1. Carlos Slim Helu
Net Worth: $74 billion – as of March, 2011Source: Telmex, America Movil, Grupo Carso
Age: 71 years
Citizenship: Mexico
Microsoft mogul, futurist and America's richest person has, with help from billionaire buddy Warren Buffett, convinced nearly 60 of the world's wealthiest to sign his "Giving Pledge," promising to donate the majority of their wealth to charity either during their lifetime or after death. He is no longer the planet's richest person, but that's because he's given away $30 billion to his foundation. The Gates Foundation, the world's most influential charity, tackles tuberculosis and polio and funds famine-resistant crops to fight hunger. He is calling for a higher sense of urgency in AIDS vaccine development and also pushing for better tools to rate teacher performance. Gates holds 70% of his wealth in investment fund Cascade, dabbling in everything from autos to hedge funds to Mexican Coke bottler Femsa; the rest of his wealth is held in Microsoft stock.
3. Warren Buffet
Net Worth: $50 billion – as on March, 2011
Source: Berkshire Hathaway
Age: 80 years
Citizenship: United States of America
The venerable investor's Berkshire Hathaway climbed more than 15% over the last year adding $3 billion to his fortune. The 80-year-old is still hunting big deals: "Our elephant gun has been reloaded, and my trigger finger is itchy." Along with bridge partner Bill Gates, the Oracle of Omaha is coaxing America's richest to pledge half their fortunes to charity.
4. Bernard Arnault
Net Worth: $41 billion – as on March, 2011
5. Larry Ellsion
The Oracle chief sits atop a fortune that is $11.5 billion bigger than last year thanks to a 30% jump in the software company's shares. One of the highest-paid executives in the U.S., Ellison reaped $960 million in compensation in the past five fiscal years, mostly from exercising stock options; he recently cut his salary to $1.
Net profits at his ArcelorMittal, world's largest steelmaker, were up 18-fold to $2.9 billion in 2010 due to recovery in steel demand and higher margins. Group spun off its stainless steel unit into Aperam, a new listed company, and also acquired Canadian miner Baffinland Iron Mines. Funding a 377-foot sculpture called ArcelorMittal Orbit in London's Olympic Park for the 2012 Olympics. Europe’s richest resident who lives in London, he bought Alderbrook Park, a 340-acre country estate outside of the city, where he plans to build an eco-friendly country mansion for a reported $40 million. Daughter Vanisha acquired stake in Roc Capital Management, a New York hedge fund. Daughter-in-law Megha owns German fashion house Escada.
7. Amancio Ortega
Amancio Ortega stepped down as chairman of Inditex, the $15.8 billion (sales) fashion firm in January; he still gets 87% of his fortune from his stake in the publicly traded firm. The company, which operates under several brand names including Zara, Massimo Dutti and Stradivarius, has 5,000 stores in 77 countries. Ortega also owns properties in Florida, Madrid, London and Lisbon, a horse-jumping circuit, a stake in a soccer league; and has interests in gas, tourism and banks. Railway worker's son, he started as a gofer in a shirt store. With then-wife Rosalia Mera, also a billionaire, started making dressing gowns and lingerie in living room. Daughter Marta works for Inditex.
8. Eike Batista
Brazil's richest man is gearing up to take over the world. Making a play for foreign investors, Batista announced this year the opening of an office in New York and his intention to list some of his companies on the London Stock Exchange. Through his holding company, EBX, Batista controls businesses spanning mining, shipbuilding, energy, logistics, tourism and entertainment. After months of discussions, he was triumphant in February in taking control of Canadian gold outfit Ventana. Two-thirds of his fortune comes from OGX, the oil and gas exploration company he founded in 2007 and took public a year later.
9. Mukesh Ambani
His oil and gas conglomerate Reliance Industries, India's most valuable company, just forged a partnership with BP, selling 30% stake in 23 oil blocks in India for $7.2 billion and forming a marketing joint venture. The deal is being touted as one of biggest foreign investments in India. He's also betting on shale gas, having bought stakes in three American energy firms for $3.3 billion last year. He and wife Nita host parties at their recently completed 27-story sky palace in Mumbai, but have yet to move in permanently.
10. Christy Walton
Widow of John Walton inherited her wealth after the former Green Beret and Vietnam War medic died in an airplane accident near his home in Wyoming 2005. Now world’s richest woman, she got an extra bump in her fortune because of her late husband's early investment in First Solar; shares up nearly 500% since 2006 initial public offering. But bulk still comes from her holdings in Wal-mart, the retailer founded by her father-in-law Sam Walton and his brother James in 1962. Today Wal-Mart has sales of $405 billion, and employs more than 2.1 million people. The philanthropist supports museums, education and organic gardening.
11. Li Ka-Shing
Greater China's richest person continues to expand his reach. In his biggest foreign acquisition yet, one of his firms led $9 billion deal for assets that provide power to parts of the U.K. including London. World’s leading operator of ports handling 14% of global container throughput, his Hutchison Whampoa bought several port and property assets from state-owned China Resources in early January. It is now preparing to list its deep-water port holdings in Hong Kong and China in Singapore, in what may be the nation's biggest public offering ever. He is also apparently planning to list real estate assets this year in what could be the first yuan-denominated public offering in Hong Kong. Evidently bullish, he has been buying up more shares lately in his main holdings, Cheung Kong, Hutchison Whampoa and Canadian oil firm Husky Energy. Calls philanthropy his “third son”; has granted $1.56 billion, mostly to education, health care.
12. Karl Albrecht
Germany's richest man, owns discount-supermarket giant Aldi Sud (estimated sales: $40 billion). Younger brother, Theo, also a billionaire, died in July 2010. After World War II brothers transformed mother's corner grocery store into Aldi. They split ownership in 1961; Karl took the more profitable stores in southern Germany, plus the rights to the brand in the U.K., Australia and the U.S. Theo got northern Germany and the rest of Europe. Aldi has over 1,100 stores in the U.S. across 31 states; plans to open its first in New York City in 2011. Retired from daily operations. Fiercely private: little known about him other than that he apparently raises orchids and plays golf.
13. Stefan Persson
Cheap chic mogul is chairman of Hennes & Mauritz (H&M). Retailer is known for bringing on big names like Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney to design affordable collections for its 2,200 stores. Collaborates with designer Jimmy Choo in a shoe line and knitwear with Sonia Rykiel. Continues to expand internationally: opened first stores in Turkey and Israel in 2010; entering Croatia and Romania in 2011. His father, Erling, founded H&M in 1947; Stefan took over in 1982, gave up chief executive position in 1998; promoted son, Karl-Johan, 35, to chief executive in July 2009. Acquired the village of Linkenholt in Hampshire, England in 2009. In May 2010 received honorary doctorate of medicine from Karolinska Institute for his contributions to the university and his active promotion of research and development. A founder of the Mentor Foundation, a nonprofit that combats substance abuse among youth. Enjoys downhill skiing, tennis and golf.
14. Vladimir Lisin
Now Russia's richest person, thanks to soaring value of his publicly traded firm, Novolipetsk Steel. Lisin is a proletarian success story. First job was as a mechanic in a coal mine. After college in Siberia he worked as steelworker. In 1991, when his boss was appointed minister of metallurgy, Lisin went with him to Moscow. In 1992 he joined tough group of traders called Trans-World Group; they came to dominate Russia's aluminum and steel exports. He managed the factories, and when the partners separated in 2000, Lisin got majority stake in Russia's giant Novolipetsk steel mill.
15. Liliane Bettencourt
France's richest woman is daughter and heir to French cosmetic giant, L'Oreal, founded by her late father. Became focus of a sensational family scandal; in December 2010 she and her only daughter and heir, Francoise Bettencourt-Meyer, reconciled, dropping all court cases against each other. Daughter had petitioned courts in 2008 to investigate reported $1 billion in cash and gifts her mother allegedly gave to Francois-Marie Banier, 62, a well-known photographer, writer and painter whom she befriended. Daughter claimed, and Liliane hotly denied, that Banier took advantage of her mother, who became a widow in 2007. Not Bettencourt's first brush with scandal: Her father, L'Oreal founder Eugene Schueller, is said to have had wartime ties to the Nazi regime.
16. Sheldon Adelson
Talk about a comeback: shares of Adelson's Las Vegas Sands have surged more than 2,000% since their credit crisis nadir. "I'm too old to be a kid, so call me the 'comeback adolescent.'" His goal is to get LVS's market cap back to $52 billion and sees Asian casinos as the way to get there. He opened his $5.7 billion Marina Bay Sands in Singapore in April 2010. Current SEC probe into bribe allegations against his Asian group may cool his current winning streak. Cabdriver's son borrowed $200 from uncle to sell newspapers at age 12. Created computer industry's marquee event, Comdex, mid-1980s; sold show to Japan's Softbank for $862 million 1995. Built $1.5 billion all-suites Venetian Resort Hotel Casino and the 1.2-million-square-foot Sands Convention Center 1997; opened $1.9 billion Palazzo resort in 2008.
17. David Thomson
Chairman of media powerhouse Thomson Reuters, which was founded by grandfather, Roy, in 1934. With brother, Peter, serves as co-chair of family's investment concern, Woodbridge. Firm picked up an 85% of The Globe and Mail, Canada's national newspaper in December 2010. David Thomson is now its chairman. Plans to sell 40% interest in CTV, Canada’s largest private broadcaster; awaiting regulatory approval.
18. Charles Koch
Chief executive of Koch Industries, America's second-largest private company, with $100 billion in sales. Biggest deal to date: the $21 billion purchase of building-products maker Georgia Pacific right before the housing market crashed. Charles is cofounder of Libertarian think tank Cato Institute. He and his brother David also hold a biannual retreat to plot election strategy with other rich, influential Republican donors; the latest one, held at a resort in Palm Springs, attracted a thousand protesters. (Greenpeace flew a blimp over the rally, its banner reading "Koch Brothers: Dirty Money").
19. David Koch
New York City's richest resident gets his vast wealth from his 42% stake in Koch Industries, America's second-largest private company with $100 billion in sales. He is vice-president of the conglomerate, which his brother Charles heads out of Wichita, Kan. David is best known for his political and philanthropic activities. Americans for Prosperity, the conservative nonprofit that he founded, spent $45 million bankrolling right-wing candidates, many of them Tea Partiers, during November's midterm elections. In February, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker was pranked by a blogger posing as David. When the fake Koch offered to fly the governor to California to thank him for his union-crushing efforts, Walker jumped at the chance. A prostate cancer survivor, Koch has a cancer center named after him at MIT. He sits on 25 not-for-profit boards.
20. Jim Walton
Jim runs family's Arvest bank. While Wal-Mart's shares are up just 5% over the past year, he collected roughly $420 million in dividends in 2010 and will rake in even more next year after the retailer raised its annual payouts by 20% starting this March. His father, Sam Walton (d. 1992), a former clerk, founded Bentonville store with brother James 1962; today Wal-Mart has sales of nearly $420 billion, employs more than 2.1 million people.
Citizenship: Mexico
The world’s richest person for a second year in a row, the Mexican telecom mogul is also the year’s biggest gainer, having added $20.5 billion to his fortune and widened the gap between him and No. 2, Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates, to $18 billion. A 19% rise in the Mexican stock market, a stronger peso, and successful mining and real estate spinoffs from conglomerate Grupo Carso all contributed to the astonishing increase. He also merged his fixed-line telecom company into America Movil, Latin America's largest wireless carrier; the Slim family stake in that holding accounts for 62% of his net worth. He has other holdings in retailer Saks and the New York Times. Recently unveiled a new building for his Soumaya Museum, which houses his vast art collection. It is open to the public for free.
2. Bill Gates
Net Worth: $56 billion – as of March, 2011
Source: Microsoft
Age: 56 years
Citizenship: United States of America
3. Warren Buffet
Net Worth: $50 billion – as on March, 2011
Source: Berkshire Hathaway
Age: 80 years
Citizenship: United States of America
4. Bernard Arnault
Net Worth: $41 billion – as on March, 2011
Source: LVMH Moet Hennessy, Louis Vuitton
Age: 62 years
Citizenship: France
The Lord of Luxe easily retains title of richest European. Fortune surged by $13.5 billion as shares of his luxury good outfit, LVMH, rose by more than half over the past year thanks to strong demand for luxuries like Dom Perignon champagne, Cognac Hennessy, Tag Heuer watches and Louis Vuitton accessories, particularly in Asian markets like Shanghai and Ho Chi Minh City. The group acquired 20% of Hermes last year; Arnault insists he is a friendly shareholder but Hermes sees it as hostile. In March the Bulgari family transferred its majority holding in its brand to LVMH in exchange for LVMH shares and board seats. LVMH fired Christian Dior designer John Galliano after he apparently made anti-semitic remarks. Renaissance man also owns yacht builder Royal Van Lent, a hotel in Courchevel; has stakes in French retailer Carrefour and French tour operator Go Voyages.
5. Larry Ellsion
Net Worth: $39.5 billion – as on March, 2011
Source: Oracle
Age: 66 years
Citizenship: United States of America
6. Lakshmi Mittal
Net Worth: $31.20 billion – as on March, 2011
Source: Arcelor Mittal
Age: 60 years
Citizenship: India
7. Amancio Ortega
Net Worth: $31 billion – as on March, 2011
Source: Inditex Group
Age: 74 years
Citizenship: Spain
8. Eike Batista
Net Worth: $30 billion – as on March, 2011
Source: EBX Group
Age: 53 years
Citizenship: Brazil
9. Mukesh Ambani
Net Worth: $27 billion – as on March, 2011
Source: Reliance Industries
Age: 53 years
Citizenship: India
10. Christy Walton
Net Worth: $26.5 billion – as on March, 2011
Source: Walmart
Age: 55 years
Citizenship: United States of America
11. Li Ka-Shing
Net Worth: $26 billion – as on March, 2011
Source: Diversified
Age: 83 years
Citizenship: Hong Kong
12. Karl Albrecht
Net Worth: $25.5 billion – as on March, 2011
Source: Aldi
Age: 91 years
Citizenship: Germany
Germany's richest man, owns discount-supermarket giant Aldi Sud (estimated sales: $40 billion). Younger brother, Theo, also a billionaire, died in July 2010. After World War II brothers transformed mother's corner grocery store into Aldi. They split ownership in 1961; Karl took the more profitable stores in southern Germany, plus the rights to the brand in the U.K., Australia and the U.S. Theo got northern Germany and the rest of Europe. Aldi has over 1,100 stores in the U.S. across 31 states; plans to open its first in New York City in 2011. Retired from daily operations. Fiercely private: little known about him other than that he apparently raises orchids and plays golf.
13. Stefan Persson
Net Worth: $24.5 billion – as on March, 2011
Source: Hennes & Mauritz
Age: 63 years
Citizenship: Sweden
14. Vladimir Lisin
Net Worth: $24 billion – as on March, 2011
Source: Steel
Age: 55 years
Citizenship: Russia
15. Liliane Bettencourt
Net Worth: $23.5 billion – as on March, 2011
Source: L’Oreal
Age: 88 years
Citizenship: France
16. Sheldon Adelson
Net Worth: $23.3 billion – as on March, 2011
Source: Casinos
Age: 78 years
Citizenship: United States of America
17. David Thomson
Net Worth: $23 billion – as on March, 2011
Source: Media
Age: 54 years
Citizenship: Canada
18. Charles Koch
Net Worth: $22 billion – as on March, 2011
Source: Diversified
Age: 75 years
Citizenship: United States of America
19. David Koch
Net Worth: $22 billion – as on March, 2011
Source: Diversified
Age: 71 years
Citizenship: United States of America
20. Jim Walton
Net Worth: $21.3 billion – as on March, 2011
Source: Wal-Mart
Age: 63 years
Citizenship: United States of America
