The World's Billionaires

[HappinessNow]

The top 20 according to Forbes:


William Gates III - Net Worth:$40.0 bil, Fortune:self made, Source:Microsoft, Age:53,Country Of Citizenship:United States, Residence:Medina, Washington, Industry:Software, Education:Harvard University, Drop Out, Marital Status:married, 3 children
Warren Buffett - Net Worth:$37.0 bil, Fortune:self made, Source:Berkshire Hathaway, Age:78, Country Of Citizenship:United States, Residence:Omaha, Nebraska, Industry:Investments, Education:University of Nebraska Lincoln, Bachelor of Arts / Science, Columbia University, Master of Science, Marital Status:widowed, remarried, 3 children
Carlos Slim Helú - Net Worth:$35.0 bil, Fortune:self made, Source:telecom, Age:69, Country Of Citizenship:Mexico, Residence:Mexico City, Industry:Telecommunications, Education:NA, Marital Status:widowed, 6 children
Lawrence Ellison - Net Worth:$22.5 bil, Fortune:self made, Source:Oracle, Age:64, Country Of Citizenship:United States, Residence:Redwood City, California, Industry:Software, Education:University of Illinois, Drop Out, Marital Status:married, 2 children
Ingvar Kamprad - Net Worth:$22.0 bil, Fortune:self made, Source:Ikea, Age:83, Country Of Citizenship:Sweden, Residence:Lausanne, Industry:Retail, Education:NA, Marital Status:married, 4 children
Karl Albrecht - Net Worth:$21.5 bil, Fortune:self made, Source:Aldi, Age:89, Country Of Citizenship:Germany, Residence:Mulheim an der Ruhr, Industry:Retail, Education:NA, Marital Status:married, 2 children
Mukesh Ambani - Net Worth:$19.5 bil, Fortune:inherited and growing, Source:petrochemicals, Age:51, Country Of Citizenship:India, Residence:Mumbai, Industry:Manufacturing, Education:University of Bombay, Bachelor of Arts / Science, Stanford University, Drop Out, Marital Status:married, 3 children
Lakshmi Mittal - Net Worth:$19.3 bil, Fortune:inherited and growing, Source:steel, Age:58, Country Of Citizenship:India, Residence:London, Industry:Steel, Education:St Xavier's College Calcutta, Bachelor of Arts / Science, Marital Status:married, 2 children
Theo Albrecht - Net Worth:$18.8 bil, Fortune:self made, Source:Aldi, Trader Joe's, Age:87, Country Of Citizenship:Germany, Residence:Foehr, Industry:Retail, Education:NA, Marital Status:married, 2 children
Amancio Ortega - Net Worth:$18.3 bil, Fortune:self made, Source:Zara, Age:73, Country Of Citizenship:Spain, Residence:La Coruna, Industry:Retail, Education:NA, Marital Status:married, 3 children
Jim Walton
Alice Walton
Christy Walton
S Robson Walton
Bernard Arnault
Li Ka-shing
Michael Bloomberg
Stefan Persson
Charles Koch
David Koch
http://www.forbes.com/2009/03/11/worlds-richest-people-billionaires-2009-billionaires_land.html

How does Forbes determine their Net Worth?

Who do you think may slip from the top 20?

...and who will rise?

[amitabhishek]

How does Forbes determine their Net Worth?

On the basis of share price of the shares that they have in their kitty.

[HappinessNow]

On the basis of share price of the shares that they have in their kitty.yeah possibly, it is interesting to see who actually is on the list, and who is on the top 20 and how they made or inherited their money. Surprising is the amount of college even a high school drop out on the list.

[Exodist]

Hell I want to be a Walton!! On 2nd thought. I hate rich people!

[HappinessNow]

Hell I want to be a Walton!! On 2nd thought. I hate rich people!
:lolflag:...I think you would make an awesome Billionaire :P

[Exodist]

:lolflag:...I think you would make an awesome Billionaire :P
LOL na, I would be the dirtiest ******* on the internet. /ohh wait... I already am! :P

MOD: You are going to get banned for harassing the mods!
ME: /buys Elitest Jerks forums :D
MOD: You are the greatest, never mind what I said before. You know I was just kidding!

[sudoer541]

The top 20 according to Forbes:
http://www.forbes.com/2009/03/11/worlds-richest-people-billionaires-2009-billionaires_land.html

How does Forbes determine their Net Worth?

Who do you think may slip from the top 20?

...and who will rise?

where is Bill Gates?

[alakazam]

The Queen

[NoaHall]

where is Bill Gates?

Sigh. He's the top one. William = Bill.

[sudoer541]

Sigh. He's the top one. William = Bill.
lol+ I didnt have my coffee today! lol:lolflag:
Bill Gates the third? sound like a king or emperor to me lol.

[Chris Edgell]

To think...the top 10 richest total "only" about 250 billion....always bearing in mind that there are one thousand millionaires to be ONE billion.

And then to remember that this top 10 have "only" 250 billion...and it take a thousand billion to make one TRILLION. And how have we gotten to the place where we can hear someone say, "Well it was 5 billion or 5 trillion, I don't remember".

A million dollars, in crisp new one-hundred dollar bills -- is only 3 feet tall
A billion dollars, is twice as tall as the Empire State Building -- about 3,000 feet tall.
A trillion dollars is a third of the way to the moon.

Just when the millions who abused their health want to live forever, we step up and say, "What is 10 trillion dollars compared to the death of one very nice person?"

[NoaHall]

lol+ I didnt have my coffee today! lol:lolflag:
Bill Gates the third? sound like a king or emperor to me lol.

I got confused when I first was told Bill = William too.

[schauerlich]

A billion dollars, is tall as the Empire State Building -- about 3,000 feet tall.

Uhhh.

[Chris Edgell]

Did I screw that one up? I ALMOST went and checked.....

Okay, up to the top of the spire, and back down...

Oh, hey, what ABOUT the queen?

[NoaHall]

Did I screw that one up? I ALMOST went and checked.....

Oh, hey, what ABOUT the queen?

Not a billionaire - it's around £300 million that she "has".

[Chris Edgell]

Seems a rather paltry sum, in light of these billionaires. That must be private wealth, I suppose, as opposed to "the Crown".

[melkespreng]

Anyone else notice they usually sell crap?

[bash]

How does Forbes determine their Net Worth??

A LOT of guesstimate. Quite a few of these peoples companies aren't even traded publically so you can't just go around add up shares. Not only that but some live really secluded and rarely give up details about themselves. Prime example of that would be the Albrecht brothers.

[Cuddles McKitten]

Marcus Licinius Crassus and Anton Fugger would laugh at these paupers.

[alexfish]

I got confused when I first was told Bill = William too.

Ya all confused $Bill = William : self made burglar :lolflag:

[autonomy]

Most of these billionaires are around 70-something.

[wilee-nilee]

It is interesting that Warren Buffet has donated most of his worth to the Gates foundation, they both are going to give most of it to charity in the end. The foundation has to pump out Buffets money though in 10 years I believe.

[Smart Viking]

A survey made by Smart Viking says that very rich people are generally less intelligent than average.

[user1397]

Imagine if all billionaires decided to give away their money except for 10 million dollars (plenty to be comfortable for the rest of their lives, and give their family "security.")

Now wouldn't that be nice? :popcorn:

[wilee-nilee]

Imagine if all billionaires decided to give away their money except for 10 million dollars (plenty to be comfortable for the rest of their lives, and give their family "security.")

Now wouldn't that be nice? :popcorn:

That is exactly what Buffet and Gates are doing they do not want a legacy fund like the Rockefeller's, and others who have. They will leave enough for their heirs to be fairly comfortable, but nothing near the amount they are worth themselves. Both of them started as middle class citizens economically and don't want their names to live on in infinity with a trust doling out money indefinitely.

[chrisxuk]

I recommend checking out a book "The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook" by an author called Ben Mezrich. Excellent story! Even if you are not a fan or user of Facebook, it has a very interesting history!

I got the audiobook version however from Audible, so not sure what the paper copy is like!