1426 Names On List Of The World’s Super Rich. Despite the world’s economic turmoil in recent years, the rich keep getting richer, according to the latest list of billionaires.
Forbes business magazine put together an annual list which this year features 1,426 names worth an average of £3.6 billion – up from £3 billion last year.
This year’s figure sets a new record for the rich list, says the magazine, and they’ve also added 210 new billionaire fortunes.
America has the most billionaires with 442 listed, the Asia Pacific region has 386 and Europe has 366.
There are 129 billionaires in the Americas and 103 on the list for the Middle East and Africa.
With the global economy picking up, Forbes says most increases in wealth came from resurgent assets.
Slim pickings
Not all the news was good, since many fortunes plummeted, but the number of those gaining out-numbered the losers by four-to-one.
The world’s richest man is officially Carlos Slim, who has topped the Forbes rich list for the fourth year in a row.
Mr Slim has made his money with a wide range of business interests stretching from telecommunications to construction. He is worth around £49 billion.
In second place is Microsoft founder Bill Gates with a fortune of £44.6 billion.
In third place and also the rich list’s biggest gainer in the past year is Amancio Ortega who has made a fortune from Spanish retailer Zara. He added £13 billion to his wealth.
In fourth place is the famous investor Warren Buffett, who added £6.3 billion to his bank balance. This is the first time Mr Buffett hasn’t been in the top three since 2000.
Diesel powered
An increase in consumer spending has also helped propel several new names on to the list including Renzo Rosso, who owns the Diesel jean brand, and is worth £2 billion and Bruce Nordstrom, a retailer, who weighed in with £800 million.
Among the list’s biggest losers is Brazilian mining magnate Eike Batista, whose fortune dropped by £12.9 billion – that’s a cool £33 million being lost every day.
The highest placed Asian in the list is Hong Kong-based Li Ka-Shing, who held onto the eighth position with a £20.6 billion fortune.
The list is now in its 27th year and still manages to create controversy and this year’s was no different when Saudi investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal announced he was severing all ties with the magazine after he was placed in 26th place behind Larry Page and Sergey Brin who founded Google.
The prince was furious because he says his wealth is £19.7 billion which should have placed him in the top 10.
