Financial insight specialist Wealth-X has collaborated with Business Insider to compile a list of the 50 wealthiest people in the world – an elite group that boasts combined fortune of US$1.45 trillion. To give some perspective, those 46 men and four women are collectively worth about the same as the GDP of Australia.
Two-thirds are self-made, including the four wealthiest people on the planet – Microsoft founder Bill Gates, retail king Amancio Ortega Gaona, mega-investor Warren Buffett and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Of the top 50, 17 are considered an heir or an heiress – and here is the top 10.
1. David Koch
Age: 75
Country: US
Primary Company: Koch Industries
Industry: Diversified Investments
Net Worth*: US$47.4 billion
Ranking in Top 50: 5
2. Charles Koch
Age: 80
Country: US
Primary Company: Koch Industries
Industry: Diversified Investments
Net Worth: US$46.8 billion
Ranking in Top 50: 6
3. Jim Walton
Age: 67
Country: US
Primary Company: Arvest Bank Group
Industry: Retail
Net Worth: US$34.8 billion
Ranking in Top 50: 13
4. Samuel Walton
Age: 71
Country: US
Primary Company: Wal-Mart Stores
Industry: Retail
Net Worth: US$33.5 billion
Ranking in Top 50: 14
5. Alice Walton
Age: 66
Country: US
Primary Company: Wal-Mart Stores
Industry: Retail
Net Worth: US$33.2 billion
Ranking in Top 50: 15
6. Liliane Bettencourt
Age: 93
Country: France
Primary Company: L’Oreal Group
Industry: Cosmetics
Net Worth: US$29 billion
Ranking in Top 50: 17
7. Bernard Arnault
Age: 66
Country: France
Primary Company: LVMH
Industry: Luxury Goods
Net Worth: US$28.9 billion
Ranking in Top 50: 18
8. Forrest Mars Jr.
Age: 84
Country: US
Primary Company: Mars Inc.
Industry: Candy
Net Worth: US$28.6 billion
Ranking in Top 50: 19
9. Jacqueline Mars
Age: 76
Country: US
Primary Company: Mars Inc.
Industry: Candy
Net Worth: US$28.6 billion
Ranking in Top 50: 20
10. John Mars
Age: 80
Country: US
Primary Company: Mars Inc.
Industry: Candy
Net Worth: US$28.6 billion
Ranking in Top 50: 21