In a world driven by wealth and success, keeping a finger on the pulse of the richest people in the world is a topic of interest for many. From tech magnates to financial moguls, these rich individuals represent the pinnacle of financial accomplishment.
Also, the increasing wealth of the world’s billionaires has sparked a debate about the growing gap between the rich and the people with low incomes. Although, some argue that the wealth of the ultra-rich is a sign of economic progress and innovation. Others argue that it is a sign of inequality and injustice.
Whatever the case may be, in this blog post, we will take a closer look at the 15 richest people in the world in 2023. According to Forbes, below are some of the richest people in the world in 2024 as
So, let’s dive in!
15 Richest People in the World
#1 Elon Musk
- Age: 52
- Country: United States
- Source of Wealth: Technology
- Co-founder and CEO: Tesla
- Profile Summary: Elon Musk is widely recognized for his visionary thinking, determination, and audacious goals—a well-known South African-born American entrepreneur and businessman. he has been on the list of one of the richest people in the world for the past 5 years now. Elon has made significant contributions to various fields, including technology, transportation, and space exploration. His impressive portfolio includes groundbreaking ventures such as PayPal (originally X.com), SpaceX, Tesla, Neuralink, and The Boring Company, attesting to his significant contributions to innovation.
- Recent Developments: In 2022, Musk acquired Twitter for $44 billion. He has also been in the news for his plans to colonize Mars.
- Net Worth: $205.7B
#2 Bernard Arnault
- Age: 74
- Country: France
- Source of Wealth: Luxury goods
- CEO and Chair: LVMH
- Profile Summary: A distinguished French business tycoon, Bernard holds the positions of chairman and CEO at LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton, known as the globe’s largest luxury goods conglomerate. He not only stands as the wealthiest individual in Europe but also claims the second spot in global wealth rankings. In 1971, he inherited his father’s construction enterprise and astutely transformed it into a thriving real estate venture. He also acquired Christian Dior in 1987, a luxury goods powerhouse, Arnault’s impressive track record further boasts the acquisition of prominent luxury brands, including Moët & Chandon, Hennessy, TAG Heuer, and Sephora.
- Recent Developments: In 2023, Arnault’s net worth increased by $40 billion, making him the world’s second richest person. He has also been in the news for his plans to expand LVMH into new markets, such as China and India.
- Net Worth: $220.7B
#3 Jeff Bezos
- Age: 60
- Country: United States
- Source of Wealth: E-commerce
- Profile Summary: Bezos is an American entrepreneur and businessman who founded Amazon in 1994. Bezos is the richest person in the United States and the third richest person in the world. He started Amazon as an online bookstore and it has since grown into one of the largest retailers in the world. Jeff Bezos also owns the Washington Post and Blue Origin, a space exploration company.
- Recent Developments: Bezos stepped down as CEO of Amazon In 2022, and became the executive chairman of the company. He also said he would be investing $10 billion in his philanthropic foundation, the Bezos Earth Fund.
- Net Worth: $190.7B
#4 Mark Zuckerberg
- Age: 39
- Country: United States
- Source of Wealth: Social media (Facebook)
- Profile Summary: An American computer programmer and internet entrepreneur. He is the co-founder and CEO of Meta Platforms, formerly known as Facebook. Zuckerberg is the eighth richest person in the world. He founded Facebook in 2004 with his college roommates and it has since become the largest social media platform in the world. Zuckerberg is also the chairman of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, a philanthropic organization that he founded with his wife, Priscilla Chan.
- Recent Developments: The Metaverse and Threads are some of Mark’s recent development.
- Net Worth: $166.6B
#5 Larry Ellison
- Age: 79
- Country: United States
- Source of Wealth: Software
- Profile Summary: An American business magnate who is the co-founder and CEO of Oracle Corporation, the world’s largest independent software company. He is the fourth richest person in the world. Ellison is also the owner of the Hawaiian island of Lanai.
- Recent Developments: In 2022, Ellison’s net worth increased by $10 billion, making him the world’s fourth richest person. He is also in the news for his plans to build a new headquarters for Oracle in Austin, Texas.
- Net Worth: $139.4B
#6 Warren Buffett
- Age: 93
- Country: United States
- Source of Wealth: Investments
- Profile Summary: Warren Buffett is an American business magnate, investor, and philanthropist. He is the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, a holding company that owns a variety of businesses. Buffett is the sixth richest person in the world. He started investing in his early 20s. In addition, he is one of the most successful investors in history. Buffett is also known for his philanthropy and has donated billions of dollars to charity.
- Recent Developments: Buffett’s net worth increased by $5 billion in 2022, making him the world’s sixth richest person. He has also been in the news for his investment in Occidental Petroleum.
- Net Worth: $133.4B
#7 Bill Gates
- Age: 68
- Country: United States
- Source of Wealth: Software
- Profile Summary: Bill is an American business magnate, software developer, investor, and philanthropist. He is the co-founder of Microsoft Corporation. Gates is the fifth richest person in the world. He started Microsoft with his childhood friend Paul Allen in 1975 and it has since grown into the world’s largest software company. Gates stepped down as CEO of Microsoft in 2008 but remains the chairman of the board. He is also the founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the world’s largest charitable foundation.
- Recent Developments: In 2022, Gates’s net worth increased by $2 billion, making him the world’s fifth richest person. He has also been in the news for his work on climate change and global health.
- Net Worth: $124.0B
#8 Steve Ballmer
- Age: 67
- Country: United States
- Source of Wealth: Software
- Profile Summary: Steve Ballmer is an American business executive who was once the CEO of Microsoft from 2000 to 2014. Ballmer is the seventh richest person in the world. He joined Microsoft in 1980 and was one of Bill Gates’s early employees. He became CEO of Microsoft in 2000 after Gates stepped down. Ballmer stepped down as CEO in 2014 and was succeeded by Satya Nadella.
- Recent Developments: Ballmer has been in the news for his investment in the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team.
- Net Worth: $120.3B
#9 Larry Page
- Age: 50
- Country: United States
- Source of Wealth: Search engine
- Co-founder and Board Member: Alphabet
- Profile Summary: Larry Page is an American computer scientist and internet entrepreneur. He is the co-founder of Google, along with Sergey Brin. Page is the fourteenth richest person in the world. He started Google in 1998 with Brin and it has since become the world’s largest search engine. Page is also the CEO of Alphabet Inc., the parent company of Google.
- Recent Developments: Artificial intelligence.
- Net Worth: $117.9B
#10 Mukesh Ambani
- Age: 66
- Country: India
- Source of Wealth: Energy and infrastructure
- Profile Summary: An Indian business tycoon who is the chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries Limited, a multinational conglomerate. Ambani is the ninth richest person in the world. He inherited Reliance Industries from his father, Dhirubhai Ambani, in 2002. Reliance Industries is one of the largest companies in India and has since been involved in a variety of businesses, including oil and gas, telecommunications, and retail.
- Recent Developments: He plans to invest in renewable energy.
- Net Worth: $113.8B
#11 Sergey Brin
- Age: 50
- Country: United States
- Source of Wealth: Search engine
- Profile Summary: Sergey Brin is a Russian-born American computer scientist and internet entrepreneur. He is the co-founder of Google, along with Larry Page. Brin is the thirteenth richest person in the world. He started Google in 1998 with Page and it has since become the world’s largest search engine. Brin is also the president of Alphabet Inc., the parent company of Google.
- Recent Developments: His investment in artificial intelligence.
- Net Worth: $113.1B
#12 Carlos Slim Helu & family
- Age: 84
- Country: Mexico
- Source of Wealth: Telecom
- Profile Summary: Carlos Slim Helú (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈkaɾlos esˈlin eˈlu]; is a Mexican business magnate, investor, and philanthropist. He derived his fortune from his extensive holdings in a considerable number of Mexican companies through his conglomerate, Grupo Carso. As of December 2023, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index ranked him as the 11th-richest person in the world, with a net worth of $105 billion or about 7% of Mexico’s GDP, making him the richest person in Latin America.
- Recent Developments:
- Net Worth: $101.1B
#13 Amancio Ortega
- Age: 87
- Country: Spain
- Source of Wealth: Fashion
- Profile Summary: A Spanish billionaire businessman who is the founder of Inditex fashion group, which owns brands such as Zara, Massimo Dutti, and Bershka. Ortega is the twelfth richest person in the world. He started Inditex in 1975 with his wife, Rosalia Mera, and it has since grown into one of the largest fashion retailers in the world. Ortega stepped down as chairman of Inditex in 2011 but remains the largest shareholder.
- Recent Developments: Investment in real estate.
- Net Worth: $99B
#14 Michael Bloomberg
- Age: 82
- Country: United States
- Source of Wealth: Financial Information and media
- Profile Summary: He is widely known as an American businessman, politician, philanthropist, and author. Michael Bloomberg cofounded financial information and media company Bloomberg LP in 1981. He is the majority owner and co-founder of Bloomberg L.P., a privately held financial, software, data, and media company headquartered in New York City. Bloomberg served as the mayor of New York City for three terms from 2002 to 2013 and was a candidate for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. He put in the seed funding for the company and now owns 88% of the business, which has estimated revenues north of $12 billion.
- Net Worth: $96.3B
#15 Francoise Bettencourt Meyers
- Age: 70
- Country: France
- Source of Wealth: Cosmetics
- Profile Summary: A French billionaire heiress who is the richest woman in the world. She is the granddaughter of the founder of L’Oréal, the world’s largest cosmetics company. Bettencourt Meyers inherited her fortune from her mother, Liliane Bettencourt, in 2017. She is also the president of the Bettencourt Schueller Foundation, a philanthropic organization that she founded with her mother.
- Recent Developments: She has been in the news for her support of the arts and education.
- Net Worth: $96.0B
#16 Gautam Adani
- Age: 61
- Country: India
- Source of Wealth: Energy and infrastructure
- Profile Summary: Gautam Adani, is an Indian billionaire industrialist who is the chairman and founder of the Adani Group, a multinational conglomerate. Adani is the tenth richest person in the world. He started the Adani Group in 1988 with a single commodity trading business and it has since grown into a diversified conglomerate with interests in ports, energy, and infrastructure.
- Recent Developments: Plans to build a new airport in Mumbai.
- Net Worth: $83.8B
Elon Musk Net Worth 2023
He has an estimated net worth of $205.2 billion as of Feb 2024 according to Forbes and this makes him the 2nd richest person in the world. Additionally, his wealth has increased significantly in recent years, due to the rise in the stock prices of his companies, Tesla and SpaceX.
Here is a table of the companies that Elon Musk has been involved in:
Company |
Year |
Brief Description |
---|---|---|
Zip2 | 1995 | Web software company that was acquired by Compaq Computers in 1999 for $307 million. |
X.com | 1999 | Online financial services company that merged with Confinity in 2000 to form PayPal. |
PayPal | 1999 | An Online payment processing company that was acquired by eBay in 2002 for $1.5 billion. |
SpaceX | 2002 | Space exploration company that has developed reusable rockets and spacecraft. |
Tesla Motors | 2004 | An electric car company that has become one of the most valuable companies in the world, thanks to the success of its Model 3 and Model Y electric cars. |
SolarCity | 2006 | Solar panel company that was acquired by Tesla in 2016. |
Neuralink | 2016 | A company that is developing brain-computer interfaces. |
The Boring Company | 2016 | Tunnel construction company is developing a new method of tunneling that is much faster and cheaper than traditional methods. |
OpenAI | 2015 | A Non-profit research company that is working to ensure that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity. |
2022 | A social media platform that was acquired by Elon Musk in 2022. | |
Mars | 2002 | A vocal advocate for sending humans to Mars and is also the CEO of SpaceX. This space exploration company is developing reusable rockets and spacecraft to send humans to Mars in the 2030s. |
Richest Family
Top 10 Richest Families In The World and what they are known for;
Rank |
Family |
Net Worth (USD) |
Country |
Known for |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Walton family | $238 billion | United States | Walmart, the largest retailer in the world |
2 | Mars family | $141 billion | United States | Mars, Inc., the maker of candy, pet food, and other consumer products |
3 | Koch family | $125 billion | United States | The Koch Industries, a diversified energy, chemicals, and manufacturing company |
4 | Hermès family | $100 billion | France | A luxury fashion house |
5 | Wertheimer family | $79 billion | France | Chanel, a luxury fashion house |
6 | Cargill, MacMillan family | $60 billion | United States | Cargill, a privately held agricultural commodities corporation |
7 | Thomson family | $53.9 billion | Canada | Thomson Reuters, a media and information company |
8 | Johnson family | $45.1 billion | United States | Johnson & Johnson, a healthcare company |
9 | Oeri family | $40 billion | Switzerland | Novartis, a pharmaceutical company |
10 | Hoffmann-Oeri family | $39.8 billion | Switzerland | Roche, a pharmaceutical company |
FAQ’s on Richest People in the World
Who Are the Top 10 Richest People in the World?
The top 10 richest people in the world as of Feb. 1, 2024, are:
- Elon Musk
- Bernard Arnault
- Jeff Bezos
- Bill Gates
- Mark Zuckerberg
- Steve Ballmer
- Warren Buffett
- Larry Page
- Larry Ellison
- Sergey Brin
What is the best job to get rich fast?
- Entrepreneur.
- Day trader.
- Real estate agent.
- Engineer.
- Lawyer.
- Actuary.
- Chief executive officer.
- Director of information security.
The richest man in the world today
As of February 1, 2024, Forbes names the richest person in the world as Bernard Arnault, the CEO of French luxury goods group LVMH; he’s worth $210.8 billion. He moved into the number one spot in late January, overtaking Elon Musk.
Who Is the Richest Woman in the World?
The richest woman in the world is Francoise Bettencourt Meyers. As of Feb. 1, 2024, her net worth is $96.6 billion. Her net worth is derived from her holdings in L’Oréal, the world’s largest cosmetics company.