Fortune favours the brave and these entrepreneurs are not just resting on fortune but a clear path of hard work, innovation and right choices that have made them part of this elite club.
Peter Drucker once said, “Innovation is the specific instrument of entrepreneurship. The act that endows resources with a new capacity to create wealth.” It is perhaps this exact sentiment that these entrepreneurs epitomize which is why they are easily among the best in the world. So let’s see who made it to the list this time.
#100
ALIKO DANGOTE
$14.1 Billion
Source: Dangote Group
Country: Nigeria
With interests in sugar, cement and flour it is no wonder that Aliko Dangote is the Africa’s richest person. And now his company Dangote Group is foraying into oil. He is constructing an integrated refinery and petrochemical complex in the Lekki Free Zone in Nigeria at a jaw dropping cost of about $9bn.
#99
VIKTOR VEKSELBERG
$14.4 Billion
Source: Renova Group
Country: Russia
Aluminum baron Viktor Vekselberg knows how an opportunity can be converted to cash – after all he made his first million by selling scrap copper from worn-out cables! Today the art aficionado known for his fine art collections also has 9 Faberge eggs that he reportedly bought for a whopping $100 million.
#98
SHIV NADAR
$14.6 Billion
Source: HCL
Country: India
Did you know HCL Technologies started in a garage in 1976 to make calculators and microprocessors? Well today Shiv Nadar’s company has revenue totalling $7.5 billion (revenue) company and is the fourth-largest software services provider. His Shiv Nadar Foundation backs education-related causes and he has donated $662 million to date. He also supports female children and women empowerment. Chandni Dassani, Co- Founder Etasaa Home & Lifestyle says, “Shiv Nadar is of course a global inspiration for all, but his philanthropy and the drive to educate is a reflection of his true entrepreneurship. His work ethics and vision to create an ecosystem of empowered skilled workforce in corporates is the need of the hour.”
#97
EMMANUEL BESNIER
$ 14.7 Billion
Source: Lactalis
Country: France
Saying cheese has benefits beyond a great picture – well if you are the world’s largest cheese maker, you would know. After all who else can have sales revenues to the tune of $20 billion? This is Emmanuel Besnier’s family business and he is known to be fiercely private as a person and lives in Paris with his three children.
#96
ROBERT KUOK
$ 14.8 Billion
Source: Kuok Group
Country: Malaysia
As owner and founder of Kuok Group, Wilmar Group and Shangri-La hotels, Robert Kuok is Malaysia’s richest man. A fine example of how hard work pays, he rose from a small-time sugar merchant in to Johor Bahru to lead a conglomerate of business with diverse interests in real estate, oil and hotels.
#95
DHANIN CHEARAVANONT
$ 14.9 Billion
Source: Charoen Pokphand Group
Country: Thailand
From selling seeds imported from China in 1921 to becoming one of the world’s largest producers of animal feed and livestock, Dhanin Chearavanont has extensive experience operating businesses in Asia, Europe and the USA. The self-made billionaire heads Thailand’s largest closely held company that has agriculture, food, retail and telecommunications interests.
#94
RUPERT MURDOCH
$ 15 Billion
Source: News Corp
Country: United States
Media mogul Rupert Murdoch hardly needs an introduction and as the inventor of the modern tabloid controls Fox News, The Times of London and The Wall Street Journal as well as interests in 21st Century Fox and News Corp. In spite of having the most expensive divorce ever, he has been married four times, his last one being in 2016.
#93
MIKHAIL FRIDMAN
$ 15.1 Billion
Source: Alfa Group and LetterOne (Luxembourg).
Country: Russia
One of the three billionaires of the Alfa Group with interests in banking, telecom, oil and gas and food retailing, Fridman is one of Russia’s richest oligarchs. He lives in his UK home Athlone House which he bought for a whopping $90 million in 2016 and interestingly has willed all his fortune to charity.
#92
LI SHUFU
$ 15.3 Billion
Source: Geely Automobile Holdings
Country: China
Auto magnate Li Shufu is a hero in China and his journey from a pheasant’s son to becoming one of the wealthiest person’s in the country. After buying Volvo in 2010, he has now a 10 percent stake in Daimler, making him the single largest stakeholder in the auto giant. From making sand cars to controlling auto giants, this has been one rollercoaster ride for sure.
#91
KLAUS-MICHAEL KUEHNE
$ 15.3 Billion
Source: Kuehne + Nagel International AG
Country: Germany
As founder of the world’s largest sea-freight forwarder and interests in the shipping container business, Klaus-Michael Kuehne is one person who rocks his boat right. For someone who believes that success in business brings with it societal obligation, his charitable venture Kuehne Foundation supports a variety of projects as diverse as medicine and culture.
#90
DAVID & SIMON REUBEN
$ 15.5 Billion
Source: Transworld
Country: United Kingdom
Born in India to a Jewish family and raised in the UK, brothers David and Simon Reuben were in the news when they sold 49% of their data center business, GlobalSwitch for nearly $3 billion in late 2016. In 2017 they spent more than £200 million on property and this year they already have the £35m Pall Mall property deal in their kitty.
#89
ANDREY MELNICHENKO
$ 15.5 Billion
Source: SUEK and SGK
Country: Russia
Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko owns two superyachts designed by Philippe Starck and each is worth over US$ 300 million. The largest shareholder of EuroChem, a fertilizer producer in the Europe, Middle East and Africa he is married to Serbian model Aleksandra Melnichenko. A water sport and diving enthusiast, he owns a penthouse in New York, a villa in France and an apartment in England!
#88
PETR KELLNER
$ 15.5 Billion
Source:
Country: Czech Republic
The richest man in the Czech Republic, Petr Kellner has morphed from starting as a retailer of office supplies to owning PFF Group and has stakes in finance and real estate firms. This year he has bought Nova, a broadcasting company and Telenor, a telecommunication company. Well, after all he has eyes on the right investments as always.
#87
ZHANG ZHIDONG
$ 15.6 Billion
Source: Tencent Holdings
Country: China
Playing games is easy for Zhang Zhidong after all he has founded Chinese gaming and social media giant Tencent. However in real life he leads a frugal life and still drives an old car. As Advisor Emeritus of Tencent Charity Foundation his philanthropic outfit, he supports educational causes in the poor regions of China. Certainly here is one person whose heart is in the right place.
#86
CHARLENE DE CARVALHO-HEINEKEN
$ 15.8 Billion
Source: Heineken
Country: Netherlands
One of the richest women in the world courtesy her 23% controlling stake in Heineken. For someone who has no formal business education, she had one share of her father Freddy Heineken’s company. Stepping into her father role, today she is a self-made heiress who has learnt the hard way and walked the tight rope to emerge on top. So well if that did not get you heady, think again.
#85
LUKAS WALTON
$ 15.9 Billion
Source: Walmart
Country: United States
Walmart founder Sam Walton’s grandson, Lukas Walton inherited a third of the fortune after his father, John Walton death in a plane crash. With stakes in Walmart, First Solar and Arvest Bank he is a philanthropist and an active investor. For someone who beat cancer as a child, Lukas has mastered the art of keeping a low profile.
#84
VLADIMIR POTANIN
$ 15.9 Billion
Source: Norilsk Nickel and Onexim Bank
Country: Russia
A man of mettle, entrepreneur and oligarch Vladimir Potanin made most of his money from Russia’s loans-for-shares program. The Interros Company controls Norilsk Nickel and has a 30% share here. He also has interests in ProfMedia, Russia’s largest media group and Altpoint Capital Partners. He gave $2.5bn to build a ski resort in Sochi for the 2014 Winter Olympics.
#83
ABIGAIL JOHNSON
$ 15.9Billion
Source: Fidelity Investments
Country: United States
Heading one of the world’s largest investment firms, Chief Executive Officer of Fidelity Investments Abigail Johnson is arguably the most powerful woman in finance. As someone who keeps a low profile, she believes that trusting your instinct and says that there is not a day when work can be stopped. She is now actively looking at cryptocurrencies.
#82
GENNADY TIMCHENKO
$ 16 Billion
Source: Novatek and Sibur Holding
Country: Russia
Said to be among of the most powerful people in Russia, Gennady Timchenko has stakes in gas company Novatek and petrochemichal producer Sibur Holding. This apart he is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Kontinental Hockey League and also as President of SKA Saint Petersburg, a Russian professional ice-hockey club.
#81
IRIS FONTBONA
$ 16.3 Billion
Source: Antofagasta Plc
Country: Chile
Businesswoman, Iris Fontbona inherited her fortune post her husband’s death but has been able to take to greater heights with her perseverance. As matriarch of Chile’s richest family, she has control over the largest brewer in the world, the biggest copper mines, the biggest shipping company in Chile, and the second largest bank of Chile.
#80
DONALD BREN
$ 16.3 Billion
Source: Irvine Company
Country: United States
A real estate Moghul with over 115 million square feet of real estate in his kitty, Donald Bren is the wealthiest real estate developer in the USA. A perfectionist even as a child, he enjoys trekking and the outdoors and through the Donald Bren Foundation associates with social causes, education issues, human services and community development.
#79
JAMES RATCLIFFE
$ 16.4 Billion
Source: Ineos Group
Country: United Kingdom
A self-made London Business School (LBS) graduate, Jim Ratcliffe is also an enthusiastic sportsman and indulges in windsurfing, cycling, running and skiing apart from owning the yacht, Hampshire II. His company funds the Go Run for Fun Foundation that helps inspire children to be more active through running events endorsed by athletes and celebrities.
#78
VAGIT ALEKPEROV
$ 16.4 Billion
Source: Lukoil
Country: Russia
Having stated his career at 22 as an oil driller, Vagit Alekperov survived an explosion on an oil platform in the Caspian Sea and actually swam to safety. Today he has a 20% stake in Lukoil, Russia’s largest non-state oil company. He has made in excess of $4 billion in dividends as an investor in energy, construction and media companies.
#77
RAYMOND KWOK
$ 16.5 Billion
Source: Sun Hung Kai Properties
Country: Hong Kong
Raymond and his brother Thomas run one of the largest property firms in Hong Kong and Raymond is now the sole Chairman of the firm. Incidentally his family founded mobile phone operator SmarTone and opened the Four Seasons Hotel, the largest six-star hotel in Hong Kong. He has successfully been cleared of corruption charges by a civil court.
#76
JOSEPH LAU
$ 16.7 Billion
Source: Chinese Estate Holdings
Country: Hong Kong
If you needed proof that land makes the best investment, just look at Joseph Lau’s wealth and all your doubts will be laid to rest. An avid art collector, he owns pieces from Warhol, Gauguin and Hockney worth at least $1 billion. He also owns two Gulfstream G650 jets, residential and commercial properties in London and Hong Kong and has five diamonds worth $128 million!
#75
MICHAEL HARTONO
$ 16.7 Billion
Source: Djarum
Country: Indonesia
After making billions in cigarettes and banking, Michael Hartono and his brother Budi Hartono are now focusing on telecom through PT Sarana Menara Nusantara. Michael’s most valuable asset is his 49 percent stake in PT Dwimuria Investama Andalan. An avid badminton player, he also extensively funds the sport apart from art, culture and other philanthropic causes.
#74
STEFAN PERSSON
$ 16.8 Billion
Source: H&M
Country: Sweden
Sweden’s richest man, Stefan Persson may be better known for having founded H&M or Hennes & Mauritz but he also owns 17700 acres of land in Wiltshire. Well he bought the entire Hampshire village for £25m in 2009 and is an auto lover with a stable of brands like Porsche, Aston Martin, Range Rover and Jaguar. He recently bought a brand new Porsche car for US$350000. Apart from enjoying downhill skiing, tennis and golf, he has actually had his staff dig a two-mile trench to bring superfast broadband to his village.
#73
CARL ICAHN
$ 16.8 Billion
Source: Icahn Capital Management
Country: United States
Heading a conglomerate with diversified interests in automotive, energy, gaming, real estate and food packaging, Carl Icahn makes money investing in equities, futures, options and debt. A former advisor to Donald Trump, he played poker to pay for his college fees. His charity benefactors include shelters for single mothers, medical facilities and educational institutions in New York.
#72
GERMAN LARREA MOTA VELASCO
$ 17.3 Billion
Source: Grupo México
Country: Mexico
As majority stakeholder in Mexico’s largest copper mining company, Grupo México, German Larrea Mota Velasco has infrastructure and rail transportation interests. The fact that he is very reclusive makes him enigmatic too. He was in the news for buying a $4 million condominium in the Ritz Carlton Residence in Chicago. Incidentally he also owns a castle in Tuscany, Italy.
#71
GINA RINEHART
$ 17.4 Billion
Source: Hancock Prospecting
Country: Australia
As the daughter of an iron-ore explorer, Gina Rinhart rebuilt his bankrupted estate and a large part of her fortune comes from Hope Downs and the Roy Hill project, an iron ore mine in Western Australia apart from being the third-largest cattle producer, with a portfolio of 23 properties across the country. Naturally she is Australia’s richest person!
#70
R. BUDI HARTONO
$17.4 Billion
Source: Djarum
Country: Indonesia
As CEO, Djarum Group, R. Budi Hartono and his brother Michael Bambang Hartono are both billionaires and own cigarette major Djarum that is into kreteks, a blend of cloves and other tobacco variants. He has founded Djarum Foundation and Djarum Badminton Club provides full badminton scholarships to qualified candidates sourced through auditions held nationwide.
#69
WILLIAM DING
$17.4 Billion
Source: NetEase
Country: China
CEO of NASDAQ listed NetEase William Ding Lei has become a billionaire due to the fact that everyday millions of Chinese gamers go online and get hooked to online games. His online gaming network, 163.com is among the most popular gaming sites. With a deep passion for music he hopes to start a music recording company. He donates for both educational causes and natural disaster relief.
#68
TAKEMITSU TAKIZAKI
$17.5 Billion
Source: Keyence
Country: Japan
After establishing Keyence, a supplier of sensors and electronic components for factory automation systems Takemitsu Takizaki is now its Honorary Chairman. He is also the largest shareholder in JustSystems a major software development company in Japan. Known to break stereotypes, he encouraged employees to call each other by their first names.
#67
RAY DALIO
$17.1 Billion
Source: Bridgewater Associates
Country: United States
As a caddie at the age of 12, Ray Dalio entered the stock markets using tips of the golfers he worked with. Today he runs Bridgewater Associates, the world’s biggest hedge fund firm managing an eye popping $160 billion in funds. And if you want to know how he did it, read his 123 page book Principles where he shares the approaches he used to be successful.
#66
PALLONJI MISTRY
$17.8 Billion
Source: Shapoorji Pallonji
Country: Ireland
In spite of owning Mumbai-headquartered engineering and construction giant the 153-year-old Shapoorji Pallonji Group and an 18.4% stake in Tata Sons, Pallonji Mistry is completely reclusive. A perfectionist who has an eye for detail he is an Irish citizen and a Padma Bhushan nicknamed ‘Phantom of Bombay House’. His love for horses and whiskey is well known. Satinder Chawla, Managing Director, Span Floors says, “Pallonji Mistry’s focus on the long-term, quality, expansion, honoring one’s word and modesty are the key things that I personally find inspiring. He took what he was handed over by his forefathers and made it even stronger thus adding his individual stamp on the SPCL group. Not only the hat he ensured that his sons are following the same path and continue to strengthen the family name and the nation.”
#65
CHAROEN SIRIVADHANABHAKDI
$17.9 Billion
Source: Thai Beverage
Country: Thailand
The rise of the son of a Bangkok street vendor to controlling Thailand’s largest brewer, known for its Chang beer, Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi’s journey is nothing short of remarkable. His retail empire includes hypermarket chain Big C Supercenter and he has a 54% in Sabeco, Vietnam’s largest brewery. He is known to support Buddhist causes.
#64
LEONID MIKHELSON
$18 Billion
Source: Novatek
Country: Russia
CEO of Novatek, the largest non-state-owned natural gas provider in Russia Leonid Mikhelson also holds a 48.5 percent stake in closely held petrochemical producer Sibur. He once sold his car to buy first stake in a pipeline construction company. Today of course he also owns a US$150 million yacht Pacific that is so huge it can also accommodate two helicopters.
#63
WANG WEI
$18.2 Billion
Source: SF Express
Country: China
He started his career taking deliveries out of his car in the back alleys of Hong Kong and lugging suitcases and backpacks across China’s southern border. Today he controls 80000 couriers and 30 planes through his company widely referred to as China’s Fedex. He keeps a low profile that borders on anonymity from employees so he can check on their performance.
#62
LAKSHMI MITTAL
$18.5 Billion
Source: ArcelorMittal
Country: India
He may be called the steel baron today but in school Lakshmi Mittal, acknowledged as the richest Indian, says he was told he could not get admission to a college of his choice because he did not speak English. Of course today he has not just proved his college principal wrong but also is a key bidder to take over the beleaguered Essar Steels. Naveen Pishe, Partner P.N. Rao says, “the manner in which Lakshmi Mittal took over ArcelorMittal, he gave us the inspiration to dream big. Today he is the bold, new global Indian entrepreneur and has inspired us to take bold calculated risks. I also like his understated dress sense as well, it gives me an impression that he is someone who likes his work do the taking.”
#61
LEE KUN-HEE
$18.6 Billion
Source: Samsung
Country: South Korea
The ailing billionaire Lee Kun Hee who is reportedly hospitalized since suffering a heart attack in 2014 has a 4.7 percent stake in Samsung Electronics the key source of his fortunes. An art lover, he has helped South Korea in its bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympics. He reportedly owns a Bombardier Global Express aircraft, which he allows other executives of Samsung to use for business travels.
#60
ALEXEY MORDASHOV
$18.7Billion
Source: Severstal & TUI
Country: Russia
An MBA graduate from Northumbri University, Alexey Mordashov started building his fortune by picking up shares in the company he worked Severstal. Soon he expanded his investments into a portfolio of verticals like car makers, coal, ports, transportation, energy and telecomm. The poetry lover is now is moving into online education and recruitment by acquiring startup companies.
#59
AZIM PREMJI
$18.8 Billion
Source: Wipro Ltd.
Country: India
From manufacturing cooking oil to becoming India’s third-largest outsourcer, Azim Premji has changed the face of Wipro Ltd. The reclusive billionaire though consciously shuns the material life and has transferred close to 65 percent of his wealth to charity by merging his investment arm PremjiInvest with Azim Premji Trust. Through his innovation centre in Silicon Valley, new technologies and startup are ongoing. Vikash Gupta, Founder & CEO, Three sixty the leather life, says, “Premji is truly an entrepreneur who is very humble and down to earth human being. He created all his wealth in the modest way and believes in serving for the betterment of the society. Mr. Azim Premji is the first person to sign up for “The Giving Pledge”, a pledge that involves giving away half of the wealth. He donates 25% of his wealth for the education of the Children of India which is one of the very important issues in today’s time and for me he is the Bill Gates of India.”
#58
LAURENE POWELL JOBS
$18.8 Billion
Source: Apple, Emerson Collective
Country: United States
Laurene Powell Jobs is the widow of Apple cofounder Steve Jobs and started as a trading strategist for Goldman Sachs and has founded Emerson Collective to assist social reform and needy students. With a majority stake in The Atlantic magazine in her kitty, she has committed $100 million to “XQ: The Super School Project,” to redevelop high school curriculum.
#57
VLADIMIR LISIN
$19.1 Billion
Source: NMLK Group
Country: Russia
As chairman of NMLK Group, a leading manufacturer of steel products Vladimir Lisin also controls Universal Cargo Logistics Holding, which owns railway operator Freight One that has some ports and shipping companies. A serious gun enthusiast he has an enviable collection of shooting rifles and is the President of the European Shooting Confederation, the Russia Shooting Union and has is vice president of the Russian Olympic Committee.
#56
TADASHI YANAI
$19.5 Billion
Source: Fast Retailing
Country: Japan
Being the founder of the world’s fourth-largest apparel company Fast Retailing whose brands include Uniqlo, Helmut Lang, Theory, Comptoir des Cotonniers, Princesse tam.tam, J Brand and g.u. Tadashi Yanai is easily Japan’s most successful businessman. An unique combination of being humble and ambitious, he has learnt that failure is not to be taken seriously and finding the next success is important.
#55
SRICHAND HINDUJA & BROTHERS
$19.5 Billion
Source: Hinduja Group
Country: United Kingdom
Srichand, Gopichand, Prakash and Ashok collectively known as the Hinduja Brothers control the multinational conglomerate Hinduja Group that has interests in trucks, lubricants, banking and cable television. The Fab Four as they are called also have real estate investments in Carlton House Terrace and the historic Old War Office building in Whitehall. “The Hinduja brothers are known to be a close-knit set of siblings. Unparalleled in business life on this count for sure. They have been through the highs and lows but have stayed together as one. All other things in business being equal, this is one trait I pick as distinctly unique to the 20 billion USD Hinduja empire,” says Brand Consultant Harish Bijoor
#54
ELON MUSK
$ 19.9 Billion
Source: Telsa Motors
Country: United States
Growing up in South Africa, Canada and the USA, Elon Musk is revolutionizing transportation through Tesla Motors and is all set to change the dynamics through his fully-electric vehicles. Through SpaceX he is also set to take space transport to the next level. Few know that he was in for a huge payout when Paypal which he cofounded was acquired by eBay.
#53
HENRY SY
$20 Billion
Source: SM Investments
Country: Philippines
Holding a 11 percent stake in SM Investments a retail, property development and banking conglomerate Chairman Emeritus Henry Sy is married to Felicidad Tan and has six children. The richest Filipino in the world, this retail magnate believes that hard work, determination, perseverance and will power have held him in good stead.
#52
JAMES SIMONS
$20 Billion
Source: Renaissance Technologies Corp.
Country: United States
Brilliance is a word that can be easily associated with James Simons. For someone who was demoted to a floor sweeper, he always knew he wanted to be a mathematician at MIT and he also did his Ph.D. in mathematics from UC Berkeley. Naturally Renaissance Technologies is the world’s most successful hedge funds and he continues to work in the field of Maths through his programs to train teachers and funding education initiatives.
#51
LUI CHE WOO
$20.1 Billion
Source: Galaxy Entertainment Group and K. Wah International Holdings
Country: Hong Kong
Since supplying gravel for Hong Kong’s postwar construction boom, Lui Che Woo is now Chairman of Macau casino operator Galaxy Entertainment Group and property developer K. Wah International Holdings. Interestingly his net worth went up by $12 billion is less than two years courtesy the continual surge in the share prices of his company. And yes he loves newsboy caps that he wears everywhere and has over a 100 in his collection.
#50
HE XIANGJIAN
$20.1 Billion
Source: Midea Group Co. Ltd.
Country: China
Midea, China’s biggest appliance maker is also the first public company not based in a major city and founder He Xiangjian still has a 35% stake. A wine lover, none of his fmaily members are on the company’s board and he supports education, community development, cultural causes, disaster relief and environmental causes.
#49
LEN BLAVATNIK
$20.2 Billion
Source: TNK-BP, Warner Music
Country: United States
For someone who knows the good life – well he owns four private jets, luxury yacht Odessa, a 13-bedroom London retreat, 15 Kensington Palace Gardens and is accumulating art, Len Blavatnik, has little comparison. He is also a philanthropist and through his Blavatnik Family Foundation he has sponsored education, life sciences entrepreneurship as well as scientific research, discovery, and development.
#48
THEO ALBRECHT, JR.
$20.2 Billion
Source: Trader Joe’s, Aldi
Country: Germany
Following a low cost business model has augured well for Theo Albrecht Junior as he along with his family owns over 10000 grocery stores in 18 countries worldwide. Known to be almost secretive about his personal life, he is married and has one child and is reported to be a devout Catholic and a frequent churchgoer.
#47
THOMAS PETERFFY
$20.3 Billion
Source: Interactive Brokers
Country: United States
A literal ‘rags to riches’ story, Hungarian immigrant Thomas Peterffy came to the US with only a few dollars in his pocket. Today he controls the world’s largest electronic broker by daily average revenue trades Interactive Brokers. He has donated millions of dollars for philanthropic issues like educational, health and human causes.
#46
DIETER SCHWARZ
$20.9 Billion
Source: Schwarz Group
Country: Germany
As owner of Europe’s largest food retailer Schwarz Group, Dieter Schwarz’s fortunes stem from supermarket chains Lidl and Kaufland. A soccer fan, he supports various educational causes through the Dieter Schwarz Stiftung. A keen golfer, he is known to be an astute decision making which has made him a giant in retail marketing across Europe.
#45
LEONARDO DEL VECCHIO
$ 21.2 Billion
Source: Luxottica
Country: Italy
Leonardo Del Vecchio was sent to an orphanage because his widowed mother could not afford to support all her 5 children when he was just 7 years old. Working as an apprenticeship to a tool and dye manufacturer in his early days, today he owns the biggest eyewear retailer, Luxottica Group. He also owns significant equity in a French real estate company as well as an Italian insurance company.
#44
PAUL ALLEN
$21.7 Billion
Source: Microsoft, Vulcan Inc
Country: United States
Being a fighter, Paul Allen may be known as the co-founder of Microsoft but few know that he has beat cancer twice and also Hodgkin’s disease. He has a multibillion-dollar investment portfolio in media companies, real estate and technology and also owns two professional sports teams, the Seattle Seahawks and the Portland Trail Blazers. A college dropout he has personally overseen the preservation of WWII planes and has his Flying Heritage Collection in Everett. He also funds the EMP Museum, a collection of contemporary pop culture artifacts in Seattle.
#43
YANG HUIYAN
$21.9 Billion
Source: Country Garden Holdings
Country: China
An Ohio State University degree holder, Yang Huiyan runs Country Garden China’s largest property developer by sales. China’s youngest billionaire and Asia’s wealthiest woman she also chairs Bright Scholar Education Holdings, a Chinese education company. Known to be media shy, she met her husband on a blind date. With a 57% stake in the company, she has taken her father’s company to new heights after taking over the reins when she was only 25.
#42
STEFAN QUANDT
$22 Billion
Source: BMW
Country: Germany
He owns 26 percent of Bayerische Motoren Werke or BMW and has now become the single largest stakholder in the company. This apart stakes in medicine company Biologische Heilmittel Heel, credit card maker Entrust Datacard and logistics company Logwin. Said to be a soccer fan, his philanthropic activities are done through Johanna Quandt Foundation and the BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt.
#41
SERGE DASSAULT
$22.6 Billion
Source: Dassault Groupe
Country: France
Holding an assortment of investments in Dassault Group that controls software maker Dassault Systemes and aircraft builder Dassault Aviation, auction house Artcurial and publisher Le Groupe Figaro, Serge Dassault is also a politician. A golf lover, her has a golf course in the grounds of his mansion at Coignieres in France. He started his philanthropic wing Serge Dassault Foundation in 1991 and supports mentally challenged individuals, youth oncology and organ donation.
#40
MASAYOSHI SON
$22.7 Billion
Source: Softbank
Country: Japan
He has the reputation of making any deal work in his favour, after all Masayoshi Son is the richest man in Japan. His SoftBank’s Vision Fund is a $100 billion private equity fund that has invested or partnered with the likes of WeWork, Arm, Foxconn, Alibaba Cloud and many more like Boston Dynamics and Fortress Investment Group are in the pipeline. A maverick businessman whose business strategies defy analysts, he owns the Japanese baseball team Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and also founded Japan Renewable Energy Foundation to support clean energy causes.
#39
MICHAEL DELL
$22.7 Billion
Source: Dell Technologies
Country: United States
Dell merged with computer storage giant EMC in 2016 at a deal price of $60 billion making it the largest technology acquisition ever. For someone who believes you just need a framework and a dream to succeed, Michael Dell owns a $100.47 million Manhattan penthouse, a $40 million home at the Four Seasons in Boston and a 7-bedroom, 12 bath, home on the Kona coast of Hawaii. With interests in MSD Capital that has stakes in hotels and restaurants, he donated $1 billion to his foundation in May 2017.
#38
DIETRICH MATESCHITZ
$23 Billion
Source: Red Bull
Country: Austria
Founder of the world renowned brand, Redbull, Dietrich Mateschitz is also a known name in the field of auto racing via Red Bull Racing. He also owns the Brazil-based football team Red Bull Brasil and an island in Fiji that he bought for a whopping $13 million in 2006. He is also associated with the annual electronic music-focused Red Bull Music Academy, an exhibition space in New York and an artist residency program in Detroit. He has announced an independent venture a right-wing news organization that is coming soon.
#37
GIOVANNI FERRERO
$23.1 Billion
Source: Ferrero SpA
Country: Italy
Nutella chocolate-hazelnut spread, Kinder chocolates and Tic Tac mints are not just brand kids relate to but adults too. After all, a jar of Nutella is sold every 2.5 seconds and Giovanni Ferrero is the man behind the third largest confectioner business in the world. Earlier this year he inked a deal worth $2.8 billion with Nestle to acquire the company’s entire U.S. confections business as a follow up to his earlier acquisitions all in the USA. He is currently the executive chairman focusing on long term strategy.
#36
JOSEPH SAFRA
$23.5 Billion
Source: Banco Safra, J. Safra Sarasin
Country: Brazil
Joseph Safra is the world’s richest banker with both Banco Safra and J. Safra Sarasin in his kitty. Known to be a supporter of Orthodox Jewish culture he donates generously towards Jewish causes in Brazil. Rumours are rife that a ‘large acquisition’ is soon on the cards that will further cement the company’s strong foothold on the banking space. He lives in a 118400-square-foot mansion in Sao Paulo.
#35
JOHN MARS
$23.6 Billion
Source: Mars, Incorporated
Country: United States
John Mars and his sister own a third of their grandfather’s company Mars, Incorporated that makes candy – M&Ms, Snickers, Milky Way, chewing gum – Juicy Fruit, Orbit, pet food – Pedigree, Whiskas and packaged foods Uncle Ben’s, Suzi Wan. He previously held both fishing and a hunting license in Alaska. Along with his wife, Adrienne he has donated more than $20 million to the American Prairie Reserve. The couple also have philanthropic interests in educational, environmental, art and cultural and health related causes.
JACQUELINE MARS
#34
$23.6 Billion
Source: Mars, Incorporated
Country: United States
Like her brother, John Mars, she also owns a third of Mars Inc. An anthropology graduate from Bryn Mawr College she was involved in a driving mishap in 2013. A well-known philanthropist Jacqueline Mars serves on six boards and served on the board of Mars until 2016. She owns a farm that specializes in organic farming and has donated more than $100,000 to political causes. She is a trustee of the United States Equestrian team and is also a board member of the Washington National Opera that completed a merger with the Kennedy Center recently.
#33
DAVID THOMSON
$25 Billion
Source: Thomson Reuters
Country: Canada
David Thomson and his family own media and publishing empire Thomson Reuters. The family also has a stake in telecom giant Bell Canada and owns the Toronto-based Globe and Mail newspaper. David has been in the news for selling a 55 per cent stake in the division to Blackstone Group LP, valuing the business at US$20 billion. An art lover he owns the largest collection of paintings and drawing by artist John Constable.
#32
SUSANNE KLATTEN
$25 Billion
Source: BMW
Country: Germany
The richest woman in Germany, Susanne Klatten owns 19.2% of automaker BMW. As the sole owner and deputy chairman of Altana, whose annual sales are$2.5 billion, she has stakes in wind power outfit Nordex AG, soil additive company Geohumus and carbon and graphite producer SGL Group. A skier and golfer she is the chairwoman of the Board of Trustees at the Herbert Quandt Foundation that supports science, education and cultural causes.
#31
GEORG SCHAEFFLER
$25.3 Billion
Source: Schaeffler Group, Continental AG
Country: Germany
Owners of one of the world’s largest producers of ball bearings and machine components in Schaeffler Group Georg Schaeffler shares his wealth his mother, Maria-Elisabeth Their wealth is also surging because of their stakes in Continental AG a company’s whose debt was restructured by Georg. An avid traveller, he reportedly enjoys a double scotch after work.
#30
FRANCOIS PINAULT
$27 Billion
Source: Kering
Country: France
Francois Pinault founded French luxury brands group Kering in 1963 which was originally started as a wood and building materials company taking his father’s mill business ahead. Kering today owns fashion brands like Gucci, Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen and Stella McCartney as well as sports brand PUMA apart from owning Christie’s auction house. He and his family own over 3500 pieces of art including works by Picasso, Mondrian and Koons worth $1.4 billion which will soon be part of a museum in France set to open in 2019.
#29
JORGE PAULO LEMANN
$27.4 Billion
Source: Banco Garantia, Anheuser-Busch InBev
Country: Brazil
He has played Wimbledon, he spearfishes and he also surfs 30-foot waves. Meet Jorge Paulo Lemann who started his career in investment banking and today most of his fortunes come from his 10% stake in Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world’s largest brewer. He also owns a stake in Restaurant Brands International that has Burger King and Canadian coffee chain Tim Hortons. He has established the Brasiliana Collection through his Fundacao Estudar that has artworks of European traveling artists who visited Brazil during the 1800’s.
#28
PHIL KNIGHT
$29.6 Billion
Source: Nike
Country: United States
Just do it the Nike slogan is perhaps the most catchy product tag ever and Phil Knight, founder retired as chairman in 2016 after 52 years. With revenues of over $34 billion and offices in 52 countries he has certainly come a long way having started his business by borrowing $50 from his father to sell Japanese running shoes out of his car’s trunk. His self-written memoir is called Shoe Dog and is an almanac for to-be entrepreneurs. Apart from a $500 million donation for cancer research to the Oregon Health & Science University in Portland he has also given $400 million to Stanford University for graduate scholarships and $500 million to the University of Oregon in Eugene for a science research center.
#27
BEATE HEISTER & KARL ALBRECHT JR
$29.6 Billion
Source: Aldi Retail
Country: Germany
Brothers Beate and Karl control one half each of retail giant Aldi (for Albrecht discount), a store that has heralded the discount revolution in German retailing. The Albrecht family is known to be notoriously reclusive and are careful to ensure they are not photographed by the media and are naturally secretive about their income and how they spend it as they believe in a living a modest lifestyle. Both brothers fought the war and came up the hard way and have pioneered the concept of saving which has today become a name so formidable that even the likes of Tesco had to bow.
#26
WANG JIANLIN
$30 Billion
Source: Dalian Wanda Group
Country: China
Dalian Wanda Group is one of the world’s biggest commercial real estate developers and Chairman Wang Jianlin also owns U.S. movie theater chain AMC and film studio Legendary Entertainment. He made a cool $9 billion by selling theme parks in 2017 and is reported also selling real estate assets in London and Australia and a stake in Spanish soccer club Atletico de Madrid in an attempt to consolidate his domestic operations. An art collector he has over 1000 artworks from a many artists including Pablo Picasso and Claude Monet and his collection is valued in excess of $1.6 billion.
#25
LEE SHAU KEE
$30.3 Billion
Source: Henderson Land Development
Country: Hong Kong
His family was once so poor that they could eat fish and meat only twice a month. But that did not deter Lee Shau Kee. He started Henderson Land Development in 1976 and the dedicated philanthropist has donated millions of dollar towards various education causes through the Lee Shau Kee Foundation. He also founded also founded the Hong Kong Pei Hua Education Foundation, which provides training programs to competent personnel in China. A keen golfer he reportedly plays golf every morning. Another sport he enjoys is horse racing and he is a member of The Hong Kong Jockey Club and owns some horses as well.
#24
HUI KA YAN
$30.4 Billion
Source: China Evergrande Group
Country: China
As chairman of Hong Kong-listed real estate developer China Evergrande Group of Shenzhen Hui Ka Yan has ensured that he has real estate projects in more than 200 cities across China. Well, his belief that “knowledge will change destiny” has certainly come to pass. In 2017 he made the most amount of money than anyone else in the world and he has been dubbed as the “Donald Trump of China” for his lavish purchases and zealous acquisition strategy. Evergrande owns the majority of one of China’s most winning soccer teams as well. Recently he has reportedly invested in startup Faraday Future, an electric vehicle maker run by LeEco Founder Jia Yueting. He also supports support disaster relief, poverty alleviation and educational causes throughg donations.
#23
LI KA-SHING
$34.9 Billion
Source: CK Hutchison Holdings
Country: Hong Kong
Forced to drop out of school as a child to support his family, Li Ka-shing is revered today as one of the most influential businessmen in Asia. Nicknamed Superman, he opened his first factory Cheung Kong Industries, when he was 22 and manufactured plastic flowers. Once again he was ahead of the curve when he moved into property development in 1979 with the acquisition of Hutchison Whampoa. An investor in disruptive technology, he was one of the first big investors in Facebook and has recently acquired a $15 billion stake in British telecom company, O2. For someone who has led his life by the mantra that “if you don’t have a big heart, you will not succeed,” Li makes an effort to be materially modest and through his Li Ka Shing Foundation he has donated more than $2.6 billion.
#22
STEVE BALLMER
$38.4 Billion
Source: Microsoft
Country: United States
The former CEO of Microsoft and the current owner of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers, Steve Ballmer may be someone who is known to be outspoken but is a pioneer who actually made initial investments in Cloud technology when it was still unknown. A Harvard graduate, he dropped out of Stanford’s MBA program to join Microsoft as its 30th employee. He has pledged $96 million over 6 years to StriveTogether that supports local efforts to reduce economic disparities. He started USAFacts as a move to counter Fake News. This is an initiative that is designed to make it easier to access data collected by federal, state and local branches of government.
#21
SHELDON ADELSON
$38.5 Billion
Source: Las Vegas Sands
Country: United States
The son of immigrants, Sheldon Adelson grew up sleeping on the floor of a Boston tenement and today he is a billionaire casino magnate who spent more than $200 million for championing GOP candidates and conservative causes. He has also offered to help make the US Embassy in Jerusalem after Donald Trump’s announcement of the same. Most of his wealth comes from his strategy of pairing casinos with exhibition centers and devised his flagship casino on his honeymoon. He met his current wife, Miriam on a blind date in 1989 and it was on their honeymoon in Italy two years later, that he hit upon the idea for The Venetian, the giant $1.5 billion Venice-themed resort-hotel-casino built on the site he cleared by razing the old Sands.
#20
JACK MA
$39 Billion
Source: Alibaba Group
Country: China
Apart from being the chairman of Alibaba Group, Jack Ma has stakes in Huayi Brothers and Beijing Enlight Media. The former English teacher employs more women than men as he believes that his service industry can be managed by women better than men. In fact he has been quoted saying, “if you want your company to operate with wisdom, with care, then women are the best.” In fact his success mantra is simple hire people who are smarter than you and focus on getting them to work together. And it certainly seems a well-planned strategy. In fact Alibaba has earned $25 billion in 24 hours, during its flagship event Double 11 last year and all the payments were done through Alipay.
#19
MUKESH AMBANI
$40.1 Billion
Source: Reliance Industries
Country: India
The world’s richest Asian, Mukesh Ambani is a teetotaler and pure vegetarian may be a shy public speaker but owns world’s largest refinery. He also owns Antilia a $1 billion residence with 27 stories said to be world’s most expensive residential property. A family man, he makes it a point to spend his Sundays with his mother, wife and children. His customized vanity van is worth Rs. 25 crores. His newest venture is the 4G phone service Jio has over 160 million customers courtesy its free domestic voice calls, inexpensive data services and virtually free smartphones. Although he dislikes celebrating his birthday he gifted his wife Nita Ambani a jet plane worth 62 million dollars on one of her birthdays. “Mukesh Ambani is a business metaphor for width and depth of keen business involvement in the most high profit profile businesses. The Reliance group can today possibly talk of a proud ‘Mukesh touch’ as opposed to a ‘Midas touch’ of yore,” says Bijoor.
#18
FRANCOISE BETTENCOURT MEYERS
$42.2 Billion
Source: L’Oréal
Country: France
The richest woman in Europe, Francoise Bettencourt Meyers is the reigning L’Oreal Heiress post her mother’s demise last year. The author of three books on Bible commentaries, Jewish-Christian relations and Greek Gods she enjoys playing the piano and is known for playing it for several hours a day. The L’Oreal Corporate Foundation helps donating to science, solidarity and educational causes. Francoise herself is a recluse unlike her mother and prefers to live in a cocoon, within the confines of her family.
#17
MA HUATENG
$45.3 Billion
Source: Tencent Holdings
Country: China
Chairman of Chinese Internet giant Tencent Holdings, Ma Huateng is behind the popular social messaging app WeChat in China that has nearly one billion users. Also called Pony Ma, he has been nicknamed ‘dark horse’ as “Ma” means horse in Chinese. Tencent has also acquired a 12% stake in Snapchat-parent Snap. Interestingly he met his wife over Tencent’s QQ instant messaging service. The shy billionaire is part of the National People Congress and loves the outdoors.
#16
ALICE WALTON
$46 Billion
Source: Walmart
Country: United States
The richest woman in the world is the daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton, Alice Walton is an art curator and opened the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Arkansas. Her personal art collection is worth hundreds of millions of dollars. She also oversees the Walton Family Foundation that supports environmental conservation, K-12 education and economic development in the Mississippi delta and northwest Arkansas regions. Alice however has managed to keep her personal life completed secluded and private and used to live on a 3200 acre Texas ranch. An equestrian and horse lover she raised cutting horses on her other 1432-acre ranch ‘Rocking W Ranch’ that she also sold last year.
#15
S. ROBSON WALTON
$46.2 Billion
Source: Walmart
Country: United States
S. Robson Walton is the eldest son of Walmart founder Sam Walton and retired as chairman in 2015. A member of the board, he recently offloaded a chunk of his shares for a neat $62.3 million. He still owns shares worth $8.4 billion. He has been a speaker at the Aspen Ideas Festival which happens to be a gathering of leaders from across the world and serves as a Director of The Walton Family Foundation.
#14
JIM WALTON
$46.4 Billion
Source: Walmart, Arvest Bank Group, Inc.
Country: United States
The youngest son of Walmart founder Sam Walton, Jim Walton runs Arvest Bank, the largest one in the state that handles assets in excess of $16 billion. He also owns Community Publishers that operates newspapers in Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. The main source of his fortunes come from the huge dividends paid by the company.
#13
SERGEY BRIN
$47.5 Billion
Source: Alpahbet (Google)
Country: United States
Sergey Brin cofounded search engine firm Google with Larry Page in 1998 and is the President of the company. Google changed its name to Alphabet in 2015. He once vied in the 2006 Masters Division World Championships of diving. He owns a 5.5 percent stake in the company and small stakes in electric-car maker Tesla and 23andMe, a genome-mapping company started by his ex-wife, Anne Wojcicki. He is a high-adrenaline junkie and enjoys skating, skiing, gymnastics and even trapeze. He has donated millions to research on Parkinson’s disease.
#12
LARRY PAGE
$48.8 Billion
Source: Alphabet (Google)
Country: United States
As CEO of Alphabet, Google’s parent company, the soft spoken, quirky Larry Page also invented Google’s PageRank algorithm that powers the search engine. A fan of the Tevada desert for the free-wheeling art festival Burning Man, he lives with his wife and two kids in a Palo Alto compound that includes a home as well as an eco-mansion with a rooftop garden and solar panels worth $7 million. One of his indulgences is the 194-foot super-yacht “Senses” that costed him $45 million and has a helipad and a Jacuzzi on its deck. He also started ‘Carl Victor Page Memorial Foundation’ and has now trained his eyes on flying cars and has reportedly invested in Kitty Hawk and Zee.Aero
#11
MICHAEL BLOOMBERG
$50 Billion
Source: Bloomberg
Country: United States
Michael Bloomberg twitter profile reads “Entrepreneur, philanthropist, and three-term mayor of New York City”. He cofounded Bloomberg LP, a financial information and media company in 1981 and continues to hold an 88% stake in the business and has donated more than $5 billion to gun control and climate change. He enjoys hassle-free travel and has used his private plane to travel to Mexico, Ireland, Israel, Albany, Athens and the U.K. A jet setter he enjoys aviation and owns a $4.5 million six-seat Agusta SPA A109S helicopter and a Dassault Falcon 900 jet.
#10
LARRY ELLISON
$58.5 Billion
Source: Oracle
Country: United States
Larry Ellison cofounded Oracle in 1977 and continues to serve as chairman of the board and chief technology officer. While he may control the world’s best database company he has made several high profile real estate investments. Often called ‘the nation’s most avid trophy-home buyer’ he has several homes that he hopes to convert to art museums and each will have a separate kind of art from his collections – modern art, Japanese art 19th century European art and French impressionism. A licensed pilot who owns two military jets, Ellison has diversified his company into hardware through the acquisition of Sun Microsystems and cloud computing through the acquisition of Netsuite. Passionate about yachting, he owns 98% of the Hawaiian island of Lanai.
#9
DAVID KOCH
$60 Billion
Source: Koch Industries
Country: United States
With revenues in excess of $100 billion, Koch Industries operates pipelines, produces fertilizer, makes Dixie cups and Quilted Northern toilet paper. David Koch shares majority control of Koch Industries overseeing its chemical technology group. An air crash survivor he holds four US patents and he enjoys skiing, polo and history. He is a philanthropist who keeps a low profile but has made generous donations to New York’s Lincoln Center and Memorial-Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York-Presbyterian Hospital and the at the American Museum of Natural History’s Dinosaur Wing.
#8
CHARLES KOCH
$60 Billion
Source: Koch Industries
Country: United States
CEO of Koch industries Charles Koch has funded a number of think tanks, including the libertarian Cato Institute, the Heritage Foundation, the American Enterprise Institute, Institute for Humane Studies, the Ayn Rand Institute and the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Through the Koch Cultural Trust founded by wife, Elizabeth, the Koch family funds artistic projects and creative artists. In his book ‘The Science of Success’ he explains the concept of Market Based Management as one of the reasons behind the success of Koch Industries.
#7
CARLOS SLIM HELU
$67.1 Billion
Source: América Móvil
Country: Mexico
Mexico’s richest man, Carlos Slim Helu controls Latin America’s biggest mobile telecom firm America Movil and also owns stakes in Mexican construction, consumer goods, mining and real estate companies apart from The New York Times. He has a keen interest in the environment and last year he announced a partnership with actor Leonardo DiCaprio and the Mexican Government to protect the marine mammals’ habitat in the upper Gulf of California. His foundation Fundacion Carlos Slim supports health, education, sports and art-related causes. The Soumaya Museum in Mexico City displays his extensive, eclectic art collection.
#6
AMANCIO ORTEGA
$70 Billion
Source: Zara
Country: Spain
A self-made billionaire, Amancio Ortega is the world’s wealthiest retailer who cofounded Inditex, known for the Zara fashion chain. For someone who stuck with belief that “the customer has always driven the business model”, he owns real estate in Madrid, Barcelona, London, Chicago, Miami and New York. While very less is known about his private life, he owns The Global Express BD-700, a private jet designed by Bombardier that costs $45 million. The owner of the Epic Residences and Hotel in Miami, Torre Picasso in Madrid, he spends his weekends raising goats and chickens at his country home in the Spanish province of Galicia. He owns an equestrian center in Finisterre in Spain and also enjoys horseback riding.
#5
MARK ZUCKERBERG
$71 Billion
Source: Facebook
Country: United States
He founded Facebook when he was just 19 and still owns close to 17% of the stock. However he and his wife, Priscilla Chan, have pledged to give away 99% of their Facebook stake over their lifetimes. The youngest billionaire in the world he wears same gray T-shirt almost every day because it saves his time in the morning. The Facebook blue is because he suffers from red/green colour blindness. He holds 50 patents to his name and is annual salary at Facebook is 1 USD. And yes, he cannot be blocked on Facebook!
#4
BERNARD ARNAULT
$72 Billion
Source: LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton
Country: France
Louis Vuitton leather goods, TAG Heuer watches and Dom Perignon champagne. Can things get more luxurious than this? Well Bernard Arnault oversees an empire of 70 brands including all these and more. He owns the Indigo Island in the Bahamas and has a personal art collection including artists like artists like Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Damien Hirst and Maurizio Cattelan. He also supports humanitarian, environmental, technological and medical causes and is the man behind the $135 million Frank Gehry-designed Foundation Louis Vuitton museum in Paris’ Bois de Boulogne.
#3
WARREN BUFFETT
$84 Billion
Source: Berkshire Hathaway
Country: United States
The Oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffett runs Berkshire Hathaway an investment companny which owns over 60 companies, including insurer Geico, Duracell, Clayton Homes, MidAmerican Energy, Dairy Queen and has stakes in Coca-Cola and American Express. He reads an average of 500 pages per day and playing bridge online is his favorite way to unwind. He launched The Giving Pledge with Bill Gates asking billionaires to donate half their wealth to charitable causes and has committed to giving more than 99% of his fortune to charity.
#2
BILL GATES
$90 Billion
Source: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Microsoft
Country: United States
Bill Gates chairs the world’s largest private charitable foundation Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that helps save lives and improve global health. Gates now owns only 1% of the shares in Microsoft that he founded but remains on the board. He is now working on polio eradication. Interestingly in 2015, the Government of India conferred the Padma Bhushan, to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. In spite of his immense wealth, his kids will only inherit $10 million each as Gates is clear they have to find their own path. An avid reader of technology, economics, wars, civilization and evolution he lives in a sprawling $154 million home named ‘Xanadu 2.0’, after the fictional home of the title character from ‘Citizen Kane’.
#1
JEFF BEZOS
$ 112 Billion
Source: Amazon
Country: United States
The first person to exceed $100 billion the world’s richest person,
Jeff Bezos owns 16% of Amazon he founded in a garage in Seattle. Well, even as a child he was always unique and wanted to know how toys and machines worked and he had a job at McDonald’s when he was 16. A space travel junkie, his aerospace company, Blue Origin is developing a reusable rocket that will carry passengers and also move industrial and manufacturing industries off the planet. He is also the owner of The Washington Post. His current home in Medina Washington was previously a textile museum and worth over $25 million. A huge Star Trek fan he has donated $45 million to various philanthropic projects and still always tries to get at least 8 hours of sleep.
This story appeared in the May-Jun 2018 issue of Millionaire Asia magazine here: MA_JET set 100