This article will provide insights into the following topics:
- Real Time Billionaires
- Who is the top 10, top 15 or top 20 richest people in the world?
- Who is No 1 richest person in the world?
1. JEFF BEZOS
Net worth: $113 B
The only centi-billionaire on the earth right now, Jeff Bezos has been holding the title of world's richest man for four years in a row now. Forbes claims Bezos might be the only man with such unprecedented net worth in the entire human history! Not just delivering our online orders, Amazon founder is also working on delivering orbital flights.
2. BILL GATES
Net worth: $98 B
He is mainly known for co-founding once the world's largest software maker, Microsoft. Bill Gates played a big role in the revolution of microcomputers. Currently, he owns the world's largest charitable foundation with his wife and works in the areas of healthcare, education and poverty.
3. BERNARD ARNAULT & FAMILY
Net worth: $76 B
CEO of world largest luxury goods brand -LVMH – Louis Vuitton. He has around 70 big brands under him including Dior, and Tiffany & Co. Regarded as Pope of fashion, this Europe's wealthiest man even toppled Bezos and Gates for brief moments in 2020.
4. WARREN BUFFETT
Net worth: $67.5 B
Berkshire Hathaway, the eighth largest public company in the world and the largest financial services company today is headed by Warren Buffet. This colossal holding company owns many big names from automotive to jewellers like Geico Duracell, Helzberg Diamonds and NetJets. It also has minority holdings in companies like Coco-cola and Apple. Just like Gates, Buffet too is big on philanthropy and has said to give away 99 per cent of his wealth to the former's Bill & Melinda Gates foundation
5. LARRY ELLISON
Net worth: $59 B
He co-founded second-largest software company in the world, Oracle corporation and currently serves as its Executive Chairman and CTO. The company sells database software and clouding solutions and has products like HCM and CRM, which are used by offices worldwide. Ellison has interests in yacht racing, tennis and aviation ( a licensed pilot) and different adventurous sports and has suffered many injuries. No wonder, he has donated millions to numerous medical foundations and has extended his financial support to both the political parties many times. He also is a participant of The Giving Pledge just like his predecessors in this list and many mentioned below.
6. AMANCIO ORTEGA
Net worth: $55.1 B
This Spanish businessman is founder of the biggest fashion group in the world, Inditex. It has around 7200 stores in 86 countries, with more famous names being Zara (which he co-founded with his wife), Oysho & Pull & Bear. Their marketing is concentrated more on celebrity endorsements and a prime location for stores rather than printed material. He too had tipped once Gates to appear at the top of the list for a small period. Currently, his family is wealthiest one in Europe and was married to Rosalía Mera, who was the world's richest self- made woman, until she died in 2013.
7. MARK ZUCKERBERG
Net worth: $54.7 B
This internet entrepreneur has been developing software and games since he was in middle school. He became the youngest billionaire at the age of 23, that was after three years of launching Facebook. Ever since then, he has graced many such Forbes's and Time's lists for most influential and powerful people. He also launched Facebook Platform, which offered programmers various tools to create applications within the parent website. He also introduced Internet.org project in partnership with other big companies like Samsung, as an initiative to bring the people from less developed countries within the ambit of internet services.
8. JIM WALTON
Net worth: $54.6 B
Jim is the third child of the Walton family, the wealthiest family across the globe. He is heir to the largest retailer in the world, Walmart, which was founded by his father Sam Walton, along with his siblings. After his brother's death, he took his place in the Walmart board of directors. He is chairman of Arvest Bank, the largest one in Arkansas and also owns newspaper firm CPI. A large sum from his wealth is also donated to his family foundation, which mainly works for chartered schools and environmental issues.
9. ALICE WALTON
Net worth: $54.4 B
The only daughter in the Walton family is the richest woman in the world with ownership of US $11 billion in Walmart shares. She is more occupied in curating art and also developed the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Arkansas through her family foundation. She has donated millions to many political committees.
10. ROB WALTON
Net worth: $54.1 B
The eldest son of Walton family joined the Conner & Winter's law firm which represented Walmart. He later became Senior Wise president in Walmart. Currently, he is Chairman of the board of directors of Walmart. Along with his siblings, the family has about 50 per cent of the company's ownership.
11. STEVE BALLMER
Net worth: $52.7 B
Steve Ballmer served as CEO for fourteen years in Microsoft after Gates. He was also director of Accenture Ltd. Currently, he owns Los Angeles Clippers of NBA and has made several donations to University of Oregon, Harvard and Jewish National Fund.
12. CARLOS SLIM HELU & FAMILY
Net worth: $52.1 B
Carlos Slim is a business mogul and investor and owns Grupo Carso, which is a conglomerate providing a huge catalogue of services – healthcare, entertainment, media, and transportation are few. The richest Mexican, his net worth can form six per cent of Mexico's GDP. He is the largest single shareholder of The New York Times Company and also owns a holding company Inmobiliaria Carso which works in residential and commercial real estate. He founded three nonprofit organizations in Mexico.
13. LARRY PAGE
Net worth: $50.9 B
Larry Page is known for co-founding Google, Alphabet Inc. & creating Google's search ranking algorithm PageRank. Google is a monopoly in the market with more than 70 per cent of the market share. His investments include Tesla motors & Google.org. This pro-environment internet entrepreneur has also contributed to the fight against Ebola in West Africa. Page jointly owns at least two jets with close friend and business partner Sergey Brin.
14. SERGEY BRIN
Net worth: $49.1 B
Sergey Brin's career story has been much the same as Page. From co-founding google Alphabet Inc. to investing in Google org and Tesla as a contribution to search for renewable energy sources. Son of an immigrant from Russia, after his schooling, got into Stanford for PhD in computer science. But he quit his studies when they started Google. He is currently also involved in Project Glass & Google's driverless car project.
15. FRANCOISE BETTENCOURT MEYERS & FAMILY
Net worth: $48.9 B
Her family owns the world's largest cosmetics company, L'Oreal, which was founded by her grandfather Eugène Schueller. She acts as the current owner and Non- executive Chairwoman. Loreal donated more than $200 million to Notre-Dame de Paris restoration after it caught fire in 2019.
16. MICHAEL BLOOMBERG
Net worth: $48 B
Co-founder and majority owner of Bloomberg LP. The company provides financial, data and software services and also includes global television network, websites and radio stations. He also served as Mayor of New York City for 11 years and was briefly a presidential candidate. He runs Bloomberg Philanthropies which recently supported Covid-19 response.
17. JACK MA
Net worth: $38.8 B
This business magnate started his career as an English lecturer. In 1999 he started B2B e-commerce platform, Alibaba with his friends in his apartment. The richest man in China also likes to dabble in entertainment and has acted in a short film. He also runs the Jack Ma foundations & Alibaba foundation.
18. CHARLES KOCH
Net worth: $38.2 B
Charles Koch is co-owner, chairman & CEO of Koch Industries. He joined his family business, founded by his father, in 1961. Currently, Koch Industries is the second-largest private company in the US by revenues and works in refining and distribution of petroleum & energy, manufacturing chemicals, polymers, minerals etc. He also serves as Director in Invista (a resin, fibre company) & Georgia-Pacific LLC. (paper-pulp products). After his brother, David Koch's death last year, David's wife and three children inherited 42% stake in Koch Industries.
19. JULIA KOCH & FAMILY
Net worth: $38.2 B
Julia Koch inherited an estimated $53.5 billion fortune, making her 3rd richest woman in the world. Worked once as an assistant to American designer Adolfo, Julia dated David Koch for 5 years before they got married in 1996. Julia Fletcher Koch loves fashion and served as co-chairwoman for the 1998 Met Gala.
20. MA HUATENG
Net worth: $38.1 B
Ma Huateng is founder, Chairperson & CEO of world's largest video game vendor, Tencent. This Chinese multinational technology conglomerate holding company offers various products related entertainment, AI and other internet related services like web portals, e-commerce and music sites etc.
Conclusion
As you understand from above, the list constantly keeps on changing every hour. Every day new people are added, and few are replaced. The above one is world's top billionaire's list as of March 2020 by Forbes. It is not absolute data, especially when valuing private assets. Many rich people shy away from media when it comes to finances, for understandable reasons. Hermitage Capital Management CEO Bill Browder claimed in 2017 that Russian President, Putin who has been in power for little short of two decades (not continuously) might be the richest people in the world with a net worth of around $200 B.
Co-author: Shreya Arya
A digital marketing enthusiast with experience in HR and hospital management, Shreya has wide interests ranging from philosophy, psychology to latest trends in automation. She is also a freelance content writer and loves lending beautiful words to ideas and feelings.
