The World's Richest People--Billionaires All

[Adam's Apple]

http://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/10/Rank_1.html

 

[Trigg]

I wonder if any of them are looking to adopt a needy family???

Or, maybe they're looking for the daughter they never had?? I'll have to send my number around

 

[fuzzykitten99]

I wish this list would include what these people do/did to become this wealthy. Some I already know, like JK Rowling of course (p32), but most of the rest, ???...

 

[waltky]

Granny likes a man with lotsa money...

Who are the 8 richest people? All men, mostly Americans
January 16, 2017 — The eight individuals who own as much as half of the rest of the planet are all men, and have largely made their fortunes in technology. Most are American, with one European and one Mexican in the mix. Several have pledged to give it all to charity.

The eight tycoons' net worth, as calculated by Forbes magazine, was cited Monday by anti-poverty activists Oxfam in a report highlighting income inequality. Although most of them will not be joining the annual meeting of business and political elites in the Swiss town of Davos this week, the extraordinary individual wealth they typify will be part of the gathering's discussions on inequality.

Here's a look at who they are.

Bill Gates: $75 billion

The man whose name is a byword for billionaire. Gates co-founded Microsoft in the mid-70s, growing it into the world's biggest software company and helping to make computers a household item. He quit as CEO in 2000 and pledged to devote his fortune to his philanthropic activities in the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. He has gradually reduced his ownership in Microsoft to less than 3 percent, with the bulk of his wealth in a private firm. He's the only one on the list who's a regular at Davos.

Amancio Ortega: $67 billion

The richest person in Europe, Ortega opened the first Zara fashion shop in 1975. Now, the chain, part of Ortega's Inditex group, has 7,000 shops globally. Its boom in popularity is largely due to a low cost model that competes with the likes of H&M. As Zara and Inditex grew in size, Ortega, a Spaniard, held on to a majority stake of 59 percent in the company, which has a market value of over 97 billion euros ($102 billion).

Warren Buffett: $60.8 billion

The Oracle of Omaha, as he's known for the way his every investment decision is followed by thousands. Buffett began investing as a teenager in the 1940s and gradually grew his firm, Berkshire Hathaway. Buffett, 86, is notoriously frugal and favors investing in companies with proven business models over new industries, such as in technology. He's said he will give away the bulk of his wealth to philanthropy. Since 2006, he's been donating blocks of Berkshire stock to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Carlos Slim Helu: $50 billion

The Mexican tycoon owes his fortune to a major ownership in America Movil, a telecommunications multinational worth $42 billion. He personally owns about 7 percent in the company while his broader family retains a 37 percent stake. He was ranked as the richest person three years ago, but saw his net worth hit by a downturn in Latin American economies. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's threats to scrap free trade deals and build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border have also hurt shares in his business interests. Forbes estimates his net worth dropped $5 billion in the four days after Trump's election.

Jeff Bezos: $45.2 billion

 

[blastoff]

Dang! Just missed making the list again. Gonna have to find more ways to illegally appropriate money from others in order to help my standing.