Who are the richest people in the world? The Forbes list of the world’s billionaires provides an annual ranking of the richest men and women on earth, but what about those who aren’t on that list? What about those who got rich from the stock market crash in 2008? What about those who made their money from tech startups, or just earned insane amounts of cash through real estate deals, or even those who inherited their riches from their ancestors? This list of the top 10 richest people in the world includes all of these individuals and many more.
Bill Gates
According to Forbes, Bill Gates is once again top of the richest people on earth with a net worth of $79.2 billion.
Gates founded Microsoft, which has since become one of America’s biggest tech companies and achieved great success as an innovator in desktop operating systems. Besides his business acumen, Gates is known for his philanthropy: He established the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help eradicate disease and poverty worldwide through a variety of charitable ventures.
Of course, if he weren’t a generous man we could still probably forgive him since it seems clear that he didn’t need any money to live a fabulous life…
Jeff Bezos
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has an estimated net worth of $112 billion. He’s currently ranked as the world’s richest person, displacing Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates from that spot. The e-commerce giant generates more than $200 billion a year in revenue and its stock is trading at a record high of nearly $1,800 per share.
The company has revolutionized retail shopping with its efficient and quick shipping systems and inexpensive prices for merchandise it’s expected to grow even more over time. The company also recently won approval to launch delivery drones for customers within five miles of an Amazon facility.
Amancio Ortega
Ortega is an 80-year-old Spanish fashion retailer who’s just edged out Warren Buffett for first place on Forbes’ annual list of billionaires. His firm Inditex SA designs make and distributes Zara clothing to over 90 countries around the world. He owns a 12 percent stake in Inditex and has a net worth of $64 billion.
Ortega got his start working as a delivery boy before he founded Zara with his ex-wife Rosalia Mera in 1975.
Warren Buffett
For his lifetime of hard work and wise investing, Buffett has accrued a massive $71.1 billion fortune that places him atop Forbes’s list of richest people on earth.
Born in 1930, Buffett is a bona fide American success story who started as a humble investor before growing his wealth to unprecedented levels. In addition to being known for his iconic 50-gallon hat, the Oracle of Omaha is famous for delivering folksy advice about business and finance through his shareholder letters and public speaking engagements.
Mark Zuckerberg
When he was 19 Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg created an online dating service called FaceMash that allowed users to compare two people side by side based on their looks.
Zuckerberg dropped out of Harvard University to concentrate on his project, which eventually turned into Facebook. Today, at 31 years old he is worth $37.5 billion dollars.
Carlos Slim Helu
One of the richest men in Mexico is worth about $68 billion according to Forbes. He has become a prominent businessman thanks to his holdings in numerous industries including banking and telecommunications.
He’s ranked as one of the 100 most influential people by Time magazine. Slim was born on January 28, 1940, in Mexico City. Carlos Slim Helu is President and CEO of Telmex and America Movil as well as Grupo Carso and SADESA.
Larry Ellison
With a personal fortune of $41.7 billion, Ellison has been CEO of Oracle Corporation since 1977 and has helped transform it into one of America’s largest and most successful companies. He owns 98% of Oracle’s stock.
At 67 years old, Ellison is still actively involved in company operations.
Read also: Most Succesful Enterpreneurs in The World
Charles Koch
Koch founded and currently owns a majority stake in Koch Industries, an American conglomerate involved in manufacturing, trading, and investments.
The conglomerate is one of America’s largest private companies and is also one of its most profitable. Koch lives with his wife in Wichita, Kansas. Although he has never been accused of any crimes or wrongdoing by U.S. authorities, he was recently criticized for donating $25 million to groups that support candidates who deny climate change science in 2007 Forbes listed his net worth at $21 billion.
David Koch
A major driver of David Koch’s wealth is his ownership of a number of companies, including paper manufacturer Georgia-Pacific, Dixie Cups, and Quilted Northern toilet paper, Stainmaster carpet and Lycra.
Net worth: $34 billion Bill Gates: Microsoft founder Bill Gates still has a fortune topping $60 billion due to his company’s rising share price and an uptick in Microsoft stock options over recent years.
Michael Bloomberg
Bloomberg has an estimated net worth of $35.4 billion as of February 2018, making him one of the world’s richest people. Born into a wealthy family, Bloomberg started working for Salomon Brothers before he was 30 years old.
As mayor of New York City, he made some unpopular decisions (banning soda servings larger than 16 ounces and taking steps to curb smoking), but they were popular with public health advocates who supported them as ways to promote a healthier city.
Today, Bloomberg still controls his eponymous business that offers up data and analytics through TV channels and online services like terminals and data-services subscriptions.
