The world of wealth and fortune is not solely dominated by men, some of the most influential and affluent individuals are women. Every Year Forbes announces a list of the richest people in the world. Forbes has announced its 37th ranking of the world’s richest people. Among them are 337 women with assets of over $1 billion.
The number of female billionaires has increased significantly from 328 in 2020, and their total assets have increased by nearly 60% from the previous year to $1.53 trillion. Today, we bring you a list of the richest women in the world exploring their backgrounds, sources of wealth, and the impact they have had on their respective industries and beyond.
1. Françoise Bettencourt Meyers and family
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Net worth: $80.5 billion
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Age: 69
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Source of wealth: L’Oréal
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Country: France
Frenchwoman Bettencourt Meyers is the wealthiest woman on the planet. Bettencourt Meyers earned her wealth by inheriting a fortune from her mother, Lillian Bettencourt (died 2017), whose father was Eugene Schuler, the founder of cosmetics giant L’Oréal. She is the heiress of L’Oréal and holds the title for the third consecutive year as the richest woman in the world. She is the granddaughter of the founder of beauty giant L’Oréal and first appeared on the list of the world’s billionaires in 2018 following the death of her mother, Liliane Bettencourt, then the richest woman in the world.
2. Julia Koch and family
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Net worth: $59 billion
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Age: 60
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Source of wealth: Koch Industries
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Country: USA
American Julia Koch, widow of conservative philanthropist and donor David Koch, and her children own a 42% stake in Koch Industries, the second largest private company in the United States. David’s older brother, Charles Koch, is chairman and also owns a 42% stake. The American has a fortune of 59 billion dollars. Today Julia Koch is 60 years old and has a net worth of 59,000 million dollars.
3. Alice Walton
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Net worth: $56.7 billion
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Age: 73
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Source of wealth: Walmart
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Country: USA
The Walmart heiress is in third place with $56.7 billion in her account and 73 years old. The fortune of American Alice Walton, daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton, increased by approximately $3.5 billion over the past year thanks to the rise in Walmart shares. During 2020 she was the richest woman in the world, but she lost her place to Bettencourt Meyers. The businesswoman is 73 years old and has 56.7 billion dollars at her disposal.
4. Jacqueline Mars
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Net worth: $38.3 billion
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Age: 83
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Source of wealth: Sweets, pet food
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Country: USA
Jacqueline Mars is the fourth richest woman in the world thanks to the fact that she owns approximately a third of the company Mars Inc. American Mars inherited about a third of Mars Incorporated, the candy and pet food conglomerate behind M&M and brands such as IAMS and Pedigree. The company was founded by his grandfather, Frank C. Mars, in 1911. Currently the businesswoman is 83 years old and her fortune amounts to 38.3 billion dollars.
5. Miriam Adelson and family
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Net worth: $35 billion
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Age: 77
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Source of wealth: Casinos
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Country: USA
Miriam Adelson trained in medicine, but she is also a businesswoman . Her fortune comes from the inheritance she received from her husband when she died in 2021. American Miriam, widow of casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, currently owns her late husband’s nearly 50% stake in Las Vegas Sands following his death in early 2021. Two months after Adelson’s death, the company agreed to sell its core assets in Las Vegas, including the Venetian Resort and the Sands Expo and Convention Center, for $6.25 billion in an effort to focus on the Asian market. At 77 years old, this woman is ranked number 5 in the ranking of the richest women in the world. Adelson’s fortune is 35 billion dollars.
6. Rafaela Aponte-Diamant
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Net worth: $31.2 billion
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Age: 78
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Source of wealth: Shipping
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Country: Italy
She is an Italian businesswoman, co-founder of the cruise company MSC. Australian Rinehart chairs the Australian mining and agricultural company Hancock Prospecting Group, which was founded by her father, Lang Hancock , in 1992. For years, she has been embroiled in a court battle against her adult children over a family trust, which will continue at least until next year. A judge reportedly delayed her next court date until 2024. Rafaela is 78 years old and has a net worth of 31.2 billion dollars.
7. Susanne Klatten
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Net worth: $27.4 billion
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Age: 60
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Source of wealth: BMW, pharmaceuticals
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Country: Germany
Susanne Klatten is a German businesswoman. German Susanne Klatten owns about 19% of the German carmaker BMW, which she inherited from her mother Johanna Quandt and her father Herbert Quandt, the industrialist credited with rescuing BMW from bankruptcy in 1959. Klatten is also an owner from the chemical company Altana. Susanne is an economist, she is 60 years old and has a fortune of 27.4 billion dollars (25.675 million euros).
8. Gina Rinhart
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Net worth: $27 billion
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Age: 69
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Source of wealth: Mining
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Country: Australia
President of the mining and agricultural Hancock Prospecting Group, Gina Rinehart, who inherited the company from her father, is the richest person in Australia, despite the fact that her fortune has devalued 11% in the last year. He is 69 years old and has a net worth of 27 billion dollars.
9. Mackenzie Scott
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Net worth: $24.4 billion
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Age: 52
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Source of wealth: Amazon
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Country: USA
Mackenzie Scott is a writer and philanthropist. She was married to Jeff Bezos, and received 4% of Amazon in her divorce settlement, a fortune she is in the process of giving away. So far, she has donated 14 billion to charities. As of 2024 and at 52 years old, his fortune is 24.4 billion dollars.
10. Iris Fontbona and family
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Net worth: $23.1 billion
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Age: 80
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Source of wealth: Mining
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Country: Chilean
She is a Chilean businesswoman, president of the Antofagasta company, dedicated to mining. She is the richest woman in Latin America , and in addition to presiding over the aforementioned mining company, she owns a large part of Quiñenco, a company that is dedicated to banking, manufacturing and beverages. Iris Fontbona is 80 years old and, with a fortune of 23.1 billion dollars (21.6 billion euros), she is ranked number 10 in the ranking of the richest women in the world.
Conclusion:
With fortunes exceeding $20 trillion, the above richest women in the world owe their fortune to the world of fashion, retail sales, the food, shipping, technology and mining industries, in addition to owning casinos. As we already tell you they are and what is the source of their wealth according to the Forbes list.