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It is difficult to find a person who would not like to live in abundance. And if some have to work hard every day to earn a penny, then for others fate has given huge fortunes in the form of an inheritance.

1. Wealth without happiness is an empty ringing of coins

Unfortunately, most of us are not the darlings of fate, and there is no end in sight to our everyday troubles. But many rich people created their first capital thanks to resourcefulness and the correct use of their talents, on which their entire biography was based. And thoughts, as time shows, are united in one thing - to work as much as possible with your mind and not to be lazy.

The famous French writer and philosopher Stendhal believed that man lives on earth not in order to become rich, but in order to become happy. Achieving high well-being does not mean finding peace and joy in life. Direct proof of this is the biographies of the world's richest people. Many billionaires, drowning in luxury, still remained lonely and unhappy.

2. Biography and thoughts of the richest people in the world, and also kind ones

The successful people of this world are known to everyone. Bill Gates, for example, has been one of the And where did he start for a number of years? I just loved technology, was interested in computers and created the Microsoft program. He simply took a risk, but he took a calculated risk, realizing that the product was necessary for personal computer users. His main motto is not to stop there. It was he who suggested that intellectual property has a shelf life for bananas.

Let's look at another successful lady. Oprah Winfrey, a black American woman, lived in a poor family and studied in a simple school. Only self-improvement, curiosity and a diligent attitude towards everything she does brought her to the bench of the history department. Perhaps it was the biography and thoughts of the richest people in the world, about whom she learned from history books, that taught her a lot. “Don't give up on your dreams. Don't be disappointed in yourself. Your persistence will still pay off!” - these are her words. They are a direct confirmation of her determination. A sharp mind, a desire to delve deeper into the destinies of people, and purity of speech made her OWN program the most popular and in demand among viewers. So not all biographies of the richest people in the world are full of gifts of fate.

3. Acquired or appropriated?

I don’t really want to find out how Russian tycoons got rich, the whole point is that here, in addition to intelligence and resourcefulness, the “freebie” effect worked. Many Russian rich people became owners of property left over from the Soviet period: factories, factories, combines, etc. Biography and thoughts of the richest people in the world regarding Russian billionaires lose their instructiveness and meaning. Everything was earned fraudulently in the dashing 90s through the appropriation of someone else's or state capital.

American billionaire Donald Trump is another matter. He was brought up in an ordinary family with four children. Donald was a difficult child, and in order to at least slightly curb the boy’s difficult temperament, at the age of 13 he was sent to the Military Academy. And there he learned discipline and toughness. He perfectly described his character with the words: “In business it is better to be impudent, even impudent, than tough and intractable.” Studying was a morale booster, and Donald decided to be more aggressive to get the results he wanted. The owner of numerous casinos and hotels scattered around the world began by reconstructing the Commodore Hotel with the support of the state, together with his father. The biography of the richest people in the world - Donald and Fred Trump - tells that there are no easy paths to wealth. Life rewards those who are not afraid of difficulties.

The biography of the richest people in the world often begins with shocks of a moral and psychological nature. The main thing is to be able to do so and not deviate from the intended goal.

Stories of great fortunes seem fictitious - we are convinced that it is impossible to get rich by honest work. There are blank spots in the biographies of millionaires, but common character traits are also clearly visible. They are purposeful, persistent and enterprising.

Most rich and successful people were born into ordinary families with an average income. So do most of us. And from childhood they were in equal conditions with their peers, had equal opportunities with them.

But then why did some become rich and others not? Why did some manage to get rich while others did not, all other things being equal?

Rothschild clan

The Rothschild family tree began in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, where several generations lived in a nondescript house on the Judengasse. The Jewish street was fenced off from the city on both sides, and a red sign hung on the house. It is to this circumstance that the family owes its surname: translated from German, Rothschild means red shield.

Mayer Rothschild, born in 1744, as a young man found the strength to change the usual joyless existence that his ancestors had eked out, and left for Hanover, which was more tolerant of Jews. For several years, Mayer studied banking with the Oppenheimer bankers, and upon returning to his home, he found the family completely impoverished. The house under the red sign had to be replaced with a shack with a frying pan on the facade. In this pitiful building, Mayer opened a company selling antique coins. Young Rothschild was involved in compiling catalogs and delivering coins to all corners of Germany. Collectors in those days were aristocrats, so Meyer acquired useful contacts in the highest circles of German society. One of Rothschild's clients was Duke Wilhelm of Hanau, who purchased several expensive coins. Thanks to this “gesheft”, Rothschild was able to equip a shop in the “house under the frying pan”, where merchants exchanged the currencies of different principalities of Germany.

The first Rothschild bank huddled on four square meters, but Meyer was purposeful and full of plans: he continued to deal with collectible coins and bought out the shops of failed money changers. The founder of the banking house tirelessly traveled around numerous duchies and principalities, concluding deals and meeting influential people. The efforts were not in vain: already in 1769, above the Rothschild house there was the coat of arms of the Dukes of Hesse-Hanau with a gold inscription stating that Mayer Rothschild was the Duke’s business manager.

Wilhelm was an atypical aristocrat - he did not hesitate to issue loans at interest and rent out entire companies of mercenary killers. In a word, the Duke was extremely money-loving, and half of the European rulers owed him money.

Mayer Rothschild, who carried out the orders of the money-grubbing Duke, warmed his hands well in collecting debts. The family moved to good house under the green sign the Rothschilds began to be called Grunschilds. True, it was decided not to change the surname. The events described can be considered the foundation of the future prosperity of the family, but the real breakthrough was made by Mayer’s five sons, raised by Pope Rothschild. The offspring turned into real financial tycoons in Europe. As the biographer of the Rothschild clan wrote, the family grew rich whenever any of the states collapsed.

The first was the Kingdom of Denmark, which collapsed in 1804. William, already familiar to us, borrowed money from his uncle, the King of Denmark. In order not to sully his aristocratic name, Wilhelm instructed the five Rothschilds Jr. to collect interest on the loan, and they coped with their debut brilliantly. This is how the Rodschild banking house was founded, which opened a Swiss branch 150 years later. Since then, the Rothschilds have remained among the richest people in the world, maintaining their signature style of doing business. The Zurich bank, for example, only accepts clients whose wealth exceeds 1 million Swiss francs.

Rothschilds work with exceptional clients, without wasting time on “trifles.” In their tenacious hands are the largest banks in France and Great Britain, railway complexes, mining concerns, oil companies, diamond mines and much more. At the same time, representatives of a noble family actively influence world politics, while remaining in the shadows.

The Rothschild Empire is indestructible and omnipotent. The secret of power, of course, is business sense, passed on from generation to generation. But an equally significant factor is devotion to the family idea. All family members, with rare exceptions, increased the clan's fortunes. For more than two hundred years, the world has been watching the prosperity of the Rothschild clan, many hate them, but everyone needs the patronage and money of the clan.

François Pinault

One of the most influential and wealthy citizens of France: a collector who owns the Christie's auction house, the Gucci brand, the Chateau-Latour vineyards and the capital's Marigny theater.

In 1936, in French Brittany, a son was born into the family of a simple forester. The father had difficulty making ends meet, but turned inside out so that Francois became a certified specialist. The young man did not appreciate his parents’ efforts, and at the age of 16 he left his studies and left home. Pino did not want to study, he only wanted to do what he liked and could bring good profit. Studying would take too much time, and he is still proud that his only diploma is a driving license. François Pinault did not want to drag out the drab existence of a worker, and his relatives vied with each other to teach him about life. Having quarreled with everyone and striving for an independent life, the young man left for Algeria.

What the future millionaire did in the French colony is unknown. There was a war in Algeria, and, according to Pino’s enemies, he had been selling weapons and drugs for three years. We are unlikely to ever know the details of the Algerian period of Francois’s life, but now it doesn’t matter. In any case, Pinault returned to France a different person - he had money, self-confidence and grandiose plans.

27-year-old Francois opened the Pinault group, a timber trading company. Business contacts and useful acquaintances began to be established. One of these promising contacts was meeting the promising politician Jacques Chirac. No one can say exactly what united the impulsive Chirac and the rational Pinault; perhaps the first was struck by Francois's unerring business sense. His stock market foresight is legendary. Before the stock market crash in 1973, Pinault suddenly sold the successful Pinault Group for 30 million francs, and a year later bought back his brainchild for only 5 million. Thus, within a year he managed to earn an amount exceeding his income over the previous 5 years. And in 1976, Francois dissuaded Prime Minister Jacques Chirac from going on a business trip. It soon turned out that the train was mined by terrorists. Since then, Chirac is sure that he owes his life to Francois. It may be a coincidence, but after that incident, the Pino company's business went even better.

The respectable 52-year-old father of four became tired of the measured life, and he set about making his youthful dream come true. He wanted great wealth, and chose trading on the stock exchange as a way to enrich himself.

Paris Bourse and Francois Pinault

It is quite natural that Pinault’s famous flair made him one of the most successful speculators on the stock exchange: he bought and sold enterprises with constant success (see “”). The morality of his operations raises doubts, however, such categories are alien to stockbrokers.

In 1989, Paul Paoli, chairman of the board of directors of the Franco-African trade union, offered François Pinault a share in the capital. Pinault started with 20%, and a few months later decided to merge Acquisition into the Pinault group. The directors, including Paoli, were immediately fired, and Pino's company began supplying African electrical equipment.

The successful takeover encouraged Pino, and in 1991 he acquired American Executive Life in violation of the law. The profit from the deal amounted to from 1 to 2 billion dollars, and the fine was only $185 million. With the billions he earned, Pino acquired the Conforama retail chain, and a year later - the largest department store Printemps, then the La Redoute chain and Fnac bookstores. Each time he fired top managers, putting his own people in their places. François Pinault's Pinault-Printemps-Redoute group is now one of the most powerful retail associations in France. But the billionaire does not stop, continuing to buy everything in a row, for which he deservedly bears the nickname Octopus.

Pino in "art"

Nouveau riche Pinault became interested in collecting and fashion. Having started buying paintings, in 1998 he decided to take ownership of Christie’s. This auction house, together with Sotheby’s, controls 90% of all transactions. Approaching the art world did not change Francois’s working methods: he fired almost the entire management and set up a hotel at Christie’s headquarters. Everyone was talking about the dishonesty of François Pinault, who drowns his competitors indiscriminately, but Christie’s revenue of $1.4 billion apparently left no doubt about the correctness of the chosen path.

In the world of high fashion, the billionaire also does not stand on ceremony. Acting in his favorite way, Sprut acquired the Gucci Group, Yves Saint Laurent, Sergio Rossi, Bedat & Co, Stella McCartney, Balenciaga and Puma, etc. He has a controlling stake in the Redcats catalog and the largest chain of FNAC stores. It’s difficult to say what Pino hasn’t gotten to, but there’s no doubt that he won’t fail to chop off everything that’s bad and deserves attention.

True, in 2003, Pinault handed over the reins to his eldest son, Francois-Henri, and took up the world's best vineyard, Chateau-Latour, and collecting works of art. François Pinault achieved perfection in the ability to “occupy all the burners with his pans.” This French proverb fully characterizes the lifestyle of this billionaire: take advantage of all opportunities.

Ingmar Kamprad

Everyone knows the name IKEA, but few know the name of the company's founder. Many generations of the Kamprads succeeded in business, so we can assume that Ingmar inherited his entrepreneurial spirit. True, there were dark streaks in the history of the family. Thus, the grandfather of the founder of IKEA committed suicide when his company was facing bankruptcy. Then the grandmother took matters into her own hands and was able to maintain the business. Ingvar loves to tell this story, considering it the best proof that hard work and perseverance help overcome all obstacles.

Ingvar Kamprad appeared on the bill in 1926 in the Swedish province of Smaland. From a young age, he showed commercial inclinations: at school he sold matches, pencils and other small items purchased in bulk. While his classmates were just preparing to enter adulthood, Ingvar was earning money for his first company, which he opened at the age of 15.

It's hard to believe, but Kamprad founded it when he was only 17 years old - in 1943. The name of the company consists of the initial letters of his first and last name, the third letter E - from Elmtaryd (that was the name of the family farm), the ending A - Agunnaryd (the village closest to the farm).

At first, IKEA sold various small items such as paper clips and socks. Ingmar published a catalog and orders began to arrive by mail, and they were delivered by the milkman, who still traveled around the area every day. 1951 can be considered the beginning of Kamprad’s furniture business - an idle factory was purchased, production was launched and the first catalog was published. Just a couple of years later, the first store selling IKEA furniture opened its doors, and five years later it opened its doors huge complex with an area of ​​about 7,000 sq. m.

Prices for furniture were low from the very beginning, which did not please other furniture makers. Many refused to supply their goods to Ingmar stores, but this only strengthened IKEA's position. Compard's innovative strategy was to buy parts and components from countries with low-cost production. IKEA furniture is traditionally democratic, inexpensive and comfortable. The combination of these qualities makes IKEA products extremely popular.

The founder of IKEA does not like luxury, and his tight-fistedness is well known. When going on business trips, the billionaire always stays in 3-star hotels, uses public transport, eats in cafes and inexpensive restaurants, and always bargains in supermarkets. He himself says that in this way he studies the needs of ordinary people, who make up the bulk of IKEA buyers.

Now Ingvar Kamprad is 89 years old, and he handed over the management of the business to his sons. The billionaire himself believes that his success is explained by constant dissatisfaction with what he has achieved. He always treated his company like a child: sometimes a slap on the head does not mean a lack of love.

The founder of IKEA does not have a higher education diploma, and school teachers had difficulty teaching him to read and write. But the talented entrepreneur always brilliantly coped with the most difficult tasks, unerringly finding original marketing moves. Ingvar Kamprad's enthusiasm, humility and keen intelligence raised him to a level that few could achieve. Ingmar likes to be put on a par with Henry Ford, who also made items considered luxuries accessible to most people.

John Paul DeJoria

John Paul DeJoria's company produces the famous JPM Systems (John Paul Mitchell Systems) shampoo with an annual turnover of $900,000,000. Billionaire DeJoria is respected by all charitable foundations in the world, and he also took care of pets, developing a line of care products for them. In a word, John Paul readily helps everyone who needs his support. As often happens, a person who has not been treated kindly by fate since childhood treats the problems of other people with understanding.

John Paul's parents separated when he was barely 2 years old, so already as a child the boy was forced to earn extra money selling Christmas greeting cards. After 10 years, the child was taken in by a foster family. The beginning of the life of the future billionaire was not cloudless: he was a member of a Los Angeles gang and only military service saved him from a criminal future. After serving, Dejorio intended to go into business, but he had neither money nor relatives who could lend him money.

John Paul borrowed $700 from the bank and started a shampoo company. He personally had to sell products, literally moving from office to office. The car was both his home and his means of transportation, but John Paul was not one to back down from challenges. He was confident in the quality of his shampoo, purposeful and persistent. Now we already know that these qualities, together with talent and inspiration, made DeJoria a billionaire.

Mexican Carlos Slim Helu is in 1st place on Forbes magazine's list of billionaires.

Did his father, Don Julián Slim, a Lebanese migrant, know that the fifth child, baby Carlos, would become famous for his entrepreneurial acumen? Of course, Don Julian Slim taught his son to be a businessman from childhood.

Financial literacy from childhood is the key to success

Don Julian Slim, to whose biography the world's richest man, Carlos Slim, dedicated an entire page on his website, was a famous entrepreneur. Having opened a grocery company with his older brother, Don Julian ten years later bought several buildings in the center of Mexico City so that the family could live on rent in any crisis. But at the same time he continued to develop his enterprise. Don Julian Slim is known in Mexico as a man who made a great contribution to the development of economic processes in the country.

However, the meaning of life for this entrepreneur was family. The businessman had many children, and he tried to instill financial literacy in each of them from early childhood. As his famous son says, Don Julian gave each of the children a notebook to record expenses and income. Once a week they gathered around a large table and analyzed the financial successes and failures of each of them.

Carlos Slim is proud that he made his first investment... at the age of 12. He opened an account to buy shares at the National Bank of Mexico. A year after this, Carlos's father died, and when he came of age, Carlos received an inheritance.

Starting your own business almost immediately after university

Carlos Slim Emu studied engineering at the National Autonomous University in Mexico City. Four years after graduating from university, he began building the Grupo Carso corporation, which he named after himself and his future wife Soumaya. He founded the retail company Promotora del Hogar, the real estate agency Inmodiliaria Carso and other future cells of big business. After a few years, he was able to acquire several large enterprises.

It is curious that Carlos Slim was insured against the crisis of the 80s in Mexico thanks to the diversification of capital and investments.

When investors began to flee the country in a hurry, the resourceful entrepreneur began buying new companies at low prices. Moreover, these were completely different enterprises: mining, metallurgical, as well as banks, retail chains, etc. Of course, he was not the richest man in the country at that time, he was just able to take advantage of the chance.

Building a telecommunications empire in the early 90s was Carlos Slim's ladder to Forbes magazine's rich list. First, he bought the Telefonos de Mexico company, which allowed him to start a business in the communications market.

Of course, it could not have happened without the help of high-ranking officials and top officials of Mexico, with whom Carlos Slim had excellent relations. The entrepreneur was quickly able to privatize the Telmex telephone network for $400 million. Experts believe that he got it for nothing, as it was valued at $12 billion. After this, Slim merged the company with his telecommunications assets into American Mobile and became a monopolist in the telecommunications market in Mexico.

Secrets of Carlos Slim's success

As you have already read, the main secret of Carlos’ “victory” is his family and upbringing, laying the future building blocks of entrepreneurial acumen from early childhood. Carlos himself is also a father of many children (he has six children). It is characteristic that Carlos’s children did not receive an elite education in the United States and did not graduate from any special schools. They graduated from universities in Mexico City, and learned the basics of business while working in their father’s companies.

The main thing that Carlos Slim has always emphasized is awareness of responsibility to the family, as well as the ability to enjoy life. For example, once a year a large family gathers together on the shore of the bay to swim and take a break from worries.

Everyone who has ever met Carlos Slim says that he resembles a classic rich man of the old school. He is very thrifty. Business people regard his habit of wearing a watch with a calculator for several tens of dollars instead of fashion accessories with irony. It’s interesting that he doesn’t trust the computer (he jokes that he can only turn it on and off), but everyone important points writes in a black notebook.

One of the secrets of success can be called his unique memory.

In his youth, Carlos easily remembered any information, especially numbers, consolidated balance sheets, and so on. Now, of course, he uses the services of secretaries. But Carlos can be understood; after all, he is in his 80s.

Charity is job creation

Carlos Slim always tries to give part of the money he earns to charity. His charitable organizations now have about four billion dollars in their accounts.

The world's richest man has already invested more than $500 million in the development of education in Mexico, as well as in improving the social sphere. He transferred about 100 million to a fund that fights poverty in his country. At the same time, Carlos Slim and his sons believe that it is better to invest money not in social subsidies, but in the development of the country’s economy in order to give people the opportunity to find work. His life credo is “you need to change for the better not the world, but your children, who can serve the world.”

The future of billionaire Carlos Slim

Journalists are predicting an imminent decline in Slim's position in the Forbes magazine ranking. For example, in the spring of 2013 alone, shares of America Movil depreciated in New York by 15%. Carlos Slim risks losing his championship to Bill Gates, who is now in second place on the list of the richest people on the planet.

The fact is that changes in legislation have begun in Mexico that will limit monopolism and develop competition. These actions will limit America Mobile's sphere of influence. After legislative initiatives that were supported by all parties in the Mexican parliament, foreign companies will pour into the country's telecommunications market.

But Carlos Slim doesn't seem too worried about losing his lead. After all, the main thing for him is family: children and grandchildren, whom he taught to work and earn money on their own.

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08.03.2012

Forbes magazine has published another list of the richest people in the world. The first place in this indicator is still occupied by the Mexican Carlos Slim, a telecommunications tycoon whose fortune has declined by $5 billion and is valued at 69 billion. This year, Russian entrepreneurs did not even make it into the top twenty of the authoritative rating, ITAR-TASS reports.

Second place goes to the founder of Microsoft Bill Gates61 billion dollars. Since the previous list was announced, he has increased his wealth by five billion dollars.

Third place goes to the American investor Warren Buffett. Since last year, his fortune has dropped from $50 billion to 44 billion this year.

The most successful European was the head of LVMH (Louis Vuitton-Moe-Hennessy), a Frenchman Bernard Arnault (41 billion), fourth place on the Forbes list.

Hot on his heels are the Spanish owner of the clothing sales corporation Inditex Group (Zara chain). Amancio Ortega. He ranks fifth with 37.5 billion dollars.

In sixth place is the head of the American company Oracle. Lawrence Ellison (36 billion dollars).

A Brazilian mining magnate took seventh place this year. Ike Batista With 30 billion dollars.

In eighth place is the chairman of the board of directors of Europe's largest clothing retail chain, the Swedish company X&M. Stefan Persson (26 billion dollars).

Ninth place - Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing25.5 billion dollars.

Closes TOP-10 Forbes list owner of the Aldi supermarket empire is German Karl Albrecht (25.4 billion dollars).

The mayor of New York is in twentieth place in the Forbes ranking. Michael Bloomberg with a fortune in 22 billion dollars. And here Mark Zuckerberg, founder and head of the social network Facebook, rose from $3.5 billion to 17.5 billion, and ranks 35th.

In 2012, the total number of “dollar” billionaires in the world reached a record 1,226 people, and their total wealth, according to Forbes, was about 4.6 trillion dollars.

Moscow sets a record for the number of billionaires

From the current Forbes list it turns out that Moscow is home to the most a large number of billionaires in the world - according to this indicator, the Russian capital has overtaken New York and London this year, reports Ekho Moskvy.

According to the publication, 78 people with a billion-dollar fortune now live in Moscow, 58 in New York, and 39 in London.

Meanwhile, this year there was not a single Russian in either the “ten” or “twenty” of the world’s wealthiest people. The richest citizen of the Russian Federation is an entrepreneur Alisher Usmanov. Forbes estimates his net worth at 18.1 billion dollars (28th place). Last year, Usmanov ranked 35th, and his fortune was estimated at $17.7 billion, RBC notes.

What helped Usmanov top the rating was not metallurgical assets (he is the main owner of Russia’s largest iron ore producer, Metalloinvest), but virtual ones. First of all, Mail.ru Group and the DST Global fund are the fourth largest shareholder of Facebook, as well as a co-owner of discount seller Groupon and online manufacturer Zynga, Vedomosti notes. It’s time to call Usmanov not a “metallurgical” one, but a high-tech oligarch, writes Forbes. The rapid growth in the value of his Internet assets last year and the restructuring of the debts of his metallurgical enterprises gave the businessman the opportunity to jump up four lines in the rating at once.

Owner of the Novolipetsk Metallurgical Plant Vladimir Lisin, which ranked 14th in the ranking last year (24 billion), dropped to 41st place this year.

His condition is estimated at 15.9 billion dollars.

Other Russian businessmen from the top hundred of Forbes also worsened their positions in the ranking, as well as their financial indicators.

Third place in the national standings is taken by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of OJSC Severstal Alexey Mordashov(45th place, 15.3 billion dollars). In the 2011 list it was in 29th position, 18.5 billion.

Behind him is the owner of the Interros holding company. Vladimir Potanin(46th place, 14.5 billion dollars, in 2011 - 17.8 billion and 34th place).

The basis of their wealth is metallurgy, which was greatly affected by the past crisis. By the end of the year, the global weighted average price of steel barely exceeded $800 per ton, compared to $1,100 in 2008. As a result, NLMK lost more than 50% of its capitalization, Severstal - almost a quarter, Norilsk Nickel (the main asset of Interrosa) - more than 40%.

In the sixth ten places next door (from 56th to 58th) were taken by the head of LUKOIL Vagit Alekperov (13.5 billion), co-owner of Alfa Group Mikhail Fridman (13.4 billion) and president of the ONEXIM group, candidate in the presidential elections in Russia on March 4, 2012 Mikhail Prokhorov, and the latter’s fortune, according to Forbes, decreased to 13.2 billion dollars from last year's 18 billion.

Next are the head of the Renova company Viktor Vekselberg(64th place, 12.4 billion dollars) and head of the London football club Chelsea Roman Abramovich(68th place, 12.1 billion dollars).

Newcomer to TOP-10 Russian rich people from Forbes - Chairman of the Board of Novatek Leonid Mikhelson.

Head of "Rusal" Oleg Deripaska, who ranked 36th on the Forbes list last year with a net worth of $16.8 billion, left the top 100 richest people world (104th place), and his fortune is said to have decreased by almost 2 times - to 8.8 billion. But the co-owner of oil trader Gunvor broke into the Top 100 Gennady Timchenko(99th line), whose fortune, according to Forbes, increased from 5.5 billion to 9.1 billion dollars.

The richest citizen of Ukraine - Rinat Akhmetov, who found himself in 39th place with the condition 16 billion dollars.


NEWSru.com

List of the richest people in the world with photos

Without a doubt, every person wants to be rich and happy: to have a lot of money, a villa on the seashore, a fleet of expensive cars, and much more that distinguishes the “elite of society” from the “middle class” and workers. Unfortunately, for many, dreams remain dreams, and only a few manage to make their plans come true. These are the richest people in the world, whose names appear in the Forbes magazine ranking. Some of the tycoons earned their fortune thanks to intelligence and work, and others - thanks to a successful coincidence of circumstances.

Forbes magazine

The list of the world's richest people is published in Forbes magazine - this is one of the most authoritative financial and economic publications in the world. Bertie Charles Forbes founded the magazine back in 1917. The publication positions itself as a capitalist’s tool: “The Capitalist Tool” is its motto.

The Forbes magazine office is located in New York on 5th Avenue. In 2011, the publication's editor-in-chief was Steve Forbes and its publisher was Richard Karlgaard. The publication presents a wide variety of information: a ranking of the richest people in the world, the history of successful and failed projects, information about the fees of show business stars, athletes, business tricks and PR tricks.

The magazine gained worldwide fame and recognition thanks to its objective assessment of economic and financial news from around the world, bold investigations, as well as thanks to the annually published ranking of “The 300 Richest People in the World.”

Five richest people in the world

Today, the richest people in the world Forbes are Carlos Slim Helu, William Henry Gates III, Amancio Ortega, Warren Edward Buffett, Lawrence Joseph Ellison.

Carlos Slim

The wealthiest man on the planet, Mexican Carlos Slim, owns the telecommunications empire America Movil. Behind Last year Carlos Slim's wallet became heavier from 69 billion to 73 billion dollars. It is noteworthy that Slim became the first Mexican in history who managed to climb to the top of the Forbes ranking.

William Henry Gates III (Bill Gates)

In second place in the world ranking of rich people is William Henry Gates III, better known as Bill Gates, one of the founders of Microsoft Corporation. At the moment, experts estimate old Bill's fortune at $67 billion, which is 6 billion more than in the last financial year.

Amancio Ortega

Amancio Ortega, owner of the Zara clothing brand, is in third place, with a fortune of 57 billion. Over the last financial year, its revenue increased by 19.5 billion due to the expansion of its network of branded boutiques.

Warren Buffett

Warren Buffett, with $53 billion, is fourth on the list.

He made his fortune through successful investments in stocks and other securities.

Lawrence Joseph Ellison

Lawrence Joseph Ellison, better known in wide circles as Larry Ellison, closes the top five rich people. The billionaire is the founder and one of the owners of Oracle, a software company. In 2013, the tycoon's fortune was estimated at $43 billion.

It should be noted that this year there was a slight misunderstanding with the ranking of the richest people in the world. The fact is that Al-Waleed bin Talal, the prince of Saudi Arabia, complained to representatives of the media about Forbes magazine. He blames the publication for ending up in 26th place. According to the prince, his fortune is enough to enter the top ten.

Young and rich

If the five aforementioned rich people achieved their fortune throughout their lives, then the richest young people in the world became billionaires before the age of 35-40. Most of them did not receive a huge inheritance and did not work hard for years - these people simply happened to be at the right time and in the right place, earning money by implementing their successful idea.

The “palm” in the list of the youngest and richest is deservedly held by Mark Zuckerberg, founder and co-owner of Facebook. At the age of just 28, this tycoon was able to amass a fortune of $13.3 billion! In second place in our ranking is Dustin Moskowitz, one of the founders of the social network Facebook. His fortune is estimated by experts at $3.8 billion. And this despite the fact that Dustin is only 28 years old!

We give third place to Prince Albert von Thurn und Taxis. He's 29 years old but has $1.5 billion. He received his billion on his 18th birthday, and in addition to the money, 30,000 hectares of land. By the way, a note to the girls: the prince is still single. Scott Duncan, son of oil and gas tycoon Dan Duncan, is currently 30 years old. The fortune of the future heir to Enterprise Products Partners is estimated at $5.1 billion.

Rounding out the top five on our list is Eduardo Severin, one of the founders of Facebook. At the age of 30, the tycoon is worth an estimated $2.2 billion. Eduard Severin and Mark Zuckerberg were once friends, but later became bitter enemies due to financial differences. The story of their relationship is told in the film " Social network". On this moment Eduardo Severin lives in Singapore and invests money in startups.

Today these people are on the Forbes list, but the beginning of their lives did not foretell such a development of events. Many billionaires have made their fortunes by overcoming social, political and psychological barriers. Inspiring examples of the richest people in the world.

Participants in the Forbes list are considered to be the darlings of fate, who have drawn a lucky ticket and do not know the hardships of a simple life. However, many billionaires have made their fortunes by rising out of poverty and overcoming incredible social, political and psychological obstacles. The most inspiring stories from the world rankings of 2015 are in our selection.

Moed Altrad

  • Net worth: $1 billion
  • Country: France

The story of the 67-year-old French billionaire, who entered the Forbes ranking for the first time this year, is like a fairy tale. Born into a Bedouin family in the Syrian desert, Moed lost his mother at the age of four. His father regularly beat him, and eventually abandoned his son altogether. The orphaned child was raised by his grandmother. Out of superstition, she forbade Moed to attend school, so the boy actually had to do it in secret.

The thirst for knowledge was so great that Altrad received a scholarship to study in France. He moved to his new homeland 46 years ago penniless and without knowing the language. At first, Moed ate no more than once a day, the merest food. But his talent for physics and mathematics gradually helped him get out of poverty. He earned a degree in information technology and began his career with internships at technology and oil companies.

In 1985, Altrad decided to go into business himself, for which he bought a bankrupt construction plant in the south of France. Despite the lack of experience in the industry, the aspiring entrepreneur very quickly learned the basics of business, made his company profitable and began an expansion that has not been completed to this day.

Li Ka-shing

  • Net worth: $33.3 billion
  • Country: Hong Kong

The richest man in Asia, Li Ka-shing knows firsthand what it is to live on the brink of poverty. At the age of 12, he had to leave school and work in a watch strap factory to support his family. By 1950, he had accumulated his first capital and started trading plastic toys and related products. Later, Li Ka-shing himself acquired the factory - and business went uphill. Since then, the billionaire's business has grown into a diversified holding company with assets in real estate, ports, technology and many other industries. Li Ka-shing employs 270,000 people in 52 countries.

Leonardo Del Vecchio

  • Net worth: $20.4 billion
  • Country: Italy

The mother of the future billionaire sent her son to Orphanage When Leonardo was seven years old, the family did not have enough money to raise the child. Having gone through a tough orphanage school, at 14 Del Vecchio got a job as an apprentice at a factory that produced eyeglass frames and auto parts. After another eleven years, he founded his own company - Luxxotica. Today it is the world's largest manufacturer of sunglasses and prescription glasses, owning the Ray Ban and Oakley brands and producing products for Burberry, Bulgari, Chanel, DKNY, Dolce & Gabbana, Armani, Prada, Ralph Lauren, Tiffany, Versache and many other companies. Del Vecchio is deservedly called the “king of glasses” in his homeland.

Roman Abramovich

  • Net worth: $9.1 billion
  • Country Russia

The world's most famous billionaire from Russia 14 was orphaned when he was four years old and was raised by relatives. Without receiving a higher education, he went to serve in the army, and upon his return he started his first business - selling toys from own apartment. Later, the enterprising entrepreneur made a fortune in oil deals and in 1995 acquired the then powerful Boris Berezovsky as a business partner. In tandem, they purchased Sibneft from the state at a more than modest price, which became the basis of Abramovich’s fortune.

David Murdoch

  • Net worth: $3.1 billion
  • Country: USA

Dyslexic David did not finish school and was forced to start working at a gas station in his teens until he enlisted in the army in 1943. Returning from the front, he borrowed $1,800 from friends and opened a diner restaurant. Since then, Murdoch's business has grown at an incredible rate. Today he runs the world's largest producer and exporter of fruits and vegetables, Dole Food Corporation.

Sheldon Adelson

  • Net worth: $31.4 billion
  • Country: USA

The son of a taxi driver, Adelson grew up in a small apartment in a "social housing" building on the outskirts of Boston. He had to sleep on the floor, and his grandmother became the boy's main educator. At the age of 12, Sheldon borrowed $200 from his uncle and started selling newspapers and magazines. Since then, the business has grown exponentially. Over the decades of his entrepreneurial career, Adelson experienced ups and downs - he sold vending machines, advertising publications, consulting services, services for organizing large conferences, etc. In the end, the businessman found his niche in the gambling business - he became the “King of Las Vegas” , the owner of the largest casino management company Las Vegas Sands, which has a representative office not only in the USA, but also in Macau, China.

John Paul Dejoria

  • Net worth: $2.8 billion
  • Country: USA

In the early 1980s, Dejoria found himself homeless and sleeping in his car on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. A Vietnam War veteran, he was selling shampoo door-to-door at the time. The businessman has since turned his $700 savings into one of the country's largest manufacturers of hair care products, John Paul Mitchell Systems, which he founded together with Paul Mitchell. Today the company sells a wide range of products, from familiar shampoos to such exotic product categories as tequila (Patrón Spirits brand) and Cell phones(ROK Mobile).

Jan Koum

The iconic TV presenter, producer and women's rights activist was born when her mother was still a minor. She was raised by her grandmother on a farm in Mississippi. Winfrey took her first steps on television in Nashville, Baltimore. She then moved to Chicago, where she forcefully transformed a third-rate morning show into the nation's number one talk show. Over time, Oprah left the frame, preparing for herself a real business empire, which today includes many businesses, from producing Hollywood films to publishing bestsellers.

Christos Lazari

  • Net worth: $2.1 billion
  • Country: UK

Now one of London's most influential property investors, Lazari arrived in the British capital at the age of 16 from his small village in Cyprus with £20 in his pocket. At first, he washed dishes and served guests in restaurants, thus saving money to study design courses. Later, Christos created his own brand, Drendie Girl, but the fashion industry did not work out - and in 1978, the aspiring entrepreneur switched to the real estate market. Today his Lazari Investments owns 2.5 million square feet of office space in prestigious areas of London.

Miki Jagtiani

  • Net worth: $5.2 billion
  • Country: India

As a young man, Jagtiani dropped out of college and tried to gain a foothold in London, not disdaining work as a hotel cleaner and taxi driver. He eventually left Britain for Bahrain to help his family run a children's goods store. Soon, within just one year, Miki lost all his close relatives - his mother, father and brother. Managing the business fell entirely on his shoulders. But Jagtiani pulled it off - and turned the modest store into the Landmark Group retail chain with revenue of $5 billion and 1,900 points of sale in the Middle East, Africa and India.

Ksenia Sobchak is a name that is familiar to almost every resident former USSR. Her life is a shining example of determination and self-confidence. She was able to achieve considerable success in television, journalism, and journalism. The biography and personal life of Ksenia Sobchak often become the subject of discussion. We decided not to be like the “yellow press” and will briefly talk about the difficult path to recognition that she managed to go through.

Today we will talk about who Donald Trump is: biography, rise to the top of business, political Olympus and other main facts from his life. At the moment, Trump is the 45th President of the United States and therefore is in the spotlight, but there are many interesting points in his biography, which we will consider in this article.


Every year, the popular American magazine Forbes publishes a ranking of the richest people in the world. Moreover, not only men, but also women fall into it. Nowadays, women have gained financial independence - they are building their own empires, earning billions, opening charitable foundations and chasing success. Strong women inspire all representatives of the fair half of humanity and serve as an example for them. Many people, and we are sure not only women, will be interested in reading the latest statistics from Forbes Woman magazine. We will talk about all the successful ladies who made it to the top of the list of rich people in 2016 in our article. Enjoy reading!


Robert Kiyosaki is one of the most successful investors and businessmen of our time. His life principle is not to go with the flow, but to always look for innovative ways to solve problems in the business sphere. This approach motivated the entrepreneur to write a whole series of motivational books, the main of which, according to experts and critics, is “Rich Dad, Poor Dad.” Now Kiyosaki conducts trainings all over the world. His books have been translated into 51 languages ​​and are sold in more than one hundred countries.

Carlos Slim owns the holding company, which he began developing in the late 60s, and the telecommunications corporation America Movil. The richest man in the world believes that the main thing is to change his children for the better, and not to give them something ready-made.

The richest people in the world and on earth

Let's see who they are - the richest people in the world. Most people associate wealth with the success of its owner in society. This is true and not true. Hundreds of thousands of people consider themselves successful people without having significant means. They live in abundance, but do not have wealth. Since the wealth of individuals arises, and what is needed to become rich: the life goal of constant enrichment; luck or luck; unique abilities or talent; high education and knowledge? Let's look at these people, their biographies, and maybe we will understand what the mystery and answer to acquiring wealth lies.

The generally accepted ranking of the world's rich is published annually by the American magazine Forbes, the first copy of which appeared in 1917, and the first ranking of rich people was published in 1918 and John Rockefeller occupied the first place. In Russia, the magazine has been published for 10 years, annually assessing the wealth of the richest people in Russia. This is the most authoritative source of information about people's wealth and its rating on the pages of the magazine is considered the most reliable.

Forbes ranking of rich people 2015

Forbes lists the world's richest people as 1,826, with $7 trillion in wealth, with an average wealth of about $4 billion. Of course, the magazine does not list all 1826 people on its pages, but only lists the 300 richest people in the world, and we will only list the top ten richest people in the world:

  1. Bill Gates (USA) - founder of Microsoft with a fortune of $79.2 billion;
  2. Carlos Slim Helu (Mexico) - owner of a telecommunications network with a fortune of $77.1 billion;
  3. Warren Buffett (USA) is the largest investor with a fortune of $72.7 billion;
  4. Amancia Ortega (Spain) - founder and owner of Zara, worth $64.5 billion;
  5. Larry Elison (USA) - founder of the software company Oracle with a fortune of $54.3 billion;
  6. Charles Koch (USA) - construction and oil refining business with a fortune of $42.9 billion;
  7. David Koch (USA) - construction and oil refining business with a fortune of $42.9 billion;
  8. Christy Walton (USA) - co-owner of the Wal-Mart retail chain with a fortune of $41.7 billion, and the richest woman in the world;
  9. Jim Walton (USA) - banker and co-owner of the Wal-Mart retail chain with a fortune of $40.6 billion;
  10. Liliane Bettencourt (France) is the owner of the L’Oreal cosmetics empire and the richest woman in Europe with a net worth of $40.6 billion.

Forbes ranking of rich people in Russia 2015

  1. Vladimir Potanin - owner of TMK Norilsk Nickel, worth $15.4 billion;
  2. Mikhail Fridman - controls the financial and industrial company Alfa Group, worth $14.6 billion;
  3. Alisher Usmanov - owns the assets of the metallurgical giant Metalloinvest, the mobile operator Megafon and a number of other assets, worth $14.4 billion;
  4. Viktor Vekselberg - owner of the Renova group of companies and a number of other assets, worth $14.2 billion;
  5. Alexey Mordashov is the owner of Severstal with a fortune of $13 billion;
  6. Vagit Alekperov is the owner of the largest private oil company Lukoil, worth $12.2 billion;
  7. Leonid Mikhelson - owner of Novatek with a fortune of $11.7 billion;
  8. Vladimir Lisin - owner of the Novolipetsk Metallurgical Plant, worth $11.6 billion;
  9. Gennady Timchenko is the owner of many assets with a fortune of $10.7 billion;
  10. Mikhail Prokhorov is a banker, media tycoon, co-owner of the world's largest producer of potash fertilizers, Uralkali, worth $9.9 billion.

Of course, the richest people in Russia are not limited to this list and their distribution within the list very often changes, for example, for the last two years it was headed by Alisher Usmanov.

Biographies of the richest people on the planet

Analyzing the life path of each of the richest people on the planet, they can be divided into heirs of huge fortunes and people who rose to this list from the very bottom, or who achieved their fortune through organizational talent, a sense of timing and other abilities necessary for a successful business.

The biography of the richest people in the world shows the peculiarities of the ways each of them achieved wealth. Of the top ten richest people in the world according to Forbes, only three inherited huge capital: Christy Walton, Jim Walton - heirs of the largest retail chain Wal-Mart, and Liliane Betancourt, who inherited the L'Oreal company from her father Eugene Sheller. Of course, there are quite a lot of rich people on the Forbes lists, whose fortunes were made by their fathers and even grandfathers. Among them are well-known names: Rockefellers, Morgans and others. Preserving inherited wealth is also not an easy task, but it is much easier than amassing a multi-billion dollar fortune from scratch.

The richest people in the world are described. There are not as few rich people as it seems at first glance.

The ranking of the richest people in the world begins with Bill Gates (William Bill Gates), a man who made his fortune with his intellect, organizational talents, and the gift of foresight. His company, Microsoft, is the world's leading manufacturer of software for personal computers, the global development of which Gates foresaw. He didn’t even finish his studies at Harvard University and, leaving his third year, founded Microsoft. Gates actively participated in the development of software products and developed Microsoft's development strategy.

The list of the richest people in the world was occupied by representatives of the United States, but for some time, from 2010 to 2013, it was headed by a representative of Mexico, of Arab origin, Carlos Slim Helu, a man who achieved everything he has through his work, perseverance, knowledge and desire to win. It must be said that the basis of Carlos Slim Helu’s future capital was put together by his father. After graduating from the National University in Mexico City and receiving an engineering degree, at the age of 25 he began to create the future Grupo Carso empire. In 1982, taking advantage of the crisis in Mexico, he bought shares of many well-known companies for next to nothing, and at the beginning of 1990 he bought the telecommunications company Telmex (Telefonos de Mexico). He further specializes in this industry and buys telecommunications companies throughout Latin America. He was included in the Forbes list already in 2002.

Warren Buffett, the richest and no less famous investor in the world, was born into the family of a stock trader and was familiar with financial transactions and the stock exchange from childhood. He made his first stock purchase at age 11, buying several shares of Cities Service for $38. The shares quickly fell to $27, but later rose to $40. Warren immediately sold them, earning $5. And a few days later the shares jumped in price to $200. After this, Buffett formed one of the most important principles of investing: “patience pays off.” Unlike Bill Gates, Buffett received an excellent education, graduating from Columbia University and for his further work as a successful investor received the nickname “The Oracle of Omaha.” “The main secret of successful investing is to choose good stocks at the right time and hold them as long as these stocks remain good” - this principle of Buffett is used by thousands of investors around the world.

The biographies of Russian billionaires are not so impressive. Although it is believed that their wealth was created from scratch, the rich people of Russia made their fortunes through certain financial schemes, the legal purity of which is questionable. And biographical information is not always available.

Among the dozen names of Russian billionaires, Mikhail Prokhorov looks like an example of a typical rise from a simple entrepreneur to the Forbes list. Prokhorov in 1989, after graduating from the Financial Academy, worked until 1992 at the International Bank for Economic Cooperation, where Vladimir Potanin became his business partner until 2008. Then he went his own way, developing his business.

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