The richest person in the world is a title that is sure to stir up controversy. With so many people trying to get their piece of the pie, it can be hard to determine who truly deserves the title.
But even if you’re unwilling to give up your seat at the top of the wealth pyramid, this article will teach you everything you need to know about the Top richest person in the world.
From their history and family background, to their current net worth and business dealings, you’ll have all the information you need to decide for yourself who really deserves that title.
Bill Gates
The richest person in the world is Bill Gates. Gates’ net worth is estimated at $84.5 billion as of March 2016, making him the wealthiest person in history. Born in 1955, Gates started out working on a computer at age 14 and soon became known for his programming skills. He formed Microsoft with Paul Allen in 1975 and the company went on to become one of the world’s most powerful tech companies.
Gates has been instrumental in developing several important technology products, including Windows, Office and the Xbox. He has also donated billions of dollars to charity. In 2013, he was named the richest man in history by Forbes magazine.
Jeff Bezos
The Amazon CEO has an estimated net worth of $150 billion. That’s more than any other person on the planet and well over Bill Gates’ $98.7 billion. The 54-year old is also one of just a handful of men to have a net worth of over $100 billion.
Mark Zuckerberg
The Facebook founder and CEO is worth an estimated $69.2 billion dollars, according to Forbes’ 2018 list of the world’s richest people. Zuckerberg’s fortune ranks him as the world’s fourth richest person, behind Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, and Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett.
Zuckerberg has been listed on the Forbes list for the past six years, and his net worth has steadily increased throughout that time. In 2017, his fortune was estimated at $62.4 billion dollars. In 2016, it was $55.8 billion dollars, and in 2015 it was $44.6 billion dollars. Zuckerberg’s wealth comes largely from Facebook stock – he owns more than $28 billion of the company’s shares – as well as investments in other companies such as Airbnb, WhatsApp, and Oculus VR.
Zuckerberg also gave away nearly $2 billion in donations in 2018 alone – the majority of which went to education reform initiatives such as Project Zero and The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to advance human potential.
Amancio Ortega
Amancio Ortega is the richest person in the world. Amancio Ortega founded Inditex, one of the world’s largest fashion conglomerates, with his two brothers in 1975. Today, Inditex operates over 6,000 stores across 100 countries and employs more than 250,000 people. His net worth is estimated at $67 billion.
Amancio Ortega is credited with turning around Inditex during difficult times. The company went through several rounds of layoffs and restructuring in the late 1990s and early 2000s but emerged stronger thanks to Ortega’s leadership. In 2006, he was ranked as the world’s wealthiest man by Forbes magazine. In 2007, he was named a UN Messenger of Peace.
Ortega has been involved in a number of philanthropic causes throughout his career. He established the Amancio Ortega Foundation in 2003 to support social initiatives throughout Spain and Latin America. The foundation has donated more than €1 billion to charity since its inception. In addition to his charitable work, Ortega has also been outspoken about the need for corporate responsibility and has advocated for changes in labor laws that would benefit workers.
Warren Buffett
Warren Buffett is the richest person in the world and has a net worth of $67.1 billion as of September 30, 2018, according to Forbes. The Oracle of Omaha has a long history of success in business, but it was his investment strategies that really made him one of the richest people on the planet.
Buffett is best known for his investment in Berkshire Hathaway, a holding company that he founded in 1965. The company has grown to be one of the largest shareholders in dozens of companies across a broad range of industries, including insurance, railways, airlines and furniture.
In addition to his stake in Berkshire Hathaway, Buffett is also the largest individual shareholder in Coca Cola and American Express.
Buffett has been married to Susan Thompson Buffett for more than 50 years and they have four children.
