The richest women in the world and Russia. How life is for the nine richest women in the world The richest women in the world Forbes
1. Liliane Bettencourt
State:$39.5 billion
Source of wealth: L'Oreal
Citizenship: France
Age: 94 years old
Family status: widow, one child
Liliane Bettencourt is the daughter and heiress of Eugene Schuler, the founder of the L"Oreal empire. She now owns 33% of the shares of the company, which owns brands such as Lancome and Garnier. Since 2011, Bettencourt's fortune has been controlled by her daughter Françoise Bettencourt Meyer and two grandchildren - this was the decision made the court, recognizing that she was unable to manage affairs due to dementia. In 2012, her grandson Jean-Victor Meyer also replaced her on the board of directors of L'Oreal.
In January 2015, a trial began in Bordeaux, France, to extort hundreds of millions of euros from Bettencourt. 10 people from the billionaire’s entourage were involved in the case. Photographer François-Marie Banier, who an investigation revealed received more than $1 billion in gifts and cash from Bettencourt, was sentenced to 3 years in prison and a fine.
2. Alice Walton
State:$33.8 billion
Source of wealth: Wal-Mart
Citizenship: USA
Age: 67
Family status: divorced
Alice Walton is the only daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton. She is known for funding political campaigns and her passion for the arts. She bought her first piece of art at the age of 10, a reproduction of Pablo Picasso's Blue Nude, which was sold in the first store her father owned, a Ben Franklin Stores franchise. Her own art collection is now valued at hundreds of millions of dollars. In 2011, she opened the Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas, which features works by Andy Warhol, Norman Rockwell and Mark Rothko, among others.
3. Jacqueline Mars
State:$27 billion
Source of wealth: Mars Inc.
Citizenship: USA
Age: 77
Family status: divorced, 3 children
Jacqueline Mars owns a third of the world's largest candy manufacturer, Mars Inc., which her grandfather founded in 1911 in his own kitchen. The company owns brands such as M&M's, Milky Way, Dove chocolate, Uncle Ben's rice, as well as 5 brands of pet products, including Whiskas. Number three on the list of the richest women of 2017 herself came to Mars in 1982: she was involved in the launch and marketing of new products. She retired in 2001, but remained a member of the company's board of directors until 2016. Another third of the company is owned by her brother John, and the remaining 33% was owned by another brother, Forrest Junior, until his death at age 84 in July 2016.
4. Maria Franca Fissolo
State:$25.2 billion
Source of wealth: Ferrero
Citizenship: Italy
Age: 82
Family position: widow, 2 children
Maria Franca is the widow of Michel Ferrero, who inherited the Ferrero company from his father after World War II. The latter, together with his wife, came up with Nutella nut-chocolate spread. Now the company owns, for example, such brands as Kinder Chocolates, Ferrero Rocher and Tic Tac. Michel Ferrero died in 2015. For two decades, starting in 1987, Ferrero was run by the couple's sons, Giovanni and Pietro, but the latter died in 2011 during a training cycling race in South Africa. Giovanni plans to keep the company in the family.
5. Susanne Klatten
State:$20.4 billion
Source of wealth: BMW, pharmaceuticals
Citizenship: Germany
Age: 54
Family status: married, 3 children
Susanne Klatten and her brother, Stefan Quandt, together own 50% of BMW shares. She is also the sole owner of Altana. At one time, she inherited a 50% stake in the pharmaceutical and chemical company, which now shows annual sales of more than $2 billion. In 2006, Altana's pharmaceutical business was sold to the Scandinavian Nycomed for $6 billion, and Klatten received about half of this amount in the form of a special dividend. After that, she took the company private and received 100% of the shares. She also owns the investment company SKion Holding Group and shares in the companies Nordex (engaged in wind energy), Geohumus (soil improvers), SGL Group (graphite and carbon production).
6. Laurene Powell Jobs
State:$20 billion
Source of wealth: Apple, Disney
Citizenship: USA
Age: 53
Family status: widow
After the death of Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, his shares in Disney were transferred to Laurene Powell Jobs under the Laurene Powell Jobs Trust. The trust sold part of its stake in Disney. According to financial statements as of January 2017, the trust owns 2.5% of Disney shares, and Lauren Powell herself owns 4% - and in 2015 the trust owned 7.8%. The stake in Disney, which is worth several times more than the 0.7% in Apple owned by the widow of its founder, passed to Steven Jobs in 2006, when he sold his Pixar studio to the animation giant.
7. Georgina Rinehart
State:$15 billion
Source of wealth: Hancock Prospecting
Citizenship: Australia
Age: 63
Family status: widow, 4 children
In 2016, she became the second richest person in Australia, second only to Blair Perry-Okeden. The source of its wealth is iron ore, that is, its size depends on the value of the natural resource. She received Hancock Prospecting as part of an inheritance from her father, Lang Hancock. She, however, was less fortunate than many of her “colleagues” in the rating: the company was going through hard times and was on the verge of bankruptcy. Rinehart managed to grow the business by starting mining: Hope Downs generates most of its income, and the Roy Hill project, which she launched, shipped 30 million tons of iron ore in the first 14 months of development. For a long time, Rinehart was in court over the distribution of shares in the company with her children (according to her father’s will, in 2011 all his grandchildren were supposed to receive a share in the trust, but she managed to postpone this point until 2068). In addition, she owns a stake in the television company Ten television network.
8. Abigail Johnson
State:$14.4 billion
Source of wealth: asset Management
Citizenship: USA
Age: 55
Family status: married, 2 children
In 1946, Abigail Johnson's grandfather, Edward Johnson, founded the mutual fund Fidelity Investments. As a young woman, she worked at the foundation during summer vacations and then, after earning an MBA from Harvard Business School, joined the foundation as an analyst in 1988. She became CEO in 2014, and in 2016 she took the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors. Fidelity Investments manages $2.1 trillion in assets. Abigail Johnson has an estimated 24% stake in the company.
9. Iris Fontbon
State:$13.7 billion
Source of wealth: mining industry
Citizenship: Chile
Age: 74
Family status: widow
Iris Fontbona is the widow of Androniko Luksic, who made his fortune in ore mining and beverage production before dying of cancer in 2005. He left his business, Antofagasta Plc (which owns copper ore mining enterprises in Chile and is traded on the London Stock Exchange), to his wife and three sons: Jean-Paul, Andronico and Guillermo. His heirs are also the majority shareholders of Quiñenco, a Chilean conglomerate that is active in the financial and industrial sectors, beer and energy production, the transport industry, and also acts as a port operator. Finally, they own Adriatic Luxury Resorts and Laguna Porec, two hotel chains in Croatia.
10. Beate Heister
State:$13.6 billion
Source of wealth: Aldi supermarkets
Citizenship: Germany
Age: no data
Family status: married, 6 children
Karl Albrech Sr., together with his brother Theo Albrecht, inherited the family grocery store in Essen, turned it into the retail giant Aldi and in 1961 divided the shares according to geography: Karl got stores in Southern Germany and rights to the brand in the UK, USA and Australia. Karl Albrecht Sr. died in 2014. The network went to Karl Albrecht Jr. and Beate Heister, the latter's children. The family foundation Siepmann Stiftung is estimated to own 75% of Aldi Sued's business. Beate Heister has never worked at Aldi, but sits on the company's advisory board with her husband Peter and one of her sons, Peter.
11. Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken
State:$12.6 billion
Source of wealth: Heineken
Citizenship: Netherlands
Age: 62
Family status: married, 5 children
Heineken opened its first brewery 150 years ago in Amsterdam, and now sells 250 premium beers around the world. Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken owns a controlling stake of 23% of Heineken, which she inherited in 2002 from her father Freddie Heineken. Her husband Michael, an investment banker, and son Alexander both also serve on the board of directors.
12. Blair Perry-Okeden
State:$12.2 billion
Source of wealth: Cox Enterprises
Citizenship: USA
Age: 66
Family status: divorced, 2 children
Blair Perry-Okeden is the granddaughter of James M. Cox, two-time governor of Ohio, failed Democratic presidential candidate in 1920, and founder of Cox Enterprises, a machine and media production conglomerate. The company is now run by Blair's brother, Jim Perry-Okeden. The participant in the ranking of the richest women herself does not have a position in the company. She grew up in Hawaii and now lives in the small town of Scone, Australia. Until 2007, when the death of her mother, Barbara Cox Anthony, made her a billionaire, Blair Perry-Okeden successfully avoided the media radar and public attention.
13. Massimiliana Landini Aleotti
State:$9.5 billion
Source of wealth: Menarini
Citizenship: Italy
Age: 74
Family status: widow, 2 children
Massimiliana Landini Aleotti and her children inherited her pharmaceutical business from her husband, Alberto Aleotti: in the 1990s, he bought the Menarini company, where he had previously worked, from the previous owners. He then turned it into one of Italy's most successful drug makers, with 14 factories around the world and more than 16,000 workers. The company's revenue reached $3.4 billion in 2016. The company has twice been at the center of tax evasion scandals, and in September 2016, Lucia and Alberto Giovanni, the children of Massimiliana Landini Aleotti, were sentenced to ten and seven years in prison, respectively. They intend to appeal the verdict.
14. Yang Huiyan
State:$9 billion
Source of wealth: Country Garden Holdings
Citizenship: China
Age: 35
Family status: Married
Yang Huiyan owns a 55% stake in developer Country Garden Holdings, transferred to her by her father in 2007. In particular, the company, together with the Malaysian government, is developing a $36 billion Forest City project near the border of Malaysia and Singapore. Younger sister Yang is also on the company's board of directors.
15. Katherine Rayner
State:$8.1 billion
Source of wealth: Cox Enterprises
Citizenship: USA
Age: 72
Family status: n/a
Rayner's grandfather, James M. Cox founded Cox Enterprises, a machine and media production conglomerate. Catherine Rayner, along with James Cox Chambers and Margaretta Taylor, are heirs to 50% of the family business, which they received from their mother, Anne Cox Chambers. The firm is still entirely family owned, with Katherine Rayner's cousin Jim Kennedy serving as the head of the company's board of directors. Katherine, in turn, is involved in philanthropy: for example, she is on the supervisory board of the New York Public Library and the Animal Rescue Fund, which helps stray animals find homes.
16. Margaretta Taylor
State:$8.1 billion
Source of wealth: Cox Enterprises
Citizenship: USA
Age: 74
Family status: n/a
Cox Enterprises, founded by Marngaretta Taylor's grandfather James M. Cox, includes brands such as Autotrader.com and publications such as The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Although Margaretta herself, like her siblings and their mother Anne Cox Chambers, did not take an active part in the life of the company, her son Alex is the COO and director of Cox Enterprises. Like her sister, Katherine Rayner, Margaretta Taylor devoted herself to philanthropy, helping, for example, the Wildlife Conservation Society (saving endangered species of animals) and the Atlanta Humane Society (helping stray animals).
17. Zhou Qunfei
State:$7.4 billion
Source of wealth: Lens Technology
Citizenship: Hong Kong
Age: 47
Family status: married, 2 children
Zhou Qunfei recently ranked the richest self-made entrepreneurs in the world. She launched projects that failed 11 times, but on 12 everything worked out: Lens Technology - a manufacturer of glass for smartphone screens, two-thirds of whose revenue comes from sales of Samsung and Apple, and 81% of which belongs to Zhou Qunfei - in 2015 after its IPO made her the richest woman in China.
18. Pauline MacMillan Keinat
State:$6.8 billion
Source of wealth: Cargill
Citizenship: USA
Age: 83
Family status: married, 4 children
Pauline McMillan Keinath is believed to be the largest private shareholder of Cargill, an American corporation that does business in a range of sectors, from food processing to financial risk management. She has an estimated 12% stake in the company, which had $106 billion in revenue in 2016. Cargill was founded by Pauline McMillan's great-grandfather Keinath in 1865 in a grain warehouse at the end of a railroad track in Iowa. The Cargill and MacMillan families no longer participate in the management of the corporation, but they still own about 90% of its shares.
19. Sandra Ortega Mera
State:$6.7 billion
Source of wealth: Inditex
Citizenship: Spain
Age: 48
Family status: married, 3 children
Sandra Ortega Mera is the daughter of the second richest man on the planet, Amancio Ortega, who created the clothing manufacturer Inditex (owns brands such as Zara, Massimo Dutti, Oysho). In August 2013, Ortega's mother Mera died, whose fortune passed to her daughter. So Sandra Ortega Mera became the second richest person in Spain after her father. She owns a stake in Inditex through Rosp Corunna, a holding company that she now owns 89%. She devotes her time to Fundación Paideia, an NGO started by her mother that helps people with mental and physical disabilities prepare for mainstream jobs. Her brother was born with cerebral palsy.
20. Kerry Perrodo
State:$6.3 billion
Source of wealth: Perenco
Citizenship: France
Age: 66
Family status: widow, 3 children
The oil company Perenco was founded by Kerry Perrodo's husband Hubert. It is one of the largest private oil companies with operations in Peru, Gabon, Vietnam and other countries. The company's revenue was estimated to be $2.4 billion in 2016. Hubert Perrodo died in 2006 while hiking in the Alps. His fortune went in equal shares to Carrie Perrodo and their three children: Francois, Nathalie and Bertrand. Francois headed Perenco, Natalie - family investments in wine. Carrie Perrodo once had her own modeling agency, Carrie's Models, which she later sold. However, it still exists.
Jacqueline Mars, Francoise Bettencourt Myers, Laurene Powell Jobs, Anne Walton KroenkeAccording to Forbes, every year the number of women who become rich and increase their fortunes is constantly growing (the only exception was 2016, when there were 7 fewer billionaires on the legendary list). If in 2010 the business publication included only 91 ladies in its ranking of billionaires, then by 2019 their number increased to 243. The dynamics are definitely promising.
Moreover, one of the women included in the 2019 Forbes list managed to set a new record. 21-year-old model Kylie Jenner, who earned $1 billion over the past year, has become the youngest billionaire in modern history. Let us remember that even Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was included in the legendary list only at the age of 23.
Using the example of the world's 20 leading billionaires, we decided to figure out what and how to do in order to appear in the Forbes ranking (small spoiler: the shortest path is to be born into a rich family, but it is not the only one).
Francoise Bettencourt Myers
Age: 65 years old
A country: France
State:$49.3 billion
What he does: co-owner of L'Oréal
The French entrepreneur and granddaughter of the founder of L'Oreal first appeared on the Forbes list last year, and in 2019 rose to 15th place and became the leader among women. 33% of L'Oreal shares passed to her in 2017, when her mother died , Liliane Bettencourt (who held the lead in the Forbes “women’s” list for many years). Françoise Bettencourt Myers became a worthy successor to the family business, because under her, the company’s income continued to grow, and the share price rose by 17 percent in 2018. that the Frenchwoman has been involved in the affairs of L"Oreal for a long time - since 1997 she has been on the board of directors. In addition to business, Françoise is the president of a charitable foundation founded by her family, which supports the development of French science and art.
Alice Walton
Age: 69 years old
A country: USA
State:$44.4 billion
What he does: co-owner of Walmart Corporation
Although Alice Walton was born with a silver spoon in her mouth (her family owned and still owns the world's largest retail chain Walmart), she did not immediately join the family business. Instead, the young graduate of Trinity University (Texas) decided to first work on her own, starting in the field of economics and finance. And only after gaining enough experience in analytics and brokerage did Alice take a share in her father’s company, which still brings her impressive dividends. In addition to business, however, Alice, like any self-respecting rich woman, patronizes art, finances political parties (Republicans are regularly awarded the honor of receiving her money) and gets involved in scandals - for the American woman, they are associated with drunk driving. By the way, in 2011, Alice Walton opened the Crystal Bridges Museum in her hometown of Bentonville, Arkansas. The permanent collection features American art from the colonial era to the modern era, including works by Charles Wilson Peale, Andy Warhol, Norman Rockwell and Mark Rothko.
Jacqueline Mars
Age: 79 years old
A country: USA
State:$23.9 billion
What he does: Chairman of the Board of Mars Incorporated
Jacqueline also inherited her share in the “sweet” company. She is an anthropologist by training, but her lack of knowledge and experience in business does not in the least prevent her from earning a huge fortune from the sale of famous chocolates. Jacqueline Mars joined the family business in 1982 (she began working as the head of the food division), and today she owns 1/3 of all shares of Mars Incorporated. Meanwhile, the family company is not Jacqueline’s only source of income. Among other things, the woman serves as a trustee of the US Equestrian Team and is also on the board of directors of the Washington National Opera.
Yang Huiyan
Age: 37 years
A country: China
State: $22.1 billion
What does he do?: main shareholder of the development company Country Garden
Yang Huiyan is not only one of the youngest billionaires on the list, but also the richest person in China. The young Chinese woman received her fortune (70 percent of the shares of Country Garden Holdings) more than 10 years ago as a gift from her father, who, however, still remains the chairman of the family company (though not so rich anymore). It's likely Yang will take over when her father decides to step down, but in the meantime she's preparing to inherit the business: She graduated from The Ohio State University in 2003 and then returned to China to join her father's company in 2005 as purchasing manager, and a year later she was appointed executive director. The Chinese woman really does an excellent job of her responsibilities - this is evidenced by the sharp rise in Country Garden shares in 2018. In just four days of the exchanges' operation, Yang Huiyan's fortune increased from $23.6 billion to $25.6 billion. The talented businesswoman’s personal life is also fine: at the end of 2006, she married the son of a government official (after the young people were organized on a “blind date”).
Susan Klatten
Age: 56 years
A country: Germany
State: $21 billion
What does he do?: owner of the pharmaceutical company Altana and a major shareholder of the BMW automaker
The wealthiest woman in Germany, Susan Klatten received tasty shares in Altana and BMW as an inheritance from her father, but she did not simply squander the resulting fortune, but immediately began developing both companies in accordance with the requirements of new times. Frau Klatten received an excellent education in business administration in Switzerland, and before joining the family business, she previously worked in advertising and PR, as well as as an engineer at BMW. It was under her leadership that Altana grew from an average pharmaceutical company into the third largest company in Germany - Susan still actively advocates investing in chemistry and medicine to discover new innovative drugs. Currently, the woman is the sole owner and vice-chairman of Altana, whose annual sales exceed $2.5 billion. It also owns shares in Nordex AG (a European company engaged in the development, production and sale of wind energy equipment) and SGL Group (a leading manufacturer of carbon products).
Lauren Powell Jobs
Age: 55 years
A country: USA
State: $18.6 billion
What does he do?: co-owner of Apple Inc. and The Walt Disney Company
Today, Lauren is remembered in the press as the widow of the legendary Steve Jobs, but a successful marriage (and inheritance) is not the only thing this woman can boast of. Behind her is an education at the prestigious Stanford University, dozens of social and scientific projects, as well as active participation in Apple Inc. and The Walt Disney Company. In 2004, Laurene Powell Jobs founded the Emerson Collective, a non-profit organization that annually invests millions of dollars in the development of information technology, business and promising startups. In 2017, Emerson Collective became the majority owner of one of America's oldest and most respected literary magazines, The Atlantic. According to the Washington Post, the organization plans to become the sole owner of The Atlantic in 2020-2022. Another famous project of Laurene Powell Jobs was the College Track organization, founded in 1997. For more than 20 years, it has successfully worked to improve the standards of school education in the United States and also provide support to talented students.
Abigail Johnson
Age: 57 years
A country: USA
State: $15.6 billion
What does he do?: Chief Executive Officer of Fidelity Investments
Abigail is the third generation of the Johnson family to hold a leadership position at Fidelity Investments (the company serves investors around the world). Today, in addition to asset management, the woman receives additional income from her 24.4% shares - this situation makes her not only one of the richest billionaires of our time, but also one of the most active. Johnson also always keeps up with the times, which allows Fidelity Investments to stay ahead of its competitors. Her company uses cryptocurrencies, and in 2018 it launched a platform that allowed investors to trade in Bitcoin.
Iris Fontbon
Age: 77 years
A country: Chile
State: $15.4 billion
What does he do?: owner of the mining company Antofagasta
The widow of billionaire Andronico Luxis, Iris Fontbona is today considered the richest person in Chile. The woman and her children receive income both from the activities of the family company and from their shares in the Bank of Chile, several local transport companies and two resorts in Croatia.
Gina Rinehart
Age: 65 years
A country: Australia
State: $15.2 billion
What does he do?: owner of the iron ore company Hancock Prospecting
Kwong Siu-hing
Age: 90 years
A country: China
State: $15.1 billion
What does he do?: largest shareholder of Sun Hung Kai Properties
Kwong Siu-hing is the widow of the founder of Sun Hung Kai Properties, the largest property developer in Hong Kong. She served as chairman of the company from 2008 to 2011 after her eldest son Walter left this post as a result of an acute conflict with his own brothers, Thomas and Raymond. Today it remains Sun Hung Kai's largest shareholder with a 26.58% stake. Her three sons were expected to inherit equal shares of this vast fortune upon her death, but since Walter died in 2018, it is likely that the wealth will be redistributed among his children and brothers. Meanwhile, Thomas and Raymond currently already have a large fortune. In 2017, they were ranked 77th on the Forbes list, and also ranked fourth among the richest people in Hong Kong.
Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken
Age: 64 years
A country: Netherlands
State: $14.2 billion
What does he do?: Co-owner and CEO of Heineken
The daughter of Fredi Heineken, the founder of the brewing company of the same name, inherited 25% of Heineken shares after her father's death in 2002, as a result of which she instantly became the richest entrepreneur in the Netherlands. Since then, Charlene has not only developed the family business, but also gradually introduced her husband and son into it, and also expanded the company’s activities in new countries.
Wu Yajun
Age: 55 years
A country: China
State: $9.4 billion
What does he do?: Co-founder and Chairman of Longfor Properties
In 1993, spouses Wu Yajun and Cai Kui founded Longfor Properties, a holding company that provides investment in Chinese real estate and related services. However, with the divorce of the owners in 2012, Wu Yajun's ex-husband stopped being involved in the company's affairs. Before the Chinese woman got into real estate, she managed to graduate from the Faculty of Navigation Engineering at Northwestern Polytechnic University and work at the Qianwei Meter Factory. Then Wu Yajun decided to change her field of activity and got a job as a journalist at the China Shirong News Agency. At that time, the agency had connections with the construction bureau of the Chongqing municipal government, which proved extremely useful for Yajun when she entered the real estate business. Since its founding, Longfor Properties has developed rapidly and was soon able to establish itself in its segment. Wu's vast fortune is managed by a firm called Wu Capital, which was founded in 2013. She specializes in investing in technology companies including Uber and Evernote.
Blair Parry-Oakden
Age: 69 years
A country: Australia
State: $9.3 billion
What does he do?: co-owner of media conglomerate Cox Enterprises
In the Australian press, Blair Parry-Oakden is referred to as “the billionaire you've never heard of.” A native of the United States, Blair has lived in Australia for many years, where she owns 25% of the local media conglomerate Cox Enterprises. The woman again inherited her fortune, but she does not want to join the family business, leaving the reign to her brother and aunt. Without doing anything at all, she has already surpassed her compatriot Gina Reinhart in the ranking of the richest women in Australia in 2016. However, the active Gina regained her “crown” a year later, which she still holds to this day.
Kirsten Rausing
Age: 66 years
A country: Sweden (UK)
State: $7.9 billion
What does he do?: co-owner of Tetra Pak
The transnational company Tetra Pak, specializing in the production of packaging and equipment for processing liquid food products, was founded in 1951 by the Swede Ruben Rausing, Kirsten’s grandfather. This company proposed a new technology for aseptic packaging, which is still very popular today. Thanks to it, it became possible to produce and sell drinks (juice, milk, etc.) in cardboard packages instead of glass bottles. Today, Kirsten Rausing and her two brothers own equal shares of the company and also sit on the board of directors. In addition, the woman breeds horses at her own stud farm, Lanwades Stud, and is also the director of the British Bloodstock Agency. Kirsten Rausing has been living in the UK for a long time and regularly appears on the lists of the richest people in the United Kingdom.
Massimiliana Landini Aleotti
Age: 76 years
A country: Italy
State: $7.4 billion
What does he do?: co-owner of the pharmaceutical company Menarini Group
Massimiliana Landini Aleotti and her three children inherited a major Italian pharmaceutical company after the death of Massimiliana's husband, Alberto Aleotti, in 2014. Menarini Group was founded back in 1886. Alberto Aleotti started working there in 1964 and bought the company from its previous owners in the early 1990s. Currently, the Menarini Group is a pharmaceutical giant with 16 production sites and more than 17,000 employees worldwide. The company's annual revenue is $4 billion. Due to her advanced age, Senora Massimiliana retired from business management, passing this mission on to her children - daughter Lucia and son Alberto Giovanni.
Christy Walton
Age: 70 years
A country: USA
State: $7.2 billion
What does he do?: Walmart shareholder
The American became related to one of the richest families in America when she married John Thomas Walton, the son of Walmart founder Sam Walton. In 2005, her husband died in a car accident, resulting in Christy Walton inheriting about 1/6 of his fortune - mainly shares of Walmart, First Solar and Arvest Bank. Her son, Lucas Walton, inherited approximately a third of John's estate. The woman is actively involved in charity: in addition to participating in the life of the Walton Family Support Foundation, which specializes in supporting educational institutions, she collaborates with such non-profit organizations as the Philanthropy Roundtable, the San Diego Museum of Natural History and the Mingei International Museum. In 2006, Walton donated her own old Victorian house, which was built in 1896, to the international community foundation ICF. After that, she also donated $4 million to the organization to preserve the building.
A country: Mexico
State: $6.7 billion
What does he do?: Femsa shareholder
Eva Gonda Rivera is the widow of Eugenio Gara Laguera, former chairman of the Mexican beverage, logistics and retail company Femsa. Eva and Eugenio met when they were both still students at the Monterrey Institute of Technology, and got married in 1956. In 2008, Rivera became widowed, but became rich. Her late husband left her and her four daughters a large stake in Femsa. At the moment, the woman is not engaged in business, and the company is managed by her son-in-law, Jose Antonio Fernandez, who is the president and CEO of Femsa.
Denise Coates
Age: 51 years old
A country: Great Britain
State: $6.5 billion
What does he do?: Chief Executive Officer of Bet365
Coates is the co-owner of Bet365 (along with his billionaire brother John). She graduated in econometrics from the University of Sheffield and then began working for bookmaker Provincial Racing. In 2000, Denise realized that the gambling business could become very popular in the virtual space, and registered the domain name Bet365.com. It took her about a year to create a full-fledged website for her project. In 2001, a new Internet platform for online betting was launched. As a result, Bet365 has grown into one of the world's largest gambling companies, with annual revenues of more than $2 billion. An interesting fact came to light in 2017: Coates became the highest paid executive in the UK, earning £217 million in the past 12 months. Thus, the salary of the company's director was more than double the total payments to employees of Stoke City, the second oldest professional football club in England, owned by Bet365. But the widespread criticism has apparently had no effect on Denise Coates' views on the matter. In 2018, she already paid herself $280 million.
Anne Walton Kroenke
Age: 70 years
A country: USA
State: $6.5 billion
What does he do?: Walmart stock owner
Ann Walton Kroenke is the daughter of Bud Walton, who helped his brother Sam create Walmart. She inherited part of her father's share of the business after his death in 1995. The woman received a medical degree and currently does not hold the position of either a board member or executive director of Walmart. In addition to shares in the family company, Ann Walton also owns the Denver Nuggets basketball club and the Colorado Avalanche hockey club.
Photo: Getty Images, Legion-media, www.udf.by, www.vestifinance.ru, www.altonivel.com, press service archives
The world ranking of billionaires according to Forbes in 2016 included 190 women. Russia has been represented on the list for many years now by Elena Baturina - with a net worth of $1.1 billion, she ranks 1577 in the ranking. Women make up just over 10% of Forbes' global ranking of 1,810 people. The top hundred of the list includes 8 women with a total fortune of $174.5 billion. Read more about the participants in the rating below.
Liliane Bettencourt, France
Age: 93 years old
Net worth: $36.1 billion
Source of wealth: L'Oréal
Position in the ranking: No. 11
Liliane Bettencourt and her family own more than 30% of L'Oreal, the perfume giant founded by her father back in 1907. Legally, Bettencourt has remained the sole legal heir to the L'Oréal empire since her father's death in 1957. But after much legal wrangling with her own daughter, Françoise, Liliane was found to be suffering from Alzheimer's disease and showing signs of dementia. On this basis, the court appointed her guardian of her eldest grandson, 25-year-old Jean-Victor Meyer, and gave the right to manage Betancourt's property to her daughter. Under family pressure, Liliane also left the company's board, where she was replaced by Jean-Victor Meyer.
In May 2015, a French court found eight people, including a photographer and L'Oreal managers, guilty of extorting money from Betancourt. According to investigators, they used Betancourt's disease for their own benefit.
Alice Walton, USA
Age: 66 years old
Net worth: $32.3 billion
State Source: Wal-Mart
Position in the ranking: No. 16
Alice Walton is the daughter of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton, who created the chain in 1962. Unlike her brothers Robert and Jim, she is far from entrepreneurial activity and is engaged in collecting and helping artists. In 2011, Alison opened the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas, which brought together under one roof the works of such artists as Andy Warhol, Georgia O'Keeffe, Norman Rockwell, and others. In 2014, the museum campus added a house from New Jersey designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Walton also donated many paintings from her personal collection to her “native” museum.
The Wal-Mart heiress is known as one of the most generous donors to the Republican Party, although she often finances events held in preparation for the presidential campaign of her good old friend Hillary Clinton.
Jacqueline Mars, USA
Age: 76 years old
Net worth: $23.4 billion
State Source: Mars Inc.
Position in the ranking: No. 27
Jacqueline Mars is a representative of the third generation of the Mars family, co-owner of the largest confectionery company in the world (Mars sales are $33 billion). Along with her two brothers, John and Forrest Jr., she inherited the business in 1999 after the death of her father, Forrest Mars Sr. Jacqueline Frank's grandfather opened the first chocolate kitchen in 1911, but it was Forrest Sr. who expanded it.
All Mars are on the company's board of directors, but are not responsible for operational activities. Jacqueline is also a trustee of the U.S. Equestrian Team and a member of the board of directors of the National Sports Library and the Museum of Fine Arts.
Maria Franca Fissolo, Monaco
Age: 98 years
Net worth: $22.1 billion
Source of wealth: Ferrero
Position in the ranking: No. 30
Maria Franca inherited the capital after the death of her husband Michel Ferrero, founder of the Ferrero company, in February 2015. Michel Pietro's father opened the chocolate production during the Second World War. Together with his wife, he came up with a new dessert - Nutella nut-chocolate cream.
Under Michel Ferrero, the company became one of the largest confectionery companies in the world. In 1987, he appointed his sons Pietro and Giovanni as CEO of the company. Pietro, a cycling enthusiast, died in 2011 during a training race in South Africa. Giovanni Ferrero is now not only the head of the company, but also a successful writer. Ferrero owns the brands Kinder chocolates, Ferrero Rocher, Tic Tac and others.
Susanne Klatten, Germany
Age: 53 years
Net worth: $18.5 billion
Source of condition: BMW, pharmaceuticals
Position in the ranking: No. 38
Susanne Klatten is the richest woman in Germany. The main source of her wealth is a 12.6% stake in the BMW automaker, inherited from her father, Herbert Quandt. Susanne and her brother Stefan Quandt have jointly owned 50% of BMW shares since their mother's death in August 2015.
In addition, Klatten controls the pharmaceutical company Altana and has a stake in Nordex AG, which produces equipment for the production of wind energy. The family also owns shares in soil additive company Geohumus and coal and graphite producer SGL.
Laurene Powell Jobs, USA
Age: 52 years
Net worth: $16.7 billion
Source of wealth: Apple, Disney
Position in the ranking: No. 44
Laurene Powell Jobs, the widow of Apple founder Steve Jobs, controls more than 130 million Disney shares, which passed to her after the death of her husband. Lauren Powell's stake in Disney is worth three times more than her stake in Apple.
In addition, Powell founded the Emerson Collective, an organization that advocates using business as a tool to promote social reform and helping students in need. She also runs College Track, a nonprofit program that helps people from low-income communities get an education. Jobs invests in startups and is a board member of Ozy Media and is on the board of trustees of Stanford University.
Abigail Johnson, USA
Age: 54 years
Net worth: $13.1 billion
Source of wealth: finance
Position in the ranking: No. 65
Abigail Johnson succeeded her father as chief executive of Fidelity Investments in October 2014, marking the third generation of the Johnson family to lead the fund (her grandfather Edward Johnson II founded the company in 1946). Fidelity is the second largest open-end mutual fund in the United States (after Vanguard), with assets estimated at $2 trillion. Abigail joined Fidelity in 1988 as an analyst with a Harvard MBA in her pocket. She owns about 24% of the company's shares.
Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken, Netherlands
Age: 61 years
Net worth: $12.3 billion
Source of wealth: Heineken
Position in the ranking: No. 76
Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken owns a 25% stake in brewing giant Heineken, making her one of the richest women in the Netherlands. Her stake in the company passed to her after the death of her father, Freddie Heineken, 10 years ago. Her son Alexander de Carvalho joined the company's management in April 2015. The company owns more than 170 premium brands in more than 65 countries.
In addition, Charlene is interested in photography, music and architecture, and skiing. Her husband, investor and banker Michel de Carvalho, is a member of the supervisory board of Heineken. Interestingly, Michel was an actor as a child: in particular, he can be seen in the Oscar-winning epic film “Lawrence of Arabia” in 1962.
Iris Fontbona, Chile
Age: 73 years old
Net worth: $10.1 billion
Source of wealth: mining industry
Position in the ranking: No. 101
Iris Fontbona is the widow of billionaire Andronico Luxis, who died of cancer in 2005. His business empire was passed on to his wife and three sons (one of them died of cancer in 2013 at the age of 57). The family owns the world's largest copper deposit, a controlling stake in the packaging and drinks manufacturer Quinenco, shares in the Bank of Chile and other energy, transport and port services companies, as well as two resorts in Croatia. In December 2011, during a telethon, Iris donated $3 million to help Chileans with disabilities.
Massimiliana Landini Aleotti, Italy
Age: 73 years old
Net worth: $10.1 billion
Source of wealth: pharmaceuticals
Position in the ranking: No. 101
Massimiliana Landini Aleotti and her two children became co-owners of pharmaceutical giant Menarini after the death of her husband and father Albetro Aleotti in May 2014. Alberto Aleotti began working for Menarini in 1964, brought it to the world market, and bought it from the owners in the early 1990s. Under his leadership, it has become one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies, employing more than 16,000 people. Menarini's profit for 2015 was $3.6 billion. The company is now managed by Alberto Lucia's daughter and his son Alberto Giovanni.
Every year, the famous Forbes publication publishes on its pages the names of the richest people in the world.
And those who think that most of them are social lions and lionesses will be disappointed, because modern rich people do not always appear before the public in an eye-catching appearance to demonstrate the size of their wallet. And therefore, many people do not know what the richest women in the world (and also in Russia) look like. We invite you to see them in person here.
Facts and figures
Most people are interested in the lives of rich celebrities. Everyone is accustomed to the stereotype that most often the wealthiest representatives are males. But it is not so. Many women are accustomed to working and providing for their financial well-being on an equal basis with men. Therefore, the list of ladies who have significantly increased their wealth is growing rapidly from year to year.
Evidence of this is the annual rating of Forbes magazine. So, for example, if in 2016 there were 202 representatives of the female half of humanity among the richest people, then in 2017 this number increased to 227. Yes, this is a slight increase. However, even this trend is considered to be very dynamic, and therefore next year we can quite count on a more impressive “growth”.
Moreover, over the entire existence of the popular publication, the total wealth of the richest women currently amounts to over $850 billion, that is, 11% of the “achievements” of rich men. And this, in fact, is a record figure.
But now a little bit about that. For now, we will look at modern billionaires and try to understand how they managed to get rich enough to get, if not on the cover, but in the spread of the prestigious publication - “Forbes Women”.
List of “legendary” ladies of our time
Perhaps it’s worth starting with what the richest women in the world look like, according to the legendary American publication Forbes. You can not only see photos of these ladies, but also find out what allowed them to “make a fortune” and get on the pages of the legendary magazine.
1. So, the leading position on the Forbes list has been held by 94-year-old native Parisian Liliane Bettencourt for several years in a row. Currently, the richest woman in the world is a co-owner of the famous L "Oréal" corporation.
She is not only the owner of 1/3 of the shares, but also the heiress of the L"Oréal company, because after the death of her father, Liliane Bettencourt became the only successor to the leading French cosmetics and perfume corporation. If we take into account the income of a businesswoman from Paris over the past year , then it increased by almost $3.5 billion. Not a bad indicator, Liliane Bettencourt!
2. The second position after the leader was taken by Elise Walton, the daughter of one of the famous capitalists of the world - Sam Walton, a billionaire from the USA. They say about people like her that the fastest way to get rich is to become the heiress of a rich man. However, American Alice Walton did not immediately take the reins of Wal-Mart Stores into her hands.
First, the young businesswoman devoted several years to studying at Trinity University in Texas, after which she spent some time in brokerage and analytics. Only later, having gained enough experience and skills, did Alice join her father’s business.
Since then, the co-owner of shares in the Walmart retail chain has received excellent dividends. Today, the 67-year-old richest resident of the United States, Alice Walton, invests part of her income in art, as well as in the development of political parties.
3. Jacqueline Mars – 76-year-old resident of the USA. Like her predecessors on the list, she became the heir to the family business and confidently holds 3rd place in the list of the 10 richest women in the world.
The billionaire earns not only from the fact that she owns part of the shares of the “sweet” company “Mars Inc.”. Additional sources of income for the successful lady are her membership on the board of directors of the Washington National Opera and her work as a trustee in one of the American equestrian teams.
Who comes after the top three?
4. Maria Franca Fissolo is a businesswoman who first appeared on the pages of the popular American publication Forbes after the death of her husband, the famous Michel Ferrero. Owning Ferrero SpA, Michel Ferrero's widow has nothing to do with its management.
Shortly after the funeral of her husband, Maria Franca Fissolo handed over the reins of the corporation to her son, Giovanni Ferrero. Currently, the woman, who is one of the ten richest businesswomen in the world and whose financial fortune totals $25.2 billion, now lives in Monaco, in a modest residence.
5. Susan (Suzanne) Klatten is another rich person living in Germany. At 55 years old, she is also a co-owner of two largest concerns (the pharmaceutical company Altana and the automobile company BMW).
Frau Susan is also the heiress of her rich dad. However, having received a tidbit of shares, Klatten did not squander the money, but began to develop corporations, thanks to which she currently has a fortune of just over $20 billion.
6th place, according to the famous Forbes magazine, belongs to the widow of Steven Jobs, founder of the Apple and Pixar corporations, Laurene Powell Jobs. She is also included in the list of "12 Richest Women in the World".
The 53-year-old US resident is not just the lucky owner of $20 billion, which she inherited after the death of her husband. Her own contribution to financial well-being is significant - this is participation in many scientific and social programs, as well as active work in promoting The Walt Disney Company and the Apple Inc. brand.
7. The billionaire who took seventh position on the Forbes list is Australian businesswoman and sole owner of Hancock Prospecting (an iron ore mining company) Gina Rinehart.
Having inherited a significant part of the shares from her father, the girl began promoting the company so energetically and zealously that for some time she even tried to keep her own children away from the family wealth, for which she paid with the opportunity to manage and control the assets of the trust fund by a court decision.
8. One of the richest and still financially active women in the whole world is American Abigail Johnson, who is already in the third generation as the head of Fidelity Investments (a company that provides various services to investors around the globe) .
9. Chilean Iris Fontbona is considered the ninth richest woman in the world on the Forbes list.
Her late husband was the richest man in Chile at one time, who died in 2005 from cancer, the owner of the multimillion-dollar mining company Antofagasta - Andronico Luxis.
Currently, his widow, a businesswoman from Chile, owns not only this concern, but also a couple of resorts in Croatia, as well as several transport companies.
10. The TOP 10 richest women in the world is completed by Beat Heister, a 66-year-old resident of Germany and co-owner of the Aldi chain of stores, whose turnover is $40 billion a year.
But nothing more is known about the life and work of the owner of a chain of German discount stores, since she practically does not communicate with the press and does not reveal the secrets of how to become a rich woman.
Our rich compatriots are the “five” leaders
The same famous American magazine “Forbes” offered the world its own version of the ranking, which includes the richest women in Russia. This is the third time the publication has published such a list dedicated to the wealthiest businesswomen. And the most interesting thing is that the leading position in it has been occupied for many years by Elena Baturina, who began her “path to success” as the wife of the ex-mayor of Moscow.
Do you want to know who, according to the American publication Forbes Woman, deserves to be on the list of the richest women in Russia in 2017? Then let's get started. In total, this year there are about 30 successful businesswomen who were able not only to “stay afloat”, but also to significantly increase their wealth.
And the first place in the ranking of the wealthiest business women in Russia, as we said earlier, goes to Elena Baturina, the wife of Yuri Mikhailovich Luzhkov. The fortune of a successful entrepreneur, owner of a hotel chain and president of Inteco Management (in one person) is just over $1 billion.
Second place went to an equally famous lady - Elena Rybolovleva. She is considered one of the first residents of the Russian Federation who was able to get on the pages of Forbes Woman thanks to her divorce and the fact that she sued her ex-husband for a little more than $600 million.
But now the winner of second place in Forbes magazine lives not in Russia, but in Switzerland, along with her youngest daughter.
The top three is closed by Tatyana Bakalchuk with her 500 million fortune, which she got thanks to her own work and the financial assistance of her husband, Vladislav Bakalchuk. Currently, they own the most successful and profitable online clothing store on the Runet, “Wildberries”.
After them, there are many cultural figures and businesswomen on the list of the richest women in Russia, thanks to whom the Forbes Woman 2017 list becomes even more impressive.
So, fourth place was taken by Olga Alekseevna Belyavtseva, once a simple packer, and now one of the members of the board of directors of Progress Capital ($400 million). She is followed by Natalya Lutsenko, who between her and her husband has a fortune of $325 million. Irina Abramovich is the owner of $300 million and a very promising private investor, who was once the legal wife of a bright personality and the richest businessman Roman Abramovich. She closes the TOP-5 wealthy residents of the Russian Federation. Author: Elena Suvorova
Representatives of the fair half of humanity cannot but rejoice. Delicate, beautiful, feminine, amazing... And also rich! In our article we will tell you about the most enviable ladies in the world. All of them, as you can see, are quite elderly.
Tenth place. Jacqueline Mars. (10 billion)
This chocolate queen, at more than seven decades old, has $10 billion. The best-selling company products are Snickers (by the way, these chocolate bars are named after the Mars family’s favorite horse) and M&M’s. A great horse lover and philanthropist, she inherited such a great fortune from her father, after which she managed to somewhat expand the scope of the company.
The education you once received also plays a role.
Jacqueline graduated from Bryn Mawr College. She was deservedly awarded a bachelor's degree in science and arts. Being an educated woman and quite successful in other areas,
- Jacqueline never ceases to be interested in the company's activities.
- By the way, Jacqueline Mars is also active in her own personal life.
- She has been married twice and has two children.
Family is everything to Jacqueline Mars.
She in every possible way protects her own family from journalists and photographers, considering this her legitimate private right.
Undoubtedly, the name Jacqueline Mars will forever remain associated with the name and activities of a successful, famous and beloved company - Mars Incorporated, the existence of which was once laid by the most ordinary candy.
Ninth place. Abigail Johnson. ($11.3 billion)
The Harvard University graduate inherited her $11.3 billion fortune. Today she manages the financial corporation Fidelity Investments.
Eighth place. It is occupied by Savitri Jindal with a fortune of $13.2 billion.
This wealthy representative of the fair half of humanity built her income together with her husband Om Prakash Jindal (he died in a helicopter crash). The company that generates income for Savitri Jindal and her family has become famous throughout the country (India) for scandals and conflicts related to environmental protection: the rich woman is accused of violating environmental laws when designing her energy projects.
Seventh place. Anne Cox Chambers. Her fortune is $13.4 billion.
The rich woman celebrated her ninety-year anniversary in the village of Jacksonburg in Ohio: this is where she spent her childhood. Ann's father became the founder of Cox Enterprises. Today the company includes Cox Media Group (15 television channels, more than a dozen newspapers and 86 radio stations), Cox Communications, AutoTrader.com and Manheim auto auction.
Sixth place. Birgit Rausing and her family. ($14 billion)
Who would have thought that one could make a real fortune in packaging production? The richest woman in all of Sweden inherited a $14 billion fortune after her husband died in 2000. The company was founded by the billionaire's father-in-law in 1944.
Currently, the company's turnover reaches $15.3 billion per year. Birgit Rausing's three children are involved in the management of the company and are members of the Board of Directors of Tetra Laval.
Video - women from Rublyovka
Fifth place. Suzanne Klatten. Today her fortune reaches $14.6 billion.
The German billionaire acquired such a huge amount of money by inheritance from her father, who left her a stake in BMW and 50% in the chemical company Altana. In addition, Suzanne Klatten owns shares in the wind turbine manufacturer Nordex AG, as well as in the Geohumus company (the company develops soil additives for use in agriculture).
There were already lovers of “profit” and swindlers with such a considerable fortune.
Most recently, Klatten had to take part in a lawsuit against her former lover named Helga Sgarbi. This enterprising businessman extorted €43 million from Klatten by threatening to show the rich woman’s husband a compromising video. True, this attempt ended very sadly for the gigolo: six years in prison.
Fourth place. Iris Fontbon. Its capital is approaching $19.2 billion.
It is worth noting that her family has now established control over one of the largest copper deposits in the world - Antofagasta. Some time ago, the company's shares jumped by 70% on world markets, which could not but affect the capital of the second wife, and now the widow of a Chilean billionaire named Andronico Laxico (he died in 2005 from cancer).
In addition, the woman’s significant profits come from her shares in the Quinenco company, which produces beverages and consumer packaging, as well as a chain of hotels located in Croatia.
And now it’s worth moving on to the top three richest ladies in the whole world.
Alice Walton - $21.2 billion
She received an inheritance that she inherited from her father, Sam Walton, the man who founded the Wal-Mart empire. Nowadays, the woman does not take part in the management of the company; she collects art objects.
Last November, Alice Walton opened a museum called Crystal Bridges in the city of Bentonville (the place where the history of the first store of the world empire began).
Alice Walton received her capital in 1992. As for the current state, Wal-Mart shares increased by 5% in 2010, as a result of which the billionaire received dividends in the amount of $420 million.
Second place. Lilian Bettencourt. ($23.5 billion)
The widow, Liliane Bettencourt, inherited a $23.5 billion fortune from her father. The source of wealth was a company known throughout the world - L’Oreal. Just two years ago, Liliane Bettencourt found herself at the very center of a family scandal that became known to the whole world.
In 2008, Françoise Bettencourt-Meyer, the only daughter of a wealthy widow, appealed to the French court
for him to investigate her mother's alleged transfer of about $1.4 billion to a photographer acquaintance, who, according to the plaintiff, used Lilian Bettencourt, who was widowed in 2007.
The richest woman in France herself denied such allegations. But everything worked out. In 2010, the daughter and mother finally reconciled, withdrawing all existing lawsuits. By the way, it is worth saying that almost all of Lilian Betancourt’s life is accompanied by scandals. For example, the founder of L’Oreal, Eugene Schuller, according to many, collaborated with the Nazis during the war.
Christy Walton, whose net worth is about 28.5 billion.
The source of her untold wealth is said to be Wal-Mart, a company that this representative of the fair half of humanity inherited from her husband John Walton, who died in a plane crash in 2005. The most tragic thing is that the place where John's plane crashed was very close to his home in Wyoming. Perhaps the capital of this representative of the fair half of humanity would not have reached such a value if the late husband of today’s richest woman in the world had not invested capital in First Solar (solar energy) in time.
First Solar shares increased 500% in 2006.
As our top richest women in the world, Most of the representatives of the fair half of humanity received huge sums of money and untold wealth by inheritance: someone received their fortune from their father, someone inherited it from their husband. Only a few of the billionaires try to participate in the management of companies and the capital that they received, while the majority prefer to be involved in museums, education, culture and simply receive certain interest.
Video: Discovery, a documentary about the world's richest people
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