The list of the world’s richest persons can vary from year to year, depending on their latest net worth and financial performance. Here is the latest list of the world’s top 10 richest persons, based on the real-time Forbes List of January 28, 2022 and some interesting facts about each of them.
1. Elon Musk – $218.3 billion
Elon Musk is working to revolutionize transportation both on Earth, through electric car maker Tesla – and in space, via rocket producer SpaceX. Elon Musk’s electric car company Tesla is now valued at nearly $800 billion, currently, his net worth is $218.3 billion. Musk’s rocket company, SpaceX is now valued at nearly $100 billion. Tesla has become the world’s most valuable automaker with a market capitalization of $800 billion in October 2021.
2. Bernard Arnault & Family – $188.6 billion
LVMH – France Chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault is the second richest person on the earth today . His net worth is $188.6 billion resulting from his business across an empire of more than 70 brands including Louis Vuitton and Sephora. French businessman and Europe’s richest man Bernard Arnault earned the $100 billion fortune last year in December.
3. Jeff Bezos – $165 .5 billion
Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos has a net worth of $165.5 billion and ranks as the third richest person on the earth today. His position remains the same even after divorcing his wife MacKenzie in 2019 and transferring a quarter of his stake in Amazon to her. Bezos founded the behemoth Amazon in 1994 out of his garage in Seattle. The e-commerce giant has reaped the benefits of this coronavirus pandemic, with more people shopping online.
4. Bill Gates – $130.7 billion
The co-founder of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates has a net worth of $130.7 billion. Having founded the software giant Microsoft along with Paul Allen, Bill Gates eventually sold away much of his stakes in the company retaining just 1% of the shares and investing the rest in stocks and other assets. Bill Gates entered the $100 billion club last year in April when Microsoft share price surged post-earnings. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is the world’s largest private charitable foundation.
5. Warren Buffet – $111.1billion
Popularly known as the Oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffet is seen as one of the most successful investors of all times. He runs Berkshire Hathaway that owns over 60 companies including the famous ones Geico insurance, Duracell, Dairy Queen Restaurant. His net worth is $111.1 billion. The son of a US congressman, he bought his first stock at the age of 11.
6. Larry Page – $111 billion
Larry Page, the co-founder of Google has a net worth of $111 billion and ranks in the sixth position among the world’s richest persons. He has also invested in Planetary Resources, the famed space exploration company, and is also funding “Flying Car”, startup companies Kitty Hawk and Opener.
7. Larry Ellison – $108.2 billion
Larry Ellison has a net worth of $108.2 billion which he earned from Oracle, the software firm he cofounded in 1977. He quit as the CEO of the company in 2014 and since then he functions as the chairman of the board and chief technology advisor of the company. Ellison has also been on the board of Tesla since December 2018 after he purchased 3 million shares earlier that year. He owns nearly all of Hawaiian island Lanai.
8. Sergey Brin – $107.1 billion
The co-founder and board member of Alphabet, Sergey Brin has a net worth of $107.1 billion which ranks him in the eight position among the world’s richest persons. He co-founded Google along with Larry Page in 1998 which went public in 2004 and became Alphabet in 2015.
9. Mark Zuckerberg – $104.6 billion
The co-founder, CEO and chairman of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg champions the social network that has become a go-to communications avenue today. His net worth is $104.6 billion and today he owns about 15% stakes in Facebook after the firm went public in May 2012. Mark Zuckerberg is the youngest billionaire. His net worth zoomed past the $100 billion mark — all thanks to Instagram Reels — the alternative to TikTok which was banned in India earlier this year and is facing troubles in the US as well.
10. Steve Ballmer – $95.7 billion
As the former CEO of Microsoft, Steve Ballmer led the firm from 2000 to 2014. His able leadership during a very tough time steered Microsoft towards sustainability and progress. His net worth is $95.7 billion and in 2018 he invested $59 million in Social Solutions, a company that makes software for government agencies and non-profit organizations.
