: United Kingdom.
Industry: Banking and finance.
Revenues: $108 billion.
Top jobs: IT, sales, advisory, customer service, finance.

37. Siemens

Country of origin: Germany.
Industry: Engineering.
Revenues: $106 billion.
Top jobs: Engineering, IT, sales, communication.

38. Samsung Electronics

Country of origin: South Korea.
Industry: Engineering/electronics, consumer products.
Revenues: $106 billion.
Top jobs: Engineering, IT, sales, communication.

39. ArcelorMittal

Country of origin: Luxemburg.
Industry: Steel, manufacturing.
Revenues: $105 billion.
Top jobs: Engineering, production, support.

40. Honda

Country of origin: Japan.
Industry: Automotive.
Revenues: $105 billion.
Top jobs: Engineering, production, sales, support.

41. Hewlett Packard

Country of origin: United States.
Industry: Computer and IT.
Revenues: $104 billion.
Top jobs: IT, sales, support, customer service.

42. Pemex (Petroleos Mexicanos)

Country of origin: Mexico.
Industry: Oil and gas/petroleum.
Revenues: $104 billion.
Top jobs: Engineering, marketing, finance, sales.

43. Societe Generale

Country of origin: France.
Industry: Financial services.
Revenues: $103 billion.
Top jobs: Finance, sales, advisory.

44. McKesson

Country of origin: United States.
Industry: Healthcare, pharmaceutical.
Revenues: $102 billion.
Top jobs: Sales, marketing, research and development.

45. HBOS (Halifax Bank of Scotland)

Country of origin: United Kingdom.
Industry: Banking and Finance.
Revenues: $100 billion.
Top jobs: Finance, customer service, sales, advisory.

46. IBM

Country of origin: United States.
Industry: Computer and IT.
Revenues: $99 billion.
Top jobs: IT, sales, support, customer service.

47. Gazprom

Country of origin: Russia.
Industry: Gas/industrial.
Revenues: $99 billion.
Top jobs: Engineering, sales, finance, support.

48. Hitachi

Country of origin: Japan.
Industry: Electronic, engineering.
Revenues: $98 billion.
Top jobs: Engineering, IT, sales, finance, support.

49. Valero Energy

Country of origin: United States.
Industry: Oil and gas, refinery.
Revenues: $97 billion.
Top jobs: Engineering, sales, finance, marketing.

50. Nissan

Country of origin: Japan.
Industry: Automotive and engineering.
Revenues: $95 billion.
Top jobs: Engineering, sales, support, marketing.