Fortune has released a list of the rankings of 10 richest countries in the world based on the International Monetary Fund’s October 2017 data. According to IMF, the data on GDP per capita is based on purchasing power parity, which compares the currencies of countries in relation to the cost of goods and is used to measure a country’s economy in relation to others. This list curates the names of the most influential and richest person belonging to each of the richest countries as per GDP. This may come as a surprise that not a single personality or businessman from the United States belong in this list as US was not considered by the IMF as one of the top 10 richest countries in the world. Out of over 200 nations, check out the top billionaires who belong from the top 10 richest countries which have taken the spot on this coveted list:
Li-ka Shing - Hong Kong’s richest person. Has an estimated wealth of $30.3 billion dollars. One of the most influential businessmen in Hong Kong has businesses from ports, utilities, telecom to real estate. (Twitter)
Ernesto Bertarelli - Switzerland’s richest person. Has an estimated wealth of $9 billion dollars. After taking over Serono, family’s pharmaceutical company, he drastically improved profit margin by focusing more on biotechnology. Currently resides in Gstaad, Switzerland and is an avid philanthropist. (Twitter)
Majid Al Futtaim - UAE’s richest person and second to Saudi Arabia’s Prince Alwaleed bin Talal in the Middle East. Futtaim’s current fortune is estimated at $10.9 billion dollars. Majid’s wealth surged after his business group opened new malls throughout the region. He is UAE’s biggest mall operator and employs over 34,000 people. (Youtube)
Bassam Alghanim - Kuwait’s richest person has a net worth of $1.4 billion dollars. He has inherited a stake in the Alghanim industries though he does not partake in running the family business which is looked after by his brother Kutayba. (Twitter)
John Fredriksen - With a net worth of $9.9 billion dollars he could have been Norway’s richest person had he not renounced his citizenship. Fredriksen is considered one of the world’s most important oil barons. Replacing him Odd Reitan is now the richest person in Norway with an estimated wealth of $5.3 billion dollar. (Reuters)
Pallonji Mistry - Indian-origin Pallonji Mistry is the Ireland’s richest person with an estimated net worth of $16.7 billion dollars. The family wealth is derived from the 18.4 per cent stake in Tata Sons. the tycoon controls Mumbai-headquartered 152-year-old Shapoorji Pallonji Group. (Twitter)
Hassanal Bolkiah - The richest person of the Brunei is Hassanal Bolkiah with a fortune of $20 billion dollars. His wealth is the result of a large business empire based on oil and gas development. The Sultan reportedly owns over 600 Rolls-Royces and also the largest palace - Istana Nurul Iman. (Twitter)
Brothers Robert Ng and Philip Ng - Singapore’s largest private landlord and property developer - brothers Robert and Philip Ng control the Far East organisation and own an estimated fortune of $9.4 billion dollars. The organisation was founded by their late father Ng Teng Fong and later came to be known as ‘The King of Orchard Road’. (YouTube)
Mansour Ojjeh - There is not much clarity as in who is the richest person in the country. Mansour Ojjeh probably tops the list of wealthiest people in Luxembourg with an estimated fortune of $3.2 billion dollars. (Twitter)
Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani (on left) - Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani at 68 is the richest person in the middle eastern country with an estimated fortune of $2 billion dollars. He has wealth in diversified businesses in which hotels generate most of his income. (Instagram)