Our current era is characterized by relentless ambition and entrepreneurial spirit. In this context, an exclusive few have amassed staggering wealth, pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved. They are more than just successful individuals; they are leaders who have leveraged their vision and innovation to reach the pinnacle of global prosperity.
The combined net worth of the top 10 richest individuals is so whopping that it surpasses the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of several countries. Primarily, their fortunes are rooted in the technology, finance, and retail sectors. The widening wealth gap between these ultra-rich and the less fortunate is a topic of global concern.
This piece explores the lives and impressive achievements of the top 10 wealthiest people in the world.
Elon Musk
- Age: 52
- Residence: Austin, Texas
- Citizenship: US
Elon Musk holds the title of the wealthiest individual globally. He heads multiple prominent companies, including electric vehicle giant Tesla and aerospace manufacturer SpaceX. He owns a 23% stake in Tesla, with around two-thirds of his wealth linked to Tesla’s performance. Musk made a significant splash in the news in October 2022 after acquiring Twitter for an enormous $44 billion.
Musk guided Tesla to its initial public offering in 2010. The company’s market capitalization witnessed substantial growth in 2020 and 2021, catapulting Musk into the world’s top 10 richest people in September. Musk’s wealth had astonishingly soared to $320 billion.
Bernard Arnault & Family
- Age: 74
- Residence: Paris
- Citizenship: France
Bernard Arnault, the second wealthiest individual globally, is at the helm of Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH), the largest luxury goods company worldwide. The LVMH portfolio boasts around 70 esteemed fashion and cosmetics brands, such as Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Moet & Chandon, and Sephora. In January 2021, LVMH added another feather to its cap by acquiring jeweler Tiffany & Co. for a whopping $15.8 billion. Arnault’s five children are part of various aspects of the vast LVMH conglomerate. As of January 2023, Arnault’s daughter Delphine has taken the reins of Dior, the group’s second biggest brand.
Warren Buffett
- Age: 93
- Home: Omaha, Nebraska
- Nationality: American
Warren Buffett, also known as the “Oracle of Omaha,” is among the most successful investors in history. He leads Berkshire Hathaway, an investment conglomerate with a diverse range of holdings, such as Geico, Duracell, and Dairy Queen. In 2010, Buffett, alongside Bill and Melinda French Gates, formed the Giving Pledge initiative, encouraging billionaires to donate at least half of their wealth to charity.
Bill Gates
- Age: 67
- Home: Medina, Washington
- Nationality: American
In 1987, Forbes declared Gates a billionaire. From 1995 to 2017, he held the title of the richest person globally, with brief exceptions in 2008 and between 2010 and 2013. In 2021, Gates and Melinda French Gates divorced, with Melinda receiving at least $6 billion in stock as part of the agreement. Gates’ wealth reportedly increased by about $500 million from May 1 to June 1, 2023, pushing him up one spot to fifth place in the rankings.
Mark Zuckerberg
- Age: 39
- Home: Palo Alto, California
- Nationality: American
Mark Zuckerberg, the co-founder and CEO of Meta Platforms, launched Facebook in 2004 when he was just 19. He was studying computer science and psychology at Harvard University. Facebook was designed to match student names to their pictures on campus. In 2006, Facebook opened to anyone over 13 with an email. In May 2012, Zuckerberg took the company public and was ranked 10th on Forbes’ list of The World’s Most Powerful People in December 2016. Currently, Zuckerberg owns roughly 13 percent of the company’s stock. Zuckerberg, married to Priscilla Chan and father to three girls, is committing $3 billion to eliminate, cure, or manage all diseases by 2100.
Larry Page
- Age: 50
- Home: Palo Alto, California
- Nationality: American
Larry Page, along with his Stanford PhD colleague Sergey Brin, founded Google in 1998. Page was CEO until 2001, then again from 2011 to 2015. He is currently a board member of Alphabet, Google’s parent company, and retains substantial ownership. Page also invested in Planetary Resources, a company dedicated to space exploration.
Steve Ballmer
- Age: 67
- Home: Hunts Point, Washington
- Nationality: American
Steve Ballmer, a Harvard classmate of Bill Gates, served as Microsoft’s CEO from 2000 to 2014. He started at Microsoft in 1980 as the 30th employee after leaving his MBA program at Stanford. The year Ballmer left Microsoft, he bought the Los Angeles Clippers for a record $2 billion.
Sergey Brin
- Age: 50
- Home: Los Altos, California
- Nationality: American
Sergey Brin, a colleague of Larry Page at Stanford, co-created the Google search engine in 1998. Born in Russia, Brin was originally Google’s technology president and later supervised special projects like the development of Google Glass. Brin is now a board member of Alphabet, Google’s parent company, and has a significant share in the company.
Carlos Slim Helu
- Age: 83
- Home: Mexico City
- Nationality: Mexican
Carlos Slim Helu and his family manage América Móvil, the biggest mobile telecom company in Latin America, operating in over 15 countries. In 1990, Slim and his international telecom partners bought Telmex, a formerly state-owned telephone company that became a part of América Móvil. Slim also owns shares in many Mexican sectors, including construction, consumer goods, mining, and real estate.
