The World’s 20 Richest February 2018

THE VERY Richest people on the planet are worth a staggering $1.2 trillion–a sum roughly equivalent to the annual economic output of Mexico. In aggregate, their riches represent 13% of the total fortune of all 2,208 billionaires worldwide. The minimum figure for admission to this august club: $39 billion, up 28% from $30.4 billion a year ago.

1. JEFF BEZOS

$112 billion UP

U.S.

The richest person on earth, Amazon’s chief is the first centibillionaire atop our annual ranking. Shares of his e-commerce colossus rose 59% in 12 months, helping lift his fortune by $39.2 billion, the biggest one-year gain ever recorded. (The $27.6 billion increase he logged in 2017 ranks third.) Bezos also owns the Washington Post and aerospace firm Blue Origin.

2. BILL GATES

$90 billion UP

U.S.

Cedes the top spot for only the sixth time since 1995. The Microsoft cofounder’s net worth rose $4 billion in the past year, but that was no match for Bezos’ epic increase.

3. WARREN BUFFETT

$84 billion UP

U.S.

In January the octogenarian promoted two Berkshire Hathaway executives to vice chairman roles–a step toward a much-anticipated succession plan. Buffett, who says he’s in “remarkably good health,” continues to run Berkshire, whose stock is up 16% since last year.

4. BERNARD ARNAULT

$72 billion UP

FRANCE

Record results at his luxury empire LVMH and a deal to buy out nearly all of Christian Dior helped boost Arnault’s fortune by $30.5 billion.

5. MARK ZUCKERBERG

$71 billion UP

U.S.

Facebook’s CEO faces pressure over his social-media giant’s role in Russia’s election meddling. Still, the company’s shares rose 32% in the past year, adding $15 billion to his net worth.

6. AMANCIO ORTEGA

$70 billion DOWN

SPAIN

Most of his fortune is tied up in Inditex, best known for fashion chain Zara. Its shares have sagged, helping knock $1.3 billion off his net worth.

7. CARLOS SLIM HELU

$67.1 billion UP

MEXICO

Slim is worth $12.6 billion more than a year ago, due mostly to a 39% jump in the stock of his telecom firm, América Móvil.

8 (tie). CHARLES KOCH

$60 billion UP

U.S.

In November his $100 billion (sales) Koch Industries launched Koch Disruptive Technologies, a venture-capital arm run by his son Chase; it has already led a $150 million investment in an Israeli medical-device startup.

8 (tie). DAVID KOCH

$60 billion UP

U.S.

The Koch Industries executive vice president and his brother Charles made news in November when their investment arm put $650 million toward Meredith Corp.’s $2.8 billion purchase of struggling magazine publisher Time Inc.

10. LARRY ELLISON

$58.5 billion UP

U.S.

Even as Oracle faces competition from Salesforce and Amazon in the cloud market, its stock has risen 13%. Ellison, who owns about a quarter of the company, is $6.3 billion richer.

11. MICHAEL BLOOMBERG

$50 billion UP

U.S.

New York City’s former mayor continues to run his financial-information and media firm, Bloomberg LP. A gun-control organization he backs, meanwhile, is forming a new initiative geared toward students in the wake of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida.

12. LARRY PAGE

$48.8 billion UP

U.S.

The Google cofounder, now CEO of its parent, Alphabet, has reportedly been in talks with Saudi Arabia to build a technology hub inside the kingdom. Page’s fortune grew $8.1 billion over the past year.

 

13. SERGEY BRIN

$47.5 billion UP

U.S.

Page’s partner as Google’s cofounder is America’s richest immigrant. Now Alphabet’s president, Brin is reportedly spending over $100 million on the world’s largest airship for both personal luxury travel and delivering aid to remote locations.

14. JIM WALTON

$46.4 billion UP

U.S.

The youngest son of Walmart founder Sam Walton sat on the company’s board until 2016. He runs the family’s regional bank, Arvest.

15. S. ROBSON WALTON

$46.2 billion UP

U.S.

Sam Walton’s oldest son was Walmart’s chairman for 23 years. He’s now one of three family members still involved in the company; he and Steuart Walton, the son of Jim Walton, sit on its board. His son-in-law Gregory Penner is chairman.

16. Alice Walton

$46 Billion Up

U.S.

Wal-Mart heir; Chair, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

17. MA HUATENG

$45.3 billion UP

CHINA

Ma is Asia’s wealthiest person for the first time, thanks in part to his firm Tencent’s WeChat, a ubiquitous social-messaging app with nearly 1 billion active users. Tencent also has stakes in Tesla, Snapchat parent Snap and music-streaming service Spotify.

18. FRANÇOISE BETTENCOURT MEYERS

$42.2 billion NEW

FRANCE

Her mother, L’Oréal heiress Liliane Bettencourt, died in September 2017; Bettencourt Meyers and her family inherited the fortune.

19. MUKESH AMBANI

$40.1 billion UP

INDIA

The Indian tycoon is back in the Top 20 for the first time since 2012.

20. JACK MA

$39 billion UP

CHINA

Ma took e-commerce behemoth Alibaba to new heights in 2017, inking its first Olympic sponsorship and scoring a streaming agreement with Disney. Alibaba’s shares have increased 76% since last year, boosting him into the Top 20 for the first time.