nickel
03-10-2006, 09:36 AM
The World's Billionaires
Billionaire Bacchanalia
Edited by Luisa Kroll and Allison Fass 03.27.06
Canadian playboy Calvin Ayre went down to Costa Rica a decade ago and began taking illegal bets over the Internet.
Now he’s worth $1 billion (see cover story). Making a billion just isn’t what it used to be. In its inaugural ranking of the world’s richest people 20 years ago FORBES uncovered some 140 billionaires. Just three years ago we found 476. This year the list is a record 793, up 102 from last year. They’re worth a combined $2.6 trillion, up 18% since last March. Their average net worth: $3.3 billion.
Strong stock markets around the world (the U.S. being the notable exception) contributed to this surge in wealth. India, whose BSE SENSEX market was up 54% in the past 12 months, is home to 10 new billionaires, more than any other country besides the U.S.
Notable newcomers include Tulsi Tanti, a former textile trader whose alternative energy company owns Asia’s largest windfarm; Vijay Mallya, the liquor tycoon behind Kingfisher beer; Kushal Pal Singh, India’s biggest real estate developer; and Anurag Dik**** (pronounced “dix-sit”), another online gaming mogul, who made his fortune when he and two Americans took their PartyGaming poker company public in London last June.
Russia, whose RTS stock exchange was up 108%, benefited from strong gains in commodities prices. The surge swelled the fortunes of its 33 billionaires, including 7 newcomers who join the list. China now has 8 billionaires, four times as many as last year. The U.S. is home to 44 new billionaires and commands nearly half of the fortunes on the roster.
Bill Gates retains his title as the world’s richest person for the twelfth straight year, proving that while it’s getting easier to make a billion, the same can’t be said for making $50 billion.
Twelve people return to the list. Thirty-nine people depart from it. Seven fortunes were broken up among family members, usually siblings, adding 15 individuals to the ranks. Seventy-eight women make the list, 10 more than last year, though only 6 are self-made. Hind Hariri, daughter of slain Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri, who is eight months younger than Germany’s Prince Albert von Thurn und Taxis, is, at 22, the list’s youngest member.
http://www.forbes.com/free_forbes/2006/0327/111.html
Rank Name Citizenship Age Net Worth ($bil) Residence
1 William Gates III United States 50 50.0 United States
2 Warren Buffett United States 75 42.0 United States
3 Carlos Slim Helu Mexico 66 30.0 Mexico
4 Ingvar Kamprad Sweden 79 28.0 Switzerland
5 Lakshmi Mittal India 55 23.5 United Kingdom
6 Paul Allen United States 53 22.0 United States
7 Bernard Arnault France 57 21.5 France
8 Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud Saudi Arabia 49 20.0 Saudi Arabia
9 Kenneth Thomson & family Canada 82 19.6 Canada
10 Li Ka-shing Hong Kong 77 18.8 Hong Kong
11 Roman Abramovich Russia 39 18.2 United Kingdom
12 Michael Dell United States 41 17.1 United States
13 Karl Albrecht Germany 86 17.0 Germany
14 Sheldon Adelson United States 72 16.1 United States
15 Liliane Bettencourt France 83 16.0 France
15 Lawrence Ellison United States 61 16.0 United States
17 Christy Walton United States 51 15.9 United States
17 Jim Walton United States 58 15.9 United States
19 S Robson Walton United States 62 15.8 United States
20 Alice Walton United States 56 15.7 United States
21 Helen Walton United States 86 15.6 United States
22 Theo Albrecht Germany 83 15.2 Germany
23 Amancio Ortega Spain 70 14.8 Spain
24 Steven Ballmer United States 50 13.6 United States
25 Azim Premji India 60 13.3 India
26 Sergey Brin United States 32 12.9 United States
27 Larry Page United States 33 12.8 United States
28 Abigail Johnson United States 44 12.5 United States
29 Nasser Al-Kharafi & family Kuwait 62 12.4 Kuwait
29 Barbara Cox Anthony United States 82 12.4 United States
29 Anne Cox Chambers United States 86 12.4 United States
32 Stefan Persson Sweden 58 12.3 Sweden
33 Charles Koch United States 70 12.0 United States
33 David Koch United States 65 12.0 United States
35 Raymond, Thomas & Walter Kwok Hong Kong NA 11.6 Hong Kong
36 Adolf Merckle Germany 71 11.5 Germany
37 Sulaiman Bin Abdul Al Rajhi Saudi Arabia 86 11.0 Saudi Arabia
37 Vagit Alekperov Russia 55 11.0 Russia
37 Silvio Berlusconi Italy 69 11.0 Italy
37 Lee Shau Kee Hong Kong 78 11.0 Hong Kong
41 Vladimir Lisin Russia 49 10.7 Russia
42 Michael Otto & family Germany 62 10.4 Germany
43 Pierre Omidyar United States 38 10.1 United States
44 Leonardo Del Vecchio Italy 70 10.0 Italy
44 Michele Ferrero & family Italy 79 10.0 Monaco
44 Forrest Mars Jr United States 74 10.0 United States
44 Jacqueline Mars United States 66 10.0 United States
44 John Mars United States 69 10.0 United States
44 Viktor Vekselberg Russia 48 10.0 Russia
50 Mikhail Fridman Russia 41 9.7 Russia
cont'd at link http://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/10/Rank_1.html
Billionaire Bacchanalia
Edited by Luisa Kroll and Allison Fass 03.27.06
Canadian playboy Calvin Ayre went down to Costa Rica a decade ago and began taking illegal bets over the Internet.
Now he’s worth $1 billion (see cover story). Making a billion just isn’t what it used to be. In its inaugural ranking of the world’s richest people 20 years ago FORBES uncovered some 140 billionaires. Just three years ago we found 476. This year the list is a record 793, up 102 from last year. They’re worth a combined $2.6 trillion, up 18% since last March. Their average net worth: $3.3 billion.
Strong stock markets around the world (the U.S. being the notable exception) contributed to this surge in wealth. India, whose BSE SENSEX market was up 54% in the past 12 months, is home to 10 new billionaires, more than any other country besides the U.S.
Notable newcomers include Tulsi Tanti, a former textile trader whose alternative energy company owns Asia’s largest windfarm; Vijay Mallya, the liquor tycoon behind Kingfisher beer; Kushal Pal Singh, India’s biggest real estate developer; and Anurag Dik**** (pronounced “dix-sit”), another online gaming mogul, who made his fortune when he and two Americans took their PartyGaming poker company public in London last June.
Russia, whose RTS stock exchange was up 108%, benefited from strong gains in commodities prices. The surge swelled the fortunes of its 33 billionaires, including 7 newcomers who join the list. China now has 8 billionaires, four times as many as last year. The U.S. is home to 44 new billionaires and commands nearly half of the fortunes on the roster.
Bill Gates retains his title as the world’s richest person for the twelfth straight year, proving that while it’s getting easier to make a billion, the same can’t be said for making $50 billion.
Twelve people return to the list. Thirty-nine people depart from it. Seven fortunes were broken up among family members, usually siblings, adding 15 individuals to the ranks. Seventy-eight women make the list, 10 more than last year, though only 6 are self-made. Hind Hariri, daughter of slain Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri, who is eight months younger than Germany’s Prince Albert von Thurn und Taxis, is, at 22, the list’s youngest member.
http://www.forbes.com/free_forbes/2006/0327/111.html
Rank Name Citizenship Age Net Worth ($bil) Residence
1 William Gates III United States 50 50.0 United States
2 Warren Buffett United States 75 42.0 United States
3 Carlos Slim Helu Mexico 66 30.0 Mexico
4 Ingvar Kamprad Sweden 79 28.0 Switzerland
5 Lakshmi Mittal India 55 23.5 United Kingdom
6 Paul Allen United States 53 22.0 United States
7 Bernard Arnault France 57 21.5 France
8 Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud Saudi Arabia 49 20.0 Saudi Arabia
9 Kenneth Thomson & family Canada 82 19.6 Canada
10 Li Ka-shing Hong Kong 77 18.8 Hong Kong
11 Roman Abramovich Russia 39 18.2 United Kingdom
12 Michael Dell United States 41 17.1 United States
13 Karl Albrecht Germany 86 17.0 Germany
14 Sheldon Adelson United States 72 16.1 United States
15 Liliane Bettencourt France 83 16.0 France
15 Lawrence Ellison United States 61 16.0 United States
17 Christy Walton United States 51 15.9 United States
17 Jim Walton United States 58 15.9 United States
19 S Robson Walton United States 62 15.8 United States
20 Alice Walton United States 56 15.7 United States
21 Helen Walton United States 86 15.6 United States
22 Theo Albrecht Germany 83 15.2 Germany
23 Amancio Ortega Spain 70 14.8 Spain
24 Steven Ballmer United States 50 13.6 United States
25 Azim Premji India 60 13.3 India
26 Sergey Brin United States 32 12.9 United States
27 Larry Page United States 33 12.8 United States
28 Abigail Johnson United States 44 12.5 United States
29 Nasser Al-Kharafi & family Kuwait 62 12.4 Kuwait
29 Barbara Cox Anthony United States 82 12.4 United States
29 Anne Cox Chambers United States 86 12.4 United States
32 Stefan Persson Sweden 58 12.3 Sweden
33 Charles Koch United States 70 12.0 United States
33 David Koch United States 65 12.0 United States
35 Raymond, Thomas & Walter Kwok Hong Kong NA 11.6 Hong Kong
36 Adolf Merckle Germany 71 11.5 Germany
37 Sulaiman Bin Abdul Al Rajhi Saudi Arabia 86 11.0 Saudi Arabia
37 Vagit Alekperov Russia 55 11.0 Russia
37 Silvio Berlusconi Italy 69 11.0 Italy
37 Lee Shau Kee Hong Kong 78 11.0 Hong Kong
41 Vladimir Lisin Russia 49 10.7 Russia
42 Michael Otto & family Germany 62 10.4 Germany
43 Pierre Omidyar United States 38 10.1 United States
44 Leonardo Del Vecchio Italy 70 10.0 Italy
44 Michele Ferrero & family Italy 79 10.0 Monaco
44 Forrest Mars Jr United States 74 10.0 United States
44 Jacqueline Mars United States 66 10.0 United States
44 John Mars United States 69 10.0 United States
44 Viktor Vekselberg Russia 48 10.0 Russia
50 Mikhail Fridman Russia 41 9.7 Russia
cont'd at link http://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/10/Rank_1.html