The world is home to many billionaires and millionaires, but only a select few can claim to be among the top ten richest people in the world. These individuals have amassed immense wealth through a combination of hard work, savvy business acumen, and luck. In this article, we will take a look at the top ten richest people in the world, their backgrounds, and how they made their fortunes.
- Bernard Arnault:
Bernard Arnault, the chairman and CEO of LVMH, is currently the richest person in the world. He has a net worth of over $211.2 billion, thanks to the success of his luxury goods conglomerate. LVMH owns a number of high-end brands such as Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, and Moet & Chandon. Arnault is also a well-known art collector and philanthropist.
- Elon Musk:
Elon Musk is a South African-born American business magnate, industrial designer, and engineer, and is currently the second richest person in the world.. He is the founder, CEO, and chief engineer/designer of SpaceX; early investor, CEO, and product architect of Tesla, Inc.; founder of The Boring Company; and co-founder of Neuralink. In December 2016, he was ranked 11th on the Forbes list of The World’s Billionaires. As of January 2020, he was ranked #26 on the Forbes list of billionaires with a net worth of $185 billion. Musk is known for his ambitious goals to reduce global warming through sustainable energy production and consumption, and for his vision to make humanity a multi-planetary species by establishing a human colony on Mars.
- Gautam Adani
Gautam Adani is an Indian billionaire businessman and the chairman of the Adani Group, one of India’s largest conglomerates with interests in ports, agribusiness, logistics, and renewable energy. He was born on June 24, 1962, in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.
Adani began his career as a diamond sorter and later started his own trading business in Ahmedabad. In 1988, he established the Adani Group and began importing polyvinyl chloride, a raw material used in the production of plastic. The company then expanded into other sectors, including ports, logistics, agribusiness, and renewable energy.
Adani is known for his ambitious projects, including the development of the world’s largest private port and special economic zone in Gujarat, India. He also played a key role in the development of India’s first private sector port, Mundra Port. In addition, Adani has invested heavily in renewable energy, with plans to generate 20 GW of solar and wind power by 2025.
Adani is one of India’s wealthiest individuals, with a net worth of over $130 billion. He is also known for his philanthropy, with the Adani Foundation working towards the betterment of education, healthcare, and other social causes. He is married to Priti Adani and has two children.
Despite facing criticism for his business practices, Adani continues to be a major force in the Indian business landscape, and his success story is an inspiration to many entrepreneurs.
- Jeff Bezos:
The founder and CEO of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, is currently the fourth richest person in the world. He has a net worth of over $121 billion, largely thanks to the success of his online retail giant. Bezos founded Amazon in 1994, and it quickly grew to become one of the largest e-commerce companies in the world. In addition to Amazon, Bezos also owns The Washington Post and Blue Origin, a space exploration company.
- Larry Ellison:
Larry Ellison is an American businessman and the founder, chairman, and former CEO of Oracle Corporation, one of the world’s leading software companies. He was born in New York City in 1944 and grew up in Chicago. He attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Chicago, but did not graduate from either institution.
Ellison began his career as a programmer and systems analyst for various companies before co-founding Software Development Laboratories (SDL) in 1977. SDL was later renamed Oracle Corporation and became one of the largest software companies in the world. Under Ellison’s leadership, Oracle developed and released several major software products, including the Oracle Database and Oracle Applications.
Ellison has been widely recognized for his business acumen and entrepreneurial spirit. He is one of the wealthiest people in the world and has been listed among the top ten richest people in the world multiple times. In addition to his business success, Ellison is also known for his philanthropy and charitable contributions. He has donated to a variety of causes, including education, health care, and environmental conservation.
Ellison stepped down as CEO of Oracle in 2014, but remains the company’s chairman and one of its largest shareholders. He is also the founder and CEO of the Ellison Medical Foundation, which focuses on aging-related diseases and biomedical research. He also owns the island of Lanai in Hawaii and has a net worth of $110 billion making him fifth wealthiest person in the world.
- Warren Buffett: Warren Buffett, the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, is currently the sixth richest person in the world.
Warren Buffett is a renowned American businessman, investor, and philanthropist. Born in Omaha, Nebraska in 1930, Buffett displayed an early aptitude for business and investing, buying his first stock at the age of 11. He attended the University of Nebraska and later graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a degree in business administration.
Buffett began his professional career working as a stockbroker and investment salesperson, but quickly realized that he preferred investing his own money rather than selling securities to others. In 1962, he started his own investment partnership, which eventually evolved into Berkshire Hathaway, a multinational conglomerate holding company.
Throughout his career, Buffett has been known for his value investing approach, seeking out undervalued companies and holding onto them for the long term. He is considered one of the most successful investors of all time, with a net worth of over $110 billion.
In addition to his business success, Buffett is also known for his philanthropy, having pledged to give away more than 99% of his wealth to charitable causes. He has also been a vocal advocate for tax reform and has encouraged other wealthy individuals to give back to society.
Despite his immense wealth, Buffett is known for his humility and frugality, still living in the same house he purchased in 1958 and driving his own car rather than hiring a driver. He continues to be actively involved in the management of Berkshire Hathaway and is often referred to as the “Oracle of Omaha” for his investment wisdom.
- Bill Gates: Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, is currently the seventh richest person in the world.
Bill Gates is an American businessman, software developer, and philanthropist. He is best known as the co-founder of Microsoft Corporation, the world’s largest personal-computer software company.
Gates was born on October 28, 1955, in Seattle, Washington. He began programming computers at the age of 13 and went on to attend Harvard University, but dropped out after two years to focus on his business ventures.
In 1975, Gates and his childhood friend Paul Allen founded Microsoft. The company quickly became a leader in the personal computer industry, and by the 1980s, Microsoft’s software was used on the majority of personal computers worldwide.
Gates served as CEO of Microsoft until 2000 and then as chairman until 2008. He stepped down from his role as chairman in 2014 to focus on philanthropy.
In 2000, Gates and his wife, Melinda, established the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which is dedicated to improving global health and reducing poverty. The foundation has donated billions of dollars to various causes and organizations around the world.
Gates has been recognized for his business and philanthropic efforts, receiving numerous awards and honors throughout his career. He is considered one of the most influential people in the world, and his legacy continues to inspire and impact people globally.
- Carlos Slim Helu
Carlos Slim Helu is a Mexican businessman and philanthropist who is widely considered the eighth richest person in the world. He is the chairman and CEO of Telmex, the largest telecommunications company in Mexico, and is also the chairman of several other companies, including America Movil, the largest mobile phone company in Latin America.
Born in Mexico City in 1940, Slim began his career in business at a young age, working in his father’s store and eventually starting his own business. He quickly made a name for himself in the business world, and by the 1970s had become one of the most successful and powerful businessmen in Mexico.
In the years that followed, Slim continued to expand his business empire, building a vast network of companies that spanned several industries, including telecommunications, retail, and real estate. Today, he is considered to be one of the wealthiest people in the world, with a net worth of over $90 billion.
In addition to his business success, Slim is also known for his philanthropy. He is a major donor to several charitable causes, including education and healthcare, and has also established several foundations to support these causes.
Slim is married to Soumaya Domit and together they have six children, Carlos, Marco Antonio, Patrick, Soumaya, Vanessa and Johanna. His family is also known for their philanthropy and business success, with several of his children holding high-level positions in his companies. The Slim family continues to be a prominent force in the Mexican and global business world.
- Mukesh Ambani:
Mukesh Ambani is a prominent Indian businessman and the chairman and largest shareholder of Reliance Industries, a conglomerate with interests in petrochemicals, oil and gas, retail, and telecommunications. He is currently the ninth richest person in the world.
Ambani was born in 1957 in Aden, Yemen, where his father, Dhirubhai Ambani, was working as a fuel and oil trader. He and his family later moved to India, where he grew up in Mumbai. He received a degree in chemical engineering from the Institute of Chemical Technology and a postgraduate degree in business management from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
After completing his education, Ambani joined Reliance Industries, a company founded by his father, and quickly rose through the ranks. In 2002, he became chairman and managing director of the company following the death of his father. Under his leadership, Reliance Industries has grown significantly and is now one of the largest and most successful companies in India.
In addition to his business pursuits, Ambani is also known for his philanthropy and charitable work. He and his family have donated millions of dollars to various causes, including education, healthcare, and disaster relief. He is also a member of various Indian and international business councils and committees.
Ambani is married to Nita Ambani and has three children. He currently resides in a 27-story building in Mumbai, one of the most expensive private properties in the world.
- Francoise Bettencourt Meyers
Francoise Bettencourt Meyers is a French billionaire heiress and businesswoman. She is the only child of Liliane Bettencourt, the former L’Oreal cosmetics company heiress, and Andre Bettencourt, a French politician. Francoise was born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France in 1953.
Francoise grew up in a privileged environment, with her mother being one of the wealthiest women in the world. She studied at the prestigious Sorbonne University in Paris and later earned a degree in literature. After completing her education, Francoise began working at L’Oreal, where she held various positions within the company.
In 1984, Francoise married Jean-Pierre Meyers, a French businessman, and they have two children together. The couple currently lives in Paris and they are actively involved in philanthropic efforts, particularly in the fields of education and culture.
Francoise inherited her mother’s fortune when Liliane passed away in 2017, making her one of the wealthiest individuals in the world. She also inherited her mother’s position as a board member of L’Oreal, which she continues to hold today.
The Bettencourt Meyers family is known for their immense wealth and philanthropic efforts, and they continue to be prominent figures in French society.
Conclusion:
The top ten richest people in the world have amassed immense wealth through a combination of hard work, savvy business acumen, and luck. From the founder of Amazon to the founder of Tesla, these individuals have made their mark in the world through their innovative ideas and entrepreneurial spirit. They are not only known for their wealth, but also for their philanthropy, and their impact on the world economy. It is fascinating to see how these people have built their empires and how they continue to evolve and innovate in their respective fields.
