Women billionaires around the globe have made significant strides across diverse industries, including fashion, finance, e-commerce, and pharmaceuticals. According to Forbes’ Real-Time Billionaires rankings as of April 11, 2024, these women not only hold immense wealth but also have fascinating stories of their rise to the top.
Françoise Bettencourt Meyers and Family – $92.2 Billion
Source of Wealth: L’Oréal
Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, the granddaughter of L’Oréal’s founder, is the richest woman in the world. According to Forbes, she and her family own over a third of L’Oréal, the world’s largest cosmetics company. Despite challenges during the pandemic, the company has seen significant recovery, boosting its net worth. Françoise, who also chairs the family’s holding company, became the first woman to surpass a $100 billion net worth by the end of 2023 (Forbes).
Alice Walton – $72.7 Billion
Source of Wealth: Walmart
Alice Walton, daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton, ranks second. Unlike her brothers who joined the family business, Alice pursued her passion for art. She founded the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas. Recently, Alice sold $21 million worth of Walmart stock from the Walton Family Holdings Trust, showcasing her continuous financial manoeuvres, as per Bloomberg.
Julia Koch and Family – $66.1 Billion
Source of Wealth: Koch Industries
Julia Koch inherited a 42% stake in Koch Industries, a conglomerate involved in everything from chemicals to energy, after her husband David Koch passed away in 2019. Julia has made substantial contributions to philanthropy, including a $75 million donation to NYU Langone Health for a new ambulatory care centre in West Palm Beach (CNBC).
Jacqueline Mars – $38.7 Billion
Source of Wealth: Mars Inc.
Jacqueline Mars owns about one-third of Mars Inc., the world’s largest candy maker known for brands like M&M’s and Snickers. According to Bloomberg, Jacqueline worked on the company board for nearly two decades before retiring in 2016. She is also passionate about equestrianism, owning a horse farm in Virginia that has trained Olympic athletes.
MacKenzie Scott – $37.7 Billion
Source of Wealth: Amazon
MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, received a 4% stake in Amazon after their divorce. As per the New York Times, she has pledged to give away at least half of her wealth and has already donated approximately $16.5 billion to nearly 2,000 non-profits. Besides her philanthropic endeavours, MacKenzie is also an author with two published novels.
Savitri Jindal & Family – $35.5 Billion
Source of Wealth: JSW Group
Savitri Jindal, the only Indian on this list, chairs the Jindal Group. The conglomerate operates in steel, power, cement, and infrastructure sectors. Following her husband Om Prakash Jindal’s death, she took over the business and has also been active in politics, serving as a minister in the Haryana state government (The Economic Times).
Rafaela Aponte-Diamant – $33.3 Billion
Source of Wealth: Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) Group
Rafaela Aponte-Diamant co-owns MSC, the world’s largest shipping line, with her husband. According to Forbes, she is a self-made billionaire who started the business with her husband. Rafaela is responsible for the interior decoration of MSC Cruises, the company’s cruise ship arm.
Miriam Adelson and Family – $32.1 Billion
Source of Wealth: Las Vegas Sands
Miriam Adelson, the widow of Sheldon Adelson, owns more than half of the casino company Las Vegas Sands. As per Bloomberg, the company has major casino operations in Singapore and Macau. Miriam has also been a significant political donor, contributing $90 million to Donald Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign.
Gina Rinehart – $30.7 Billion
Source of Wealth: Hancock Prospecting
Gina Rinehart, Australia’s richest person, chairs Hancock Prospecting, a mining and agricultural company. She transformed the financially troubled company into a highly profitable entity. Recently, Hancock Prospecting became a major shareholder in MP Materials, which is set to merge with Lynas Rare Earths (Reuters).
Abigail Johnson – $29.6 Billion
Source of Wealth: Fidelity Investments
Abigail Johnson has been the CEO of Fidelity Investments since 2014, a firm founded by her grandfather. She owns a 28.5% stake in the company. Under her leadership, Fidelity has ventured into Bitcoin spot ETFs in the US, a move that has garnered significant attention (CNBC).