[quote]This is [I]Forbes'[/I] 25th year of tracking global wealth and it was one to remember. [URL="http://www.forbes.com/2011/03/09/billionaires-20-richest_slide.html?partner=aolmoney"]The 2011 Billionaires List[/URL] breaks two records: total number of listees (1,210) and combined wealth ($4.5 trillion). This horde surpasses the gross domestic product of Germany, one of only six nations to have fewer billionaires this year. BRICs led the way: Brazil, Russia, India and China produced 108 of the 214 new names. These four nations are home to one-in-four members, up from one-in-ten five years ago. Before this year, only the U.S. had ever produced more than 100 billionaires. China now has 115 and Russia 101.
Atop the heap is Mexico's Carlos Slim Helu, who added $20.5 billion to his fortune, more than any other billionaire. The telecom mogul, who gets 62% of his fortune from America Movil, is now worth $74 billion and has pulled far ahead of his two closest rivals. Bill Gates, No. 2, and Warren Buffett, No. 3, both added a more modest $3 billion to their piles and are now worth $56 billion and $50 billion, respectively. Gates, who now gets 70% of his fortune from investments outside of Microsoft, has actually been investing in the Mexican stock market and has holdings in Mexican Coke bottler Femsa and Grupo Televisa.
While nearly all emerging markets showed solid gains, wealth creation is moving at an especially breakneck speed in Asia-Pacific. The region now has a record 332 billionaires, up from 234 a year ago and 130 at the depth of the financial crisis in 2009. Sizzling stock markets are behind the surge. Three-fourths of Asia's 105 newcomers get the bulk of their fortunes from stakes in publicly traded companies, 25 of which have been public only since the start of 2010.
America's wealthiest still dominate the global ranks, but the U.S. is losing its grip. One-in-three billionaires is an American, down from nearly one-out-of-two a decade ago. It has 10 more than last year but 56 fewer than its 2008 peak. The U.S. is adding new billionaires at a much slower pace; just 6% of its 413 billionaires are new this year compared with 47% of China's and 30% of Russia's.
Still there are plenty of inspiring newcomers who figured out clever ways to get rich. The most obvious example is the success of Facebook, whose soaring valuation over the past couple of years -- based on the most recent institutional round the company is worth $50 billion -- has spawned six billionaires. Leading the group is Facebook's CEO Mark Zuckerberg, whose fortune jumped 238% to $13.5 billion in the past year. Also joining him in the world ranks are his co-founders Eduardo Saverin and Dustin Moskovitz, its first president Sean Parker (played by Justin Timberlake in [I]The Social Network[/I]) and the Russian Internet investor Yuri Milner. Moskovitz, 26, is eight days younger than his former college roommate Zuckerberg, making him the world's youngest billionaire.
The frenzy among big investors for all things social pushed up private market values of online gaming outfit Zynga and online group-buying site Groupon, creating two more new billionaires, Mark Pincus (who taught people to farm on Facebook) and Eric Lefkofsky (who was Groupon's lead investor).
Other notable American newcomers include Do Won and Jin Sook Chang, the co-founders of Forever21, and Chris Cline, who owns three billion tons of coal reserves, mostly in Illinois.
Why do we spend so much time counting other people's money? Because these moguls have the power to shape our world. Telecom billionaire turned prime minister Najib Mikati is keeping Lebanon's government together. Ernesto Bertarelli, who lost the America's Cup to Larry Ellison last year, is now focusing on saving the oceans from mass extinction. Gates and Buffett have already traveled to three continents working to change giving practices among the ultra-rich.
Where their inspiration leads, we will follow.
[B]The 10 Richest People in the World[/B]
(Click on name to see full profile.)
[B]No. 1:[URL="http://www.forbes.com/profile/carlos-slim-helu?partner=aolmoney"]Carlos Slim Helú & family[/URL][/B]
$74 billion | Telecom | Mexico
[B]No. 2:[/B][B] [URL="http://www.forbes.com/profile/bill-gates?partner=aolmoney"]Bill Gates[/URL][/B]
$56 billion | Microsoft | U.S.
[B]No. 3:[/B][B] [URL="http://www.forbes.com/profile/warren-buffett?partner=aolmoney"]Warren Buffett[/URL][/B]
$50 billion | Berkshire Hathaway| U.S.
[B]No. 4:[/B][B] [URL="http://www.forbes.com/profile/Bernard-Arnault?partner=aolmoney"]Bernard Arnault[/URL][/B]
$41 billion | LVMH | France
[B]No. 5:[/B][B] [URL="http://www.forbes.com/profile/larry-ellison?partner=aolmoney"]Larry Ellison[/URL][/B]
$39.5 billion | Oracle | U.S.
[B]No. 6:[URL="http://www.forbes.com/profile/lakshmi-mittal?partner=aolmoney"]Lakshmi Mittal[/URL][/B]
$31.1 billion | Steel | India
[B]No. 7:[URL="http://www.forbes.com/profile/Amancio-Ortega?partner=aolmoney"]Amancio Ortega[/URL][/B]
$31 billion | Zara | Spain
[B]No. 8:[URL="http://www.forbes.com/profile/Eike-Batista?partner=aolmoney"]Eike Batista[/URL][/B]
$30 billion | Mining, Oil | Brazil
[B]No. 9:[URL="http://www.forbes.com/profile/Mukesh-Ambani?partner=aolmoney"]Mukesh Ambani[/URL][/B]
$27 billion | Petrochemicals | India
[B]No. 10:[/B][B] [URL="http://www.forbes.com/profile/christy-walton?partner=aolmoney"]Christy Walton & family[/URL][/B]
$26.5 billion | Wal-Mart | U.S.[/quote]
If only they shared some of their wealth then the world might be less poor.
Carlos is funny because his last name is slim but he is fat lol
and here I sit
broke as fuck
[QUOTE=Bryanrocks0;28514264]If only they shared some of their wealth then the world might be less poor.[/QUOTE]
Bill Gates already is sharing his cash.
[QUOTE=64k1;28514365]Bill Gates already is sharing his cash.[/QUOTE]
I know, but he's the exception.
[QUOTE=Bryanrocks0;28514615]I know, but he's the exception.[/QUOTE]
Warren Buffet is also giving away his fortune actually.
Was expecting to see Notch on that list
[editline]poop[/editline]
gosh nobody can take a joke
[QUOTE=A big fat ass;28515274]Was expecting to see Notch on that list[/QUOTE]
pretty sure he's not a multi-billionaire
[QUOTE=A big fat ass;28515274]Was expecting to see Notch on that list[/QUOTE]
Uh, yeah no. Not anytime soon, if ever.
[QUOTE=Bryanrocks0;28514615]I know, but he's the exception.[/QUOTE]
whats your point?
[QUOTE=Bryanrocks0;28514264]If only they shared some of their wealth then the world might be less poor.[/QUOTE]
But they do - they're rich because they own companies and companies hire working people.
[QUOTE=fishyfish777;28515623]But they do - they're rich because they own companies and companies hire working people.[/QUOTE]
who most companies, when public, are forced out of the legal requirment to be a for profit business to pay people as little as they can get away with.
And don't start some argument about a flat tax or a regressive tax or anything like that.
[QUOTE=HumanAbyss;28517991]who most companies, when public, are forced out of the legal requirment to be a for profit business to pay people as little as they can get away with.
And don't start some argument about a flat tax or a regressive tax or anything like that.[/QUOTE]
Welp, that's big business for ya. Nothin much the worker can do. :sigh:
[QUOTE=Bryanrocks0;28514264]If only they shared some of their wealth then the world might be less poor.[/QUOTE]
Everyone would get a few dollars.
I think more CEO's need to be philanthropists. Honestly if I ever found myself as the CEO of some huge corporation with billions of dollars I wouldn't be able to get rid of it fast enough, whether it be mass donations or raises for the employees that gave me this money in the first place. Though it's their money and it's their choice whether or not they want to be scrooges.
[QUOTE=Boba_Fett;28518417]Everyone would get a few dollars.[/QUOTE]
The combined wealth of the top 3 would net everyone on the planet a cool $26.37.
[QUOTE=chucknorriz;28518943]The combined wealth of the top 3 would net everyone on the planet a cool $26.37.[/QUOTE]
I could get like 7 gallons of gas with that!
[QUOTE=chucknorriz;28518943]The combined wealth of the top 3 would net everyone on the planet a cool $26.37.[/QUOTE]
That might not be much in America, but in places in Africa that's a years worth of food.
[QUOTE=Bryanrocks0;28519732]That might not be much in America, but in places in Africa that's a years worth of food.[/QUOTE]
It sounds nice at first until you realize the amount of economic fallout following the exit of the top three richest people in the world.
Where's GabeN :colbert:
[QUOTE=ze beaver;28520268]Where's GabeN :colbert:[/QUOTE]
probably at mc donalds
Steve Jobs didn't make it?
What is this I don't even know..
EDIT: With so many people buying his brand (Apple) no way he isn't a multi billionaire
[QUOTE=HumanAbyss;28517991]who most companies, when public, are forced out of the legal requirment to be a for profit business to pay people as little as they can get away with.
And don't start some argument about a flat tax or a regressive tax or anything like that.[/QUOTE]
Companies create jobs.
Typically, a person with a job fares better than a person without a job.
That's all I said.
[QUOTE=fishyfish777;28520496]Companies create jobs.
Typically, a person with a job fares better than a person without a job.
That's all I said.[/QUOTE]
So it's right to exploit workers?
[QUOTE=Boba_Fett;28520063]It sounds nice at first until you realize the amount of economic fallout following the exit of the top three richest people in the world.[/QUOTE]
Oh sweet Jebus who's going to buy massive houses and luxury boats now?!
[QUOTE=sp00ks;28522533]Oh sweet Jebus who's going to buy massive houses and luxury boats now?![/QUOTE]
it's not like if the richest person in a company goes nobody gets paid anymore. They get paid out of the corporate fund and he takes the profit off that each year.
Carlos Slim... his name makes him sound like such a dodgy character, likes some sort of gangster.
reminds me of that CEO in Japan that gets paid less than some of his employees
wHAt kIND of sOCIALIST hEll hOLLE are we LIVING IN!!!!!!!!!! !WHEn yOur PuNiSHed for BEinG SuccSSESSFULL!!!!!!!!! Brarack Obamna is FuCking ARe COuntry 1 Tax IncRease At A tIme
-Snip, [I]some[/I] mods might have considered this joking comment to be offensive-
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