Hello,
Money, as many people say, makes the world go round. Here is a list of the 10 richest people in the world and how they earned there money.
1. Bill Henry Gates III
Instead of buying airplanes and playing around like some of our competitors, we’ve rolled almost everything back into the company.
Net worth: $40.0 Billion USD
Age: 53
Born: United States
Source of Wealth: Microsoft – Primarily from Windows, the series of operating systems.
2. Warren Edward Buffet
I always knew I was going to be rich. I don’t think I ever doubted it for a minute.
Net worth: $37.0 Billion USD
Age: 78
Born: United States
Source of Wealth: Berkshire Hathaway it’s a conglomerate holding company which owns lots of little companies.
3. Carlos Slim Helú
In this new wave of technology, you can’t do it all yourself, you have to form alliances.
Net worth: $35.0 Billion USD
Age: 69
Born: Mexico
Source of Wealth: Telmex, América Móvil – a compnay that provides telecomunications products and services such as a range of telephone services (landline, mobile and VoIP) and internet service provider.
4. Lawrence Joseph “Larry” Ellison
When you innovate, you’ve got to be prepared for everyone telling you you’re nuts.
Net worth: $22.5 Billion USD
Age: 64
Born: United States
Source of Wealth: The Oracle corparation specializes in developing and marketing enterprise software products — particularly database management systems.
5. Ingvar Feodor Kamprad
You can do so much in 10 minutes’ time. Ten minutes, once gone, are gone for good.. Divide your life into 10-minute units and sacrifice as few of them as possible in meaningless activity.
Net worth: $22.0 Billion USD
Age: 83
Born: Sweden
Source of Wealth: IKEA shop that sells flat pack furniture, accessories, and bathroom and kitchen items in their retail stores around the world.
6. Karl Hans Albrecht
Albrecht’s Law – Intelligent people, when assembled into an organization, will tend toward collective stupidity.
Net worth: $21.5 Billion USD
Age: 89
Born: German
Source of Wealth: Karl was the founder and current owner of the store ALDI, the discount supermarket chain based in Germany.
7. Mukesh Ambani
I think that our fundamental belief is that for us growth is a way of life and we have to grow at all times.
Net worth: $19.5 Billion USD
Age: 51
Born: India
Source of Wealth: Owner of Reliance Industries, a company which creates Petroleum and Petroleum Products based products.
8. Lakshmi Niwas Mittal
Everyone experiences tough times, it is a measure of your determination and dedication how you deal with them and how you can come through them.
Net worth: $19.3 Billion USD
Age: 58
Born: India
Source of Wealth: CEO of ArcelorMittal, the the largest steel company in the world, with 326,000 employees in more than 60 countries.
9. Theodor Paul Albrecht
Interesting Fact: He was kidnapped in 1971 and ransomed for $2M-$4M.
Net worth: $18.8 Billion USD
Age: 87
Born: Germany
Source of Wealth: Owner of Aldi Nord and helped to set up the shop Trader Joe’s.
10. Amancio Ortega Gaona
Intresting Fact: His first store, Confecciones Goa, made bathrobes.
Net worth: $18.3 Billion USD
Age: 73
Born: Spain
Source of Wealth: Chairman of Inditex which owns other stores such as Zara.
Some data is sourced from Wikipedia – List of billionaires (2009) | 03 Sept 2009
Article accurate for 2009.
Copyright (C) Daniel Johnson 2009