Forbes magazine has released its annual list of the world’s billionaires and 2011 is a record year for the richest men and women on the planet.
At 1,210, there are more billionaires that ever before and at $4.5trn, they are also worth more combined than ever before.
Moscow has more billionaires compared with any other city and China doubled the number of people who can boast a 10-figure fortune.
Five Irishmen made the list, with Pallonji Mistry topping the pile. His $8.8bn construction wealth brings him in at 103rd. Mistry is a citizen of Ireland but resides in India.
Digicel Group chairman Denis O’Brien comes in at 254th place and is worth $4.2bn.
Campbell Soup’s John Dorrance is the third Irishman to make the list (488th), while at $1.9bn net worth, Martin Naughton is placed 651st.
Sixty-year-old financier Dermot Desmond is the last Irishman to make the list and with a net worth of $1.6bn, he makes it in at 782nd.
Overall, Mexico’s telecommunications tycoon Carlos Slim Helu heads the list again, boasting a net worth of $74bn.
Worth $56bn, Bill Gates comes in behind Slim Helu but remains America’s richest man.
The Sage of Omaha, Warren Buffett, lands in third place on the list with a net worth of $50bn.
Chairman of luxury group LVMH, Bernard Arnault, moved up the list and is named as the world’s fourth-richest billionaire.
Oracle chief Larry Ellison is worth $39.5bn, making the college dropout the fifth-richest billionaire in the world.
Lakshmi Mittal ($31.1bn), Amancio Ortega ($31bn), Eike Batista ($30bn), Mukesh Ambani ($27bn) and Christy Walton ($26.5bn) make up the top 10.
More than 50 reporters in 13 countries worked on compiling the 25th annual list. They valued individuals’ public holdings, private companies, real estate, yachts, art and cash. Net worths were locked in using stock prices and exchange rates from 14 February. For online bios on all 1,210 billionaires, go to Forbes‘ website.
Article courtesy of Businessandleadership.com
