There are a lot of things that go into being rich. First, you need to have money, but you also need the power and means to keep it and grow it.
People in the world have all those things and more, making them some of the wealthiest people on earth. According to Forbes, here is a list of the top 25 wealthiest people in the world as of 2022, based on their estimated net worth.
Zhang Yiming
Zhang Yiming is an entrepreneur and the founder of ByteDance, one of the world’s most valuable startups. Zhang was born in China in 1982 and grew up in a small village in the province of Hunan. He attended college at Beijing University, where he studied computer science. After graduation, Zhang worked for several different companies, including Google and Microsoft.
In 2012, Zhang founded ByteDance, which owns several popular apps, including TikTok and Toutiao. The company has been incredibly successful, and Zhang is now one of the wealthiest people in the world, with a net worth of over $50 billion.
Michael Dell
Michael Dell is the founder and CEO of Dell Technologies, one of the world’s leading computer systems and services providers. He started the company in 1984 at the age of 19, and today it has revenues of more than $80 billion.
How did Michael Dell become so wealthy?
It all started with a simple idea: to sell personal computers directly to consumers. Michael Dell offered lower prices and better customer service by bypassing the traditional retail model. This direct-to-consumer approach quickly caught on, and within a few years, Michael Dell had built a multimillion-dollar business. In 1992, he took the company public, and today Michael Dell is worth an estimated $55 billion. Not bad for a college dropout!
Amancio Ortega
Amancio Ortega is a Spanish billionaire and the founder of Inditex, the world’s largest fashion group. He is best known for his chain of Zara stores. Ortega was born into a poor family in 1936 in northwestern Spain. He left school at age 14 to work in a clothing store and later founded his own company, which eventually grew into Inditex.
Today, Ortega is one of the richest men in the world, with a net worth of over $60 billion. While he is notoriously private, Ortega is known for his simple lifestyle, choosing to live in a modest apartment and driving an old car. He has also donated billions of dollars to charity. Amancio Ortega is an incredible success story, rising from humble beginnings to become one of the world’s richest men.
Julia Koch & Family
Julia Koch is the widow of Koch Industries founder David Koch. After her husband died in 2019, Julia inherited his 42% stake in the family business, making her one of the wealthiest women in the world. Julia also serves on the board of directors for Koch Industries, one of the largest privately held companies in the United States.
Julia has a long history with the company; she met David while working as a bookkeeper at Koch Industries. The two were married for nearly 30 years and had three children together. Julia is a major philanthropist, donating millions of dollars to causes such as cancer research, education, and arts and culture. She is also an active supporter of the Republican Party.
Charles Koch
Charles Koch is an American billionaire businessman and philanthropist. He is the co-owner, chairman, and CEO of Koch Industries, a conglomerate that is the second-largest privately held company in the United States. Koch has an estimated net worth of $60 billion as of 2022. In addition, he is a significant donor to libertarian and conservative causes. Koch began his business career working for his father’s engineering firm in Wichita, Kansas.
In 1966, he and his brother David took over the family business after their father’s death. Under their leadership, Koch Industries expanded into new areas such as oil refining, chemicals, agriculture, and finance. The company also grew through a series of acquisitions, becoming one of the largest privately held companies in the world.
Changpeng Zhao
Changpeng Zhao is a Chinese-Canadian business magnate, better known as CZ. He is the founder and CEO of Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume. CZ was born in Jiangsu, China, in January 1963. His family moved to Vancouver, Canada, when he was just 11 years old. He studied computer science at McGill University and later worked as a software developer for Bloomberg Tradebook.
In 2005, he co-founded Fusion Systems, a high-frequency trading platform provider for brokers. He left the company in 2013 to focus on Bitcoin. In July 2017, he founded Binance, and it quickly became the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange. As of March 2022, CZ’s net worth is estimated to be $65 billion.
Rob Walton
Rob Walton is the eldest son of Sam Walton, the founder of Walmart. Rob took over as chairman of Walmart in 1992, which he held for 23 years. He has a net worth of $65 billion as of March 2022. Rob’s wealth comes from his stake in Walmart, which is currently worth approximately $430 billion. He also owns significant stakes in two other companies: Arvest Bank and Walmart de Mexico y Centroamerica. Rob has been a director of these companies since their inception, and his shares are worth an estimated $22 billion.
Rob’s wealth has increased significantly over the years, thanks to the continued success of Walmart. In recent years, Walmart has been expanding into new markets and investing in online sales, which has helped to boost its stock price. As a result, Rob’s stake in Walmart is now worth more than double when he took over as chairman in 1992. Thanks to his shrewd investments and the continued success of Walmart, Rob Walton is one of the wealthiest people in the world.
Alice Walton
Alice Walton is an American businesswoman and heir to the Walmart fortune. She is the daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton and his wife, Helen. As of March 2021, Alice Walton has a net worth of $65.3 billion, making her the richest woman in the world. Alice Walton grew up in Arkansas and received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas.
After graduation, she began her career as a commodities broker in New York City. In 1988, she returned to Arkansas to help run the family business after her father’s death. Under Alice Walton’s leadership, Walmart has become one of the world’s largest retailers, with more than 11,000 stores in 27 countries. Alice Walton is also a prominent philanthropist, donating hundreds of millions of dollars to causes such as education and medical research.
Zhong Shanshan
Zhong Shanshan is a Chinese billionaire who is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Nongfu Spring, the largest producer of bottled water in China. Zhong began his career as a journalist and then worked as a factory worker and salesman before starting his own business in 1996.
Zhong’s success is primarily due to his focus on quality and affordability. He has also been aggressive in expanding Nongfu Spring’s distribution network, including over 400,000 outlets across China. In addition, Zhong has diversified his holdings, investing in pharmaceuticals, real estate, and other businesses. As a result of his business acumen and visionary leadership, Zhong Shanshan is now one of the richest men in China, with over $65.7 billion.
Jim Walton
Jim Walton is the wealthiest person in Arkansas and the tenth richest person in the world, with a net worth of $66.2 billion as of March 2022. He is the youngest son of Walmart founder Sam Walton, and he currently serves as the chairman and CEO of Arvest Bank Group, Inc.
Jim Walton inherited his wealth from his father, who founded Walmart in 1962. Sam Walton was a highly successful businessman, and when he died in 1992, he left his fortune to his children. Jim Walton has used his inheritance to grow Arvest Bank Group, Inc. into a successful financial institution. In addition, he has made significant investments in other businesses, including real estate and private equity. Thanks to his shrewd business acumen, Jim Walton has amassed a massive fortune, making him one of the wealthiest people on earth.
Mark Zuckerberg
Mark Zuckerberg is an American computer programmer and internet entrepreneur. He is best known for co-founding Facebook, one of the world’s largest social networking sites. Mark Zuckerberg was born on May 14, 1984, in White Plains, New York, into a family of well-educated German Jewish immigrants. His father, Edward Zuckerberg, is a dentist, and his mother, Karen Zuckerberg, is a psychiatrist.
Mark Zuckerberg excelled in his studies from an early age and gained admission to Harvard University in 2002. While studying at Harvard, he developed a program called “Facemash” that allowed users to rate the attractiveness of their classmates. The university administration quickly shut down this program, but it proved to be the seed for what would become Facebook.
In 2004, Mark Zuckerberg launched Facebook from his dorm room with the help of his roommates. The site quickly gained popularity, and by 2006 it had over 12 million active users. Mark Zuckerberg dropped out of Harvard to focus on Facebook full-time. Since then, Facebook has grown exponentially, and Mark Zuckerberg’s net worth is now estimated to be over $67.3 billion. He is one of the youngest billionaires in the world. Mark Zuckerberg’s story is a classic example of an American success story.
Francoise Bettencourt Meyers & Family
Francoise Bettencourt Meyers is one of the wealthiest people in the world, with a net worth of over $74.4 billion. Francoise was born into a wealthy family in France, and she inherited her fortune when her father passed away. Francoise then married an American businessman, and they built a successful investment business together.
In recent years, Francoise has been selling off some of her assets, including her stake in the L’Oreal cosmetics company, which is estimated to be worth over $20 billion. With her vast fortune, Francoise Bettencourt Meyers is one of the richest people on the planet.
Carlos Slim Helu & Famliy
Carlos Slim Helu is a Mexican business magnate and philanthropist whose estimated net worth is $81.2 billion as of March 2022. Carlos Slim Helu’s wealth comes from various sources, including his ownership of Grupo Carso, a conglomerate with interests in a wide range of industries, including retail, mining, construction, and telecommunications.
Carlos Slim Helu also owns two of Mexico’s largest companies, Telmex and America Movil. In addition to his business holdings, Carlos Slim Helu has also made significant investments in several philanthropic endeavors. Carlos Slim Helu’s wealth has allowed him to substantially impact many people’s lives both in Mexico and around the world.
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg is an American businessman and politician who has a net worth of $82 billion. He is the founder of Bloomberg L.P., a financial data and media company. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and raised in a Jewish family. He graduated from Johns Hopkins University and then from Harvard Business School.
He began his career at Arthur Andersen, where he was fired after eight years. He then went to work on Wall Street for Salomon Brothers before starting his own company in 1981. Bloomberg L.P. provides financial data and news to clients in businesses, government, and the media worldwide. It also has a radio station, a cable television network, and a website. The company employs over 20,000 people and generates billions of dollars in revenue each year. Michael Bloomberg is one of the richest people in the world, and his wealth continues to grow thanks to his company’s success.
Gautam Adani & Family
Gautam Adani is an Indian business tycoon who is the chairman and founder of the Adani Group, a multinational conglomerate company headquartered in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. As of March 2022, he has a net worth of $90 billion, making him one of the richest men in India. He started his career working in his family’s textile business before eventually branching out into other businesses, including power generation, infrastructure development, and commodity trading.
In 1988, he founded Adani Enterprises Ltd., which became the flagship company of the Adani Group. Over the past three decades, Gautam Adani has overseen the tremendous growth of the Adani Group into a multi-billion-dollar empire. Today, the Adani Group is a significant player in several key industries in India and abroad, making Gautam Adani one of the most influential businessmen in India.
Mukesh Ambani
Mukesh Ambani is the richest man in India and the chairman of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL). He is the son of Dhirubhai Ambani, who founded RIL in 1966. Mukesh Ambani took over as Chairman of RIL after his father’s death in 2002. Under Mukesh Ambani’s leadership, RIL has become one of the most successful companies in India. It is the largest private sector company in India, with revenues of over US$100 billion.
Mukesh Ambani’s wealth comes from his shareholding in RIL, which is currently worth over US$50 billion. He also has several other investments, including a stake in the Indian Premier League cricket team Mumbai Indians. His estimated net worth is $90.7 billion. Mukesh Ambani is one of the most successful businessmen in India, and his wealth is a testimony to that.
Steve Ballmer
Steve Ballmer is an American businessman and the former CEO of Microsoft from January 2000 to February 2014. In addition, he is the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team. His personal wealth is estimated to be $91.4 billion as of March 2022. On March 24, 1956, Steve Ballmer was born in Detroit, Michigan. His father was a manager at Ford Motor Company, and his mother was a homemaker. Steve Ballmer graduated from Harvard University with a bachelor’s degree in economics in 1977. He then worked for Procter & Gamble and McKinsey & Company before joining Microsoft in 1980.
At Microsoft, he held various positions, including president of the developer division, chief operating officer, and CEO. He retired as CEO in 2014 but remained a board member and shareholder of Microsoft. As of June 2021, he owns 4% of Microsoft shares, equivalent to 33 million shares. He also has other investments, including the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team, which he purchased for $2 billion in 2014.
Larry Ellison
Larry Ellison is an American businessman who is the founder and CEO of Oracle Corporation. He is one of the richest men in the world, with a net worth of $106 billion as of 2022. Ellison was born in New York City but was raised in Chicago. His father died when he was nine, and his mother remarried and moved to a different neighborhood. After his second year, Ellison dropped out of college and moved to Berkeley, California, where he started working as a programmer. After reading an article about them in Popular Electronics magazine, he became interested in computers.
In 1977, he founded Oracle Corporation with two other partners. Initially, the company focused on developing software for the newly created personal computer market. Oracle’s main product was a relational database management system, which became popular among businesses because it allowed them to store and retrieve data more efficiently.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Ellison expanded Oracle’s product line and successfully transitioned the company to the client-server computing model. Today, Oracle is a major player in the enterprise software market, with products that span a wide range of business needs, from accounting to human resources. Larry Ellison’s success is a true rags-toiches story.
Sergey Brin
Sergey Brin is an American computer scientist and internet entrepreneur. He is best known as the co-founder of Google, alongside Larry Page. Together, they own approximately 16% of the company. Brin has an estimated net worth of $107 billion. He earns an annual salary of $2.5 million from Google and receives equity bonuses and other compensation.
The majority of his wealth comes from his stake in Google, which he co-founded in 1998. The company went public in 2004 and has since become one of the most valuable companies in the world. Sergey Brin is also an active philanthropist and has signed The Giving Pledge committing to donate at least half of his wealth to charitable causes.
Larry Page
Larry Page is an American computer scientist and internet entrepreneur who co-founded Google with Sergey Brin. He is the chief executive officer of Alphabet Inc., Google’s parent company. He has an estimated net worth of $111 billion as of March 2022.
Larry Page became wealthy through his involvement with Google, which he co-founded as a graduate student at Stanford University in 1996. The search engine quickly rose to prominence, and in 1999 Larry Page and Sergey Brin sold a majority stake in the company to venture capitalists for $1.67 billion.
Since then, Larry Page has continued to play a major role in the development of Google, helping to make it one of the most successful and valuable companies in the world. In 2015, Larry Page stepped down as CEO of Google, but he remains an active member of Alphabet’s board of directors.
Warren Buffett
Warren Buffet is one of the most successful investors in history, with a net worth of over $118 billion. Much of Buffet’s wealth can be attributed to his investments. Warren Buffet became wealthy through his investment in Berkshire Hathaway, which is now one of the most successful companies in the world.
Buffett’s investment philosophy is known as “value investing.” It involves finding undervalued companies by the market and then investing in them for the long term. This strategy has proven to be immensely successful for Buffett, and it’s one of the reasons he is now one of the richest men in the world.
Bill Gates
Bill Gates is an American businessman, software developer, and philanthropist. He is best known for co-founding Microsoft Corporation, one of the world’s largest personal computer software companies. Gates has also contributed to developing the graphical user interface (GUI). In addition to his work in the computer industry, Gates is also a well-known philanthropist.
He has given billions of dollars to charitable causes through his Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Gates’ wealth stems mainly from his stake in Microsoft. As of March 2022, Gates’ net worth is estimated to be $129 billion. This makes him the richest person in the world. Gates has earned his wealth through shrewd business deals, innovative technology, and hard work.
Bernard Arnault & Family
Bernard Arnault is a French business magnate who is the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of LVMH, the world’s largest luxury-goods company. He is also the richest person in France and the fourth richest person in the world, with an estimated net worth of $158 billion as of March 2022.
Bernard Arnault’s wealth comes primarily from his minority stake in LVMH, which he inherited from his father, Bernard Arnault Sr., who founded the company in 1987. Bernard Arnault Jr. took over as CEO in 1989 and has since grown the company into a global powerhouse, with over 70 brands in its portfolio, including Louis Vuitton, Moet & Chandon, and Hennessy. Bernard Arnault’s successful stewardship of LVMH has made him one of the richest people in the world.
Jeff Bezos
Jeff Bezos is the founder and former CEO of Amazon, one of the largest online retailers in the world. Jeff Bezos was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1964. His mother was a teenage unlicensed infertility doctor, and his father was a bike shop owner. Jeff Bezos showed an early interest in computers and entrepreneurship. He attended Princeton University, where he studied electrical engineering and computer science.
After graduation, Jeff Bezos worked on Wall Street for several years before quitting his job to start Amazon in 1994. Since then, Amazon has grown rapidly, expanding into various businesses such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and e-commerce. Jeff Bezos has become one of the richest people in the world as a result of Amazon’s success. Jeff Bezos’s net worth is over $171 billion as of March 2022.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk is an entrepreneur and business magnate who has made a name for himself in various industries. Born in South Africa, he moved to Canada at 17 to attend Queen’s University. He then transferred to the University of Pennsylvania, where he received dual bachelor’s degrees in economics and physics.
After graduation, he started his first company, Zip2 Corporation, which provided online mapping software to newspapers. He then co-founded X.com, an online bank, which merged with PayPal and made him a multimillionaire. In 2002, he founded SpaceX, an aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company. He also became CEO of Tesla Motors in 2008, helping to make electric cars more mainstream. Thanks to his many business ventures, Elon Musk has amassed a fortune worth $219 billion.
Originally published at Wealth of Geeks.
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