Do you know who are the richest women in the world? Since the beginning, women are contributing to the world like men. They are second to none in the world of success. Like men, women are also breaking records and proving themselves that they are not behind men in any way.
World’s Billionaires on the Rise
“Any woman who understands the problems of running a home will be nearer to understanding the problems of running a country – by Margaret Thatcher”.
Similarly, many women have made history in terms of name, fame, and money. Here are the top 50 best names that are the richest women in the world.
List of the Richest Women in the World
1. Françoise Bettencourt Meyers & family
Net Worth: $80.5 Billion
Francoise Bettencourt Meyers is the first richest women in the world, and she is the granddaughter of L’oreal’s founder. Francoise and his family hold 33% of L’oreal’s stocks. They have the best sales records in the decades of 2018.
She took the L’oreal board’s command in her hand in 1997 and now is the chairman of the family holding company. Being one of the richest women in the world, her net worth is increased to $80.5 billion.
2. Julia Koch & family
Net Worth: $59 Billion
One place on the billionaire list is held by Julia Koch, who, together with her three children, inherited the 42% stake in Koch Industries from her husband David, whom she lost in August 2019 at 79. As a result, Julia Koch currently possesses a net worth of $59 billion.
Julia Koch is from Iowa, but that state’s capital city NY was where she moved in the 1980s. For many years, Julia Koch worked as an assistant to Adolfo’s fashion designer. She comes at number two on the list of richest women in the world.
3. Alice Walton
Net Worth: $56.7 Billion
Alice Walton is the third richest women in the world. She is the daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton. Instead of working for Walmart like her sibling Rob and Jim, she has decided to work on curating art.
Walton has started a Crystals Bridge Museum for Americans Art in her hometown, Bentonville, Arkansas in 2011. Her personal art collection is valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
4. Jacqueline Mars
Net Worth: $38.3 Billion
Jacqueline Mars is the fourth richest woman in the world and ranked 38th number in the list of the world’s richest billionaires. She is an American heiress and investor. She is the daughter of Audrey Ruth (Meyer) and Forrest Mars, Sr., and granddaughter of Frank C. Mars, founders of the American candy company Mars, Incorporated.
Mars was founded by Jacqueline’s Grandfather, Frank, in 1911. She claims an estimate of one-third of Mars, the world’s largest candymaker. She is a well-known philanthropist and serves on six boards including at the Smithsonian and the National Archives.
5. Miriam Adelson & family
Net Worth: $35 Billion
After marrying business tycoon Sheldon Adelson, Miriam Adelson acquired enormous wealth. Even though she is known primarily for her political donations. She comes at the fifth position in the list of richest women in the world.
Miriam Adelson is also very well known for her wealth, mainly attributed to her majority ownership of Las Vegas Sands, which has given her a net worth of $27.4 billion.
6. Rafaela Aponte-Diamant
Net Worth: $31.2 Billion
Rafaela Aponte-Diamant made it to the top 10 list of richest women in the world this year. She is the co-founder of MSC, one of the world’s largest companies for shipping. Rafaela and her husband Guianluigi cofounded the company in 1970. They both were also listed as the wealthiest family in Forbes 2023 list.
7. Yang Huiyan & Family
Net Worth: $30.6 Billion
Yang Huiyan is the seventh richest women in the world. Yang is a Chinese property developer and manages hotels throughout the country. She holds a majority of shares (57%) in Country Garden Holdings, a stake largely transferred to her by her father Yang Guoqiang in 2007.
She is the richest woman in the world, majorly in Asia. Her net worth is 30.6 billion USD (2023). Yang completed her education at Ohio State University.
8. Susanne Klatten
Net Worth: $27.4 Billion
Susanne Klatten is the eighth richest women in the world. She is a German heiress, the daughter of Herbert and Johanna Quandt. As of April 2023, her net worth was $27.4 billion, making her the richest woman in Germany and the 52nd richest person in the world. She is completed her MBA from IMD-Lausanne.
Klatten holds own 19.9% shares in automaker BMW and her brother owns 23.7%. She is the sole owner and deputy chairman of her father’s Altana AG a world-class pharmaceutical/ special chemical corporation, which pulls in more than $2.5 billion in annual sales.
9. Gina Rinehart
Net Worth: $27 Billion
Gina Rinehart is the chairman of Hancock Prospecting, a privately owned mineral exploration, and extraction company which is founded by her father Lang Hancock. She is an Australian mining magnate and heiress, the 10th richest women in the world. Her net worth is $27 billion, according to Forbes.
Gina took her father’s bankrupt estate and rebuilt it into something much larger and become the Australian richest woman built her wealth on Iron ore, an industry that continues to expand robustly. The Roy Hill mining project is one of her biggest projects which started shipments to Asia in 2015.
10. MacKenzie Scott
Net Worth: $24.4 Billion
Mackenzie Bezos Scott is the ex-wife of Amazon’s founder Jeff Bezos who transferred a quarter of his shares to her. She now holds $19.7 million shares of the world’s most valuable companies (in market caps) and is worth $38 billion.
Mackenzie is a novelist and has completed her study at Toni Morrison at Princeton University. She has written two novels, The Testing of Luther Albright and Traps.
11. Iris Fontbona & family
Net Worth: $23.1 Billion
Iris Fontbona is a Chilean billionaire businesswoman, the widow of Andrónico Luksic Abaroa. She is the wealthiest person in Chile, the fifth wealthiest in Latin America, and the 74th wealthiest person in the world.
After his death, Antofagasta PLC is controlled by Fontbona and her child, which owns copper mines in Chile and trades in the London stock exchange. This family has its majority of stakes in Quinenco, a publicly-traded Chilean conglomerate active in banking, bee, and manufacturing.
12. Elaine T. Marshall
Net Worth: $20 Billion
A company called Koch Industries has an estimated 15% stake in Elaine T. Marshall. After her husband, E Pierce Marshall died in 2006, she inherited the company’s stake from him. Her net worth is estimated at $20 billion at the moment making her one of the richest women in the world.
13. Laurene Powell Jobs
Net Worth: $19.9 Billion
Laurene Powell Jobs is the 12th richest women in the world. She is an American businesswoman, executive, and the founder of Emerson Collective, a social impact organization. She is the widow of Apple founder Steve Jobs. Laurene has done her MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Powell Jobs has $20 billion from the stakes of Apple and Disney, which was inherited after the death of Steve Jobs. Her focus is on education, immigration, and the environment, therefore, she started an Emerson Collective Foundation in the middle of 2016, for $1.2 billion. She also took a majority of stakes in Atlanta Magazine in 2017.
14. Zhong Huijuan
Net Worth: $18.9 Billion
The chairperson of a famous Chinese drug manufacturer company, Hansoh Pharmaceutical, Zhong Huijuan made it to the list of richest women in the world. This pharmaceutical sells several drugs like psychoactive, oncology, anti-diabetic, and many more.
Zhong and her husband share the same company profits and she holds approx. 75% shares along with her daughter Sun Yuan. Zhong’s net worth is approx. $18.9 billion according to April 2023.
15. Wu Yajun
Net Worth: $17.9 Billion
Based in Hong Kong, a real estate developer named Longfor Properties is cofounded by Wu Yajun. She is the chairperson as well as the co-founder of the company. Wu and her husband founded the company in 1993.
However, they got a divorce and she is the only person handling it at the moment. Her net worth is $17.9 billion which makes her one of the richest women in the world.
16. Vicky Safra
Net Worth: $16.9 Billion
With more than $300 billion in assets under management, Vicky Safra and her family control the Safra banking empire which operates in 26 countries and employs more than 34,000 people. There are currently 16.9 billion dollars in her net worth as of now making her one of the richest women in the world.
17. Savitri Jindal
Net Worth: $16.39 Billion
The wealthiest woman in the country of India is Savitri Jindal. A year after she married OP Jindal, a steel and oil magnate from India, she became the mother of two children. Her husband died in 2005, and she became the chairman of the Jindal Group after he passed.
Savitri’s husband died in 2005, and Jindal inherited more than just industrial capital. From 2005 to 2014, she also served as a member of the Haryana state legislature, representing the late Haryana state legislature’s seat. She has an estimated net worth of $16.39 billion.
18. Beate Heister
Net Worth: $15.9 Billion
Aldi, a German discount grocery store chain founded by Beat Heister’s father, Karl Albrecht, is one of the largest chains in the world. As a board member of the company, Beat Heister holds a position of responsibility.
In terms of current net worth, Beat Heister has $15.9 billion making her one of the richest women in the world.
19. Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken
Net Worth: $15.4 Billion
Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken is a Dutch-English businesswoman. She is the owner of the world’s second-largest brewer brand, Heineken International. She is the richest woman in the UK and holds 25% stakes in Heineken International.
Her net worth is 15.4 billion USD as of April 2023, according to Forbes magazine. Charlene’s Husband Michael de Carvalho is a financier, director of Citigroup, and a member of the supervisory board of Heineken NV.
20. Abigail Johnson
Net Worth: $15 Billion
Abigail Pierrepont Johnson is the 19th richest women in the world. She is an American billionaire businesswoman. She is the CEO of Fidelity Investment in 2014 when she took over for her father and as a chairman since 2016.
Johnson has an estimated 25.7% stake in the firm which has nearly $2.7 trillion in managed assets. She ranked #71 on the list of the world’s richest billionaires, according to Forbes.
21. Kirsten Rausing
Net Worth: $13.2 Billion
Kirsten Rausing is on the list of one of the richest women in the world with a net worth of $13.2 billion according to April 2023. She has a seat on board in Tetra Laval holding company along with her other family members. Kirsten holds a 33% share in the company.
22. Wang Laichun
Net Worth: $12.7 Billion
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The Chinese chairperson of a company that produces electronics connectors and is a large supplier for Apple, Luxshare Precision Industry. Wang Laichun is one of the richest women in the world with a net worth of $12.7 billion.
She has a great experience in this industry as she is working here for a long time. However, she left the company in 1999 and decided to buy Luxshare with her brother.
23. Kwong Siu-hing
Net Worth: $12.2 Billion
Kwong Siu-Hing or Kwok Kwong Siu-Hing is the matriarch of the Kwok family. She is the widow of Sun Hung kai properties co-founder of Kwok Tak-Seng, who died in 1990. Kwok manages Sun Hung Kai Properties, the largest property developer in Hong Kong after her eldest son, Walter.
Kwok is the former chairperson and non-executive director of Sun Hung Kai Properties, the biggest stakeholder in Sun Hung Kai, with 26.58% stakes. She is the 22nd richest women in the world with a 12.2 billion dollars net worth.
24. Massimiliana Landini Aleotti
Net Worth: $10.4 Billion
An Italian heiress with an estimated net worth of $10.4 billion according to April 2023, Massimiliana Landini Aleotti is one of the richest women in the world.
She has an interest in medicine and worked in the industry for a long time. Later, she opened a company called Menarini, a pharmaceutical company, and became its owner.
25. Sara Mota de Larrea
Net Worth: $10 Billion
The median net worth of Sara Mota de Larrea is $17.3 billion. Sara Mota de Larrea has accumulated a fortune worth $17.3 billion throughout her career. Mexico’s richest woman Sara Mota de Larrea has been listed as the richest women in the world.
The widow of Jorge Larrea controls 36% of Grupo Mexico, the 7th largest copper producer in the world, ranked seventh in the world by copper production.
26. Ann Walton Kroenke
Net Worth: $9.1 Billion
The heiress of the Walmart fortune, Ann Walton Kroenke is one of the richest women in the world. She has an estimated net worth of $9.1 billion. She shares the inherited stock from her father, Bud Walton’s company.
Ann shares the profit along with her sister Nancy Walton Laurie. They both started working in the company when their father passed away in 1995.
27. Sherry Brydson
Net Worth: $9.0 Billion
It is no secret that Sherry Brydson is one of the wealthiest people in Canada. As the controlling shareholder of a private holding company, she is the controlling shareholder of Thomson Reuters Corp.
Brydson’s grandfather Roy Thomson established the Thomson Corporation in 1934. She has a net worth of around $9.0 billion. And Sherry is on the list of richest women in the world.
28. Zeng Fangquin
Net Worth: $8.3 Billion
With an estimated net worth of $8.3 billion, Zeng Fangquin is on the list of one of the richest women in the world. She is the chairperson of the company Lingyi Technology.
The company work as a part supplier of mobile phones, including Huawei and Apple products. Besides, in 2018, Lingyi Technology was on the list of the Shenzhen stock exchange with a $3.2 billion estimated net worth.
29. Nancy Walton Laurie
Net Worth: $8.2 Billion
The heiress of the Walmart fortune, Nancy Walton Laurie is on the list of richest women in the world. She has an estimated net worth of $8.2 billion according to April 2023.
The daughter of Bud Walton and sister of Sam Walton, Nancy has a share in the company and took over it with her sister Ann Walton Kroenke when their father passed away.
30. Blair Parry-Okeden
Net Worth: $8.2 Billion
Being one of the richest women in Australia, Blair Parry-Okeden has an estimated net worth of $8.2 billion. She is among the top billionaires in Australia. Blair Parry-Okeden is also known as the billionaire heiress of Australia.
31. Diane Hendricks
Net Worth: $8 Billion
A film producer who owns the Hendricks Holding Company, Diane Hendricks is one of the richest women in the world. She is an American billionaire businesswoman and the widow of Ken Hendricks.
Diane also holds the position of chairperson in a company that supplies wholesale distributors of windows and roofing called ABC Supply. She has an estimated net worth of $8 billion as of April 2023.
32. Christy Walton
Net Worth: $7.8 Billion
Another heiress of the Walmart fortune, Christy Ruth Walton is the widow of the famous John T. Walton. John is the son of Sam Walton who founded the Walmart company. She has an estimated net worth of $7.8 billion.
Unfortunately, her husband passed away in 2005 due to a plane crash. After which, she became the main person of the company and had approx. $18 billion net worth at that time.
33. Zhao Yan
Net Worth: $7.7 Billion
Zhao Yan is the owner and chairperson of Bloomage Biotechnology, a Hong Kong-listed company. The company is known to produce hyaluronic acid that is cast off in creams like anti-aging and other products.
She has an estimated net worth of $7.7 billion which makes her on the list of one of the richest women in the world. She handles the company with great knowledge and motivation.
34. Magdalena Martullo
Net Worth: $7.5 Billion
Magdalen Martullo is the heiress of the fortune of EMS-Chemie, the Swiss polymer and chemical manufacturing giant. She has an estimated net worth of $7.5 billion which makes her one of the richest women in the world.
Her father, Christoph Blocher was the owner and founder of the company until he decided to take a seat in the Swiss federal council. Later, Magdalena took over the company in 2004 along with her three siblings Rahel, Markus, and Miriam.
35. Rahel Blocher
Net Worth: $7.4 Billion
Rahel Bocher’s family is running EMS-Chemie, the Swiss polymer and chemical giant for a long time. She owns a part of the company and has an estimated net worth of $7.4 billion.
Being one of the richest women in the world, she overlooks at Robinvest more than the EMS-Chemie company. Rahel also sits on the board of the Schweizer Musikinsel Rheinau Foundation, where her father works.
36. Marie Hélène Habert
Net Worth: $7.2 Billion
The daughter of the aerospace tycoon, Serge Dassault a French billionaire, Marie-Hélène Habert-Dassault is one of the richest women in the world. She has an estimated net worth of $7.2 billion.
She holds the position of conglomerate’s Communication and Partnership director in the company. Marie’s children share and inherited the wealth of their father when he passed away in 2018.
37. Pamela Mars
Net Worth: $7.2 Billion
The Mars company is famous for its candy and pet food items. Being one of the heirs, Pamela Mars is on the list of billionaires and one of the richest women in the world.
Founded by their father, the three sisters now share an 8% stake after the demise of their father Forrest Mars Jr. in 2016. She works as the family ambassador in the Mars pet care division.
38. Victoria Mars
Net Worth: $7.2 Billion
Being one of the Mars sisters, Victoria Mars shares 8% stakes in the candy and pet food items company, Mars. She comes under the list of richest women in the world and has an estimated net worth of $7.2 billion.
Being a businesswoman, she has the enthusiasm to do charity work. Hence, she also holds the chair position in the Salzburg Global Seminar.
39. Valerie Mars
Net Worth: $7.2 Billion
Born on 20 January 1959, Valerie Mars holds an 8% stake in the company of candy and pet food items, Mars, along with her sisters. The largest candymaker company is founded by their grandfather Frank Mars in 1911.
Valerie is on the list of one of the richest women in the world. She has an estimated net worth of $7.2 billion.
40. Marijke Mars
Net Worth: $7.2 Billion
In addition to being an American billionaire, Marijke Mars is one of the most outstanding businesswomen of all time. After their father passed away, Marijke Mars inherited an estimated 8.4% of the company and she and her sisters each inherited a portion of it.
Marijke Mars now owns a net worth of $7.2 billion. She is also among the richest women in the world and ranked 39th position as of the 2023 list.
41. Sandra Ortega Mere
Net Worth: $7.1 Billion
Sandra Ortega Mere is on the list of one of the richest women in the world with a $7.1 billion estimated net worth. She is the daughter of the cofounder of the clothing company Inditex, Amancio Ortega. The company is famous for its Zara retail chain.
She got the fortune of the company after her mother passed away. Now, Sandra holds approx. 4.5% stake in the company.
42. Antonia Ax:son Johnson
Net Worth: $7.0 Billion
The family tree of conglomerate Axel Johnson has Antonia Ax:son Johnson as the fourth generation. She is one of the richest women in the world with an estimated net worth of $7.0 billion.
She contributed as the head of the trading company founded by her family in 1982. However, now Caroline Berg handles the company after she stepped down as the chairperson in 2015.
43. Sofie Kirk Kristiansen
Net Worth: $6.9 Billion
Sofie Kirk Kristiansen is the fourth-generation holder of the company Lego. She is on the list of one of the richest women in the world. Sofie’s estimated net worth is $6.9 billion as of April 2023.
The stakes of the company are divided between her Sofie, her father, brother, and sister. They all share a 75% stake combined.
44. Agnete Kirk Thinggaard
Net Worth: $6.9 Billion
Agnete Kirk Thinggaard is in the company Lego and contributes as the fourth generation. She shares 75% stakes with her brother, sister, and father. Agnete is one of the richest women in the world. Her estimated net worth is $6.9 billion as of April 2023. Agnete also sats on the Lego Foundation’s board till 2020.
45. Li Haiyan
Net Worth: $6.7 Billion
The co-founder of hot-pot chain Haidilao International Holdings, Li Haiyan is on the list of one of the richest women in the world. She has an estimated net worth of $6.7 billion.
Li supervises the company since 2009 and is married to the billionaire and director of Haidilao International Holdings and Yihai International, Shi Yonghong. Haidilao has 1,300 branches worldwide and is very popular in China.
46. Ronda Stryker
Net Worth: $6.6 Billion
Founded by Homer Stryker, Stryker Corp., the medical equipment company’s current director is his granddaughter, Ronda Stryker. Among her siblings, she is the only one who serves on the board. Ronda has approx. 6% of Stryker Corp. shares.
She is on the list of one of the richest women in the world. Ronda has an estimated net worth of $6.6 billion. She also created Homer Stryker medical school at Western Michigan University with her husband and gave approx. $100 million.
47. Marie Besnier Beauvalot
Net Worth: $6.3 Billion
The French dairy giant, Lactalis is owned by the Besnier family, and Marie Besnier Beauvalot holds 20.7% shares of the company. She is on the list of richest women in the world and has an estimated net worth of $6.3 billion.
After her grandfather founded the company in 1933, it became a family business. As of now, her brother Emmanuel holds the majority of the share and runs the company as CEO.
48. Zheng Shuliang
Net Worth: $8.4 Billion
The founder of China Hongqiao Group, Zhang Shiping left the company in the hands of her wife Zheng Shuliang after his demise in 2019. She served as the chairman of the company and it became one of the largest China aluminum products suppliers.
Now, her son Zhang Bao is the chairman. Zheng is on the list of richest women in the world with an estimated net worth of $8.4 billion.
49. Meg Whitman
Net Worth: $5.8 Billion
Meg Whitman serves as the CEO of eBay and is well-known for taking its sales to $8 billion from $5.7 million. She is one of the richest women in the world and has an estimated net worth of $5.8 billion.
Meg was the CEO of eBay from 1998 to 2008 and raise the company’s value to a new level. She was also the CEO of Hewlett-Packard from 2011 to 2015. Besides, currently Meg is the United States ambassador to Kenya.
50. Chan Laiwa
Net Worth: $5.8 Billion
One of the biggest real estate developers headquartered in Beijing, Fu Wah International Group, is owned by Chan Laiwa. She is one of the richest women in the world with an estimated net worth of $5.8 billion.
A few of Chan Laiwa’s famous works include the Regent Building, the Jinbao Street development with Jinbao Tower, and the Beijing Hong Kong Jockey Club. She is also the keeper of the China Red Sandalwood Museum.
Conclusion
To all the women who are reading this, never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to pursue and achieve your dreams. We all should learn from them, don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, you can achieve. Take a big dream and work for it. Define success on your terms, achieve it by your own rules, and build a life you’re proud to live.
Also Read: Top 50 Richest Person in Singapore [2024]
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