Her high-profile divorce from her tycoon ex-husband dragged on for four years and cost an estimated £5million in legal fees.
So twice-married film producer Lisa Tchenguiz, 52, is better placed than most to advise well-heeled women on how to navigate the often bitter and expensive world of high net-worth divorce proceedings.
But despite occupying similar rarefied circles to other uber-rich women like Sir Chris Hohn’s ex Jamie Cooper, and oligarch’s wife Galina Besherova – each of whom walked away from their respective splits clutching payouts in excess of £100million – Lisa recommends settling for what’s offered – not lengthy legal battles in pursuit of every last penny.
The socialite has become something of a relationship guru to her friends since her divorce from ex-husband Vivian Imeran, a drinks magnate known as The Man from Del Monte, in 2013. Their marriage finally came to an end when Lisa agreed to a £15million settlement – just a fraction of the some £125million she initially demanded.
Iranian-born Lisa, who was also married to Radio 1 DJ Gary Davies for six years, says she has learnt from the experience and now advises friends facing similar disputes to settle ‘for the children’ and to ‘win your life back’, adding: ‘Litigation is poisonous’.
Her unusually positive attitude has won praise from her lawyer, who has described Lisa as ‘a good example of how to handle a divorce’.
Lisa Tchenguiz, 52, has become something of a relationship guru to her friends since her divorce from ex-husband Vivian Imeran, a drinks magnate known as The Man from Del Monte
Lisa and Imeran’s marriage finally came to an end when Lisa agreed to a £15million settlement – just a fraction of the £120million she initially demanded. Pictured, the couple together
Diana Parker, a partner at Withers, told the Daily Telegraph: ‘She’s very happy and bubbly, she loves engaging with life, she didn’t relish getting cramped into very hostile time-consuming proceedings.’
Lisa, who has found love again with American aircraft entrepreneur Steve Varsano, features on BBC Two’s new documentary Millionaires’ Ex-Wives, which gains an exclusive insight into the hidden world of divorce battles among the super rich.
The intimate documentary follows ex-wives who went into battle with their exes, spending millions of pounds and years of their lives in the process.
The twice-married entrepreneur, who owns businesses in the film, fashion and food industries, thinks it is important not to drag out proceedings, in order to minimise the fallout.
‘The first thing I say that they do is settle for the sake of their children so that they don’t see so much suffering between two people,’ she encourages.
‘And settle because you win your life back quicker. Litigation is poisonous, it’s really poisonous.’
She also admitted her tumultuous romantic past has put her off ever walking down the aisle for a third time.
Lisa found love again with American aircraft entrepreneur Steve Vorsari. Pictured in 2015, at Lisa’s extravagant 50th birthday bash
Lisa’s first marriage to former Radio 1 DJ Gary Davies, pictured with Lisa, ended after six years, but it was an amicable divorce and the pair have remained friends
South African born Imerman became known as ‘The Man from Del Monte’ after he sold a stake in the fruit juice firm for £380 million in 1999, and on top of his fruit juice fortune, he made £396million in 2007 by selling the whisky group Whyte & Mackay.
He married Lisa, the younger sister of property tycoons Robert and Vincent Tchenguiz in 2001 after she separated from Radio 1 DJ Gary Davies.
The couple signed a pre-nuptial agreement which would have left her with nothing more than she came into the relationship with. But she asked for more because his fortune had increased in the time they were married.
By 2007 the couple, who have a daughter together, had separated and Lisa felt like she was owed for her time.
She reasoned that a fifty-fifty split was ‘well-deserved’, as he’d made £250million during their marriage.
‘When you have a strong woman behind you of course I believe that does take you forward,’ Lisa explains in the documentary.
‘He was successful clearly in his own right but he would never have done what he did had I not being in the picture, he might have done something else with another woman.’
She adds: ‘I was absolutely supporting him at the time, I was raising our beautiful child. I was the wife that I know all our friends are. You raise your kids, you create a home, you keep the family united and you do your Friday night dinners.’
Lisa revealed she had also grown suspicious of Imerman and his ex-wife, and hired a private detective, what she realised left her feeling ‘betrayed’.
‘There were three people in the marriage at all times. His ex-wife was there,’ she explains.
Lisa features in BBC Two’s new documentary Millionaires’ Ex-Wives, which gains an exclusive insight into the hidden world of super rich divorce
Imerman said he didn’t have an affair during the marriage but he did go back to his ex-wife and their three children following his divorce from Lisa.
‘My lowest point was the day I found out. It was betrayal, fear, coming home alone… It dawned on me then that I am actually on my own raising my daughter by herself. I am no longer the eligible girl that I used to be. Ultimately it was fear of being alone.’
The millionairess still resides in the Mayfair home that her father gifted her 15 years previously, co-habiting with her partner Steve after Imerman moved out.
Lisa says she has no need to get married again and enjoys her lavish life with Steve, who wines and dines her and plans extravagant birthday parties worth millions.
As for their own relationship status, he is in staunch agreement: ‘There’s no reason for us to be married, we are together all the time it’s the same as being married.
‘We are happy and everything is working perfect, why change it if it’s not broken?’
She adds: ‘We have no joint pots [of money] what is his is his and what is mine is mine.
‘I don’t think we will have any interest in each others’ [business] affairs as such.
‘I have never been happier in my man, I am an empowered woman because I have a strong man behind me.’
Millionaires’ Ex-Wives Club airs Wednesday 17 January on BBC Two at 9pm