As of 2024, the landscape of wealth is dominated by a select group of individuals who have transformed their industries and shaped the global economy. Topping the list is Elon Musk, the visionary behind Tesla and SpaceX, followed closely by tech titans like Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg.
These billionaires are not only known for their financial success but also for their influence on technology, e-commerce, and luxury goods. Each of them has a unique story, showcasing their journey from ambitious entrepreneurs to some of the most powerful figures in the world.
The top 10 richest person in the world are:
- Elon Musk: The CEO of Tesla, and a net worth of $237 billion
- Jeff Bezos: The founder of Amazon, and a net worth of $208 billion
- Mark Zuckerberg: The CEO of Meta, and a net worth of $200 billion
- Larry Ellison: The co-founder, chairman, and Chief Technology Officer of Oracle, and a net worth of $183 billion
- Bernard Arnault: The CEO and chairman of LVMH, and a net worth of $177 billion
- Bill Gates: net worth of $161 billion
- Larry Page: net worth of $148 billion
- Steve Ballmer: net worth of $147 billion
- Warren Buffett: net worth of $145 billion
- Sergey Brin: net worth of $139 billion
1. Elon Musk
Born: 28 June 1971 (age 53 years), Pretoria, South Africa
Net worth: 24,590 crores USD (2024)
Elon Reeve Musk FRS (born June 28, 1971) is a famous businessman and investor, widely identified for his leadership roles in SpaceX and Tesla, Inc. He also holds X Corp., which uses the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), and has been involved in founding companies like The Boring Company, Neuralink, xAI, and OpenAI. As of August 2024, Musk is one of the richest person in the world.
Musk is born in Pretoria, South Africa, the son of Maye, a model, and Errol Musk, an engineer and businessman. He briefly studied at the University of Pretoria before moving to Canada at age 18, gaining citizenship through his Canadian-born mother.
Musk’s views have sparked controversy, with criticisms for spreading misinformation about COVID-19, promoting collaboration theories, and supporting antisemitic content, for which he later apologized. His ownership of Twitter has also drawn criticism, particularly because of mass layoffs, increased hate speech, and changes to platform features.
2. Jeff Bezos
Born: January 12, 1964 (age 60)
Net Worth: $204.4 billion
Jeffrey Preston Bezos is an American business magnate, best known as the founder, executive chairman, and former CEO of Amazon, the world’s largest e-commerce and cloud computing company. As of July 16, 2024, he is the second richest person in the world, with a net worth of $211 billion, according to Forbes. He was the richest person from 2017 to 2021, according to Bloomberg and Forbes.
He worked on Wall Street before founding Amazon in 1994. Initially an online bookstore, Amazon expanded into various e-commerce products and services, including streaming, cloud computing, and AI, becoming the largest online sales company and a leading cloud service provider.
Bezos became the first centibillionaire on the Forbes Real Time Billionaires Index and was called the “richest man in modern history” in 2018. His net worth surpassed $200 billion in 2020. He strolled down as Amazon’s CEO in 2021, becoming executive chairman, with Andy Jassy succeeding him.
3. Mark Zuckerberg
Net worth: $200 billion
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has reached a net worth of $200 billion, with the world’s richest person, alongside Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Tesla’s Elon Musk, according to Bloomberg’s Billionaire Index. Zuckerberg’s net worth soared to $201 billion, ranking him fourth on the list of the world’s 500 richest individuals, behind Musk, Bezos, and Bernard Arnault.
The significant growth in Zuckerberg’s wealth, nearly sixfold in less than two years, came as Meta’s shares hit a record high. This marks his first time crossing the $200 billion mark, a turnaround after losing over $100 billion in 2022 because of his initial bet on the metaverse, which had seemed like a major setback.
4. Larry Ellison
Born: August 17, 1944
Net worth: $206 billion
Lawrence Joseph Ellison is an American businessman and entrepreneur who co-founded Oracle Corporation. He performed as Oracle’s CEO from 1977 to 2014 and is currently its chief technology officer and executive chairman.
As of September 2024, Ellison is ranked as the fifth-richest person in the world by Bloomberg, with a net worth of $182 billion, and the third-wealthiest by Forbes, with a net worth of $206.6 billion. He is also known for owning 98% of Lānaʻi, the sixth-largest island in Hawaii.
5. Bernard Arnault:
Bernard Arnault is the CEO and chairman of LVMH, the world’s largest luxury goods company with an estimated net worth of $199.7 billion as of September 2024.
Born: 5 March 1949
Net worth: $199.7 billion
Bernard Jean Étienne Arnault is a French businessman, investor, and art collector. He is the founder, chairman, and CEO of LVMH, the world’s largest luxury goods company. As of September 2024, Arnault’s net worth is estimated at $199.7 billion by Forbes and $208 billion by Bloomberg.
Raised in a Catholic household, Arnault studied engineering at École Polytechnique, graduating in 1971. He began his career at his father’s company, Ferret-Savinel, shifting its focus to real estate. His aggressive strategies earned him the nickname “The Terminator” as he revitalized Dior and sold off other assets.
Arnault played an important role in forming LVMH in 1987 by merging Louis Vuitton and Moët Hennessy. He transformed LVMH into a major luxury goods company, growing into fashion, jewelry, watches, and wine. His influence extends to investments in web companies, philanthropy, real estate, and yacht ventures, making LVMH the largest company by market capitalization in the eurozone. Despite controversies, his business acumen has solidified his position in the global luxury market.
6. Bill Gates
Born: October 28, 1955
Net worth: $161 billion
William Henry Gates III is an American businessman and philanthropist best known for co-founding Microsoft with Paul Allen. Gates led Microsoft as chairman, CEO, and chief software architect, holding significant shares until May 2014. He was a key figure in the microcomputer revolution of the 1970s and 1980s.
Gates stepped down as Microsoft chairman in 2014, becoming a technology advisor to CEO Satya Nadella, and left his board roles at Microsoft and Berkshire Hathaway in 2020 to focus on philanthropy, addressing climate change, global health, and education.
Included in Forbes’ billionaires list since 1987, Gates was the world’s wealthiest person from 1995 to 2017, except for brief periods. He became the first centibillionaire in 1999. And now he is one of the richest person in the world.
7. Larry Page
Born: March 26, 1973
Net worth: $156 billion
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, and $145.2 billion according to Forbes, making him the fifth-richest person in the world. He has also invested in flying car startups Kitty Hawk and Opener.
Lawrence Edward Page is an American businessman, computer engineer, and scientist known for co-founding Google with Sergey Brin. Page was Google’s CEO from 1997 to 2001 and again from 2011 to 2015 before becoming CEO of Alphabet Inc., Google’s parent company, until stepping down on December 4, 2019. He remains an Alphabet board member, employee, and controlling shareholder.
Today, he is ranked as the world’s fifth-richest person. He also invested in flying car startups Kitty Hawk and Opener. Page co-created the PageRank algorithm for Google and won the Marconi Prize in 2004 with Brin.
8. Steve Ballmer
Born: March 24, 1956
Net worth: $147 billion
Steven Anthony Ballmer is an American businessman and investor, best known for being the CEO of Microsoft from 2000 to 2014 and owner of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers. He co-founded the Ballmer Group, a philanthropic investment firm.
As of June 2024, Ballmer’s net worth is estimated at $147 billion by Bloomberg, ranking him the seventh-richest in the world, while Forbes lists him as tenth with $125 billion. Hired by Bill Gates in 1980, Ballmer left Stanford’s MBA program and later became Microsoft’s president in 1998.
He succeeded Gates as CEO in 2000 and retired in 2014, succeeded by Satya Nadella.
Ballmer’s tenure saw sales triple and profits double, but Microsoft missed trends like smartphones. His Clippers ownership is seen positively, with investments in players and Intuit Dome construction.
9. Warren Buffett
Net worth: $145 billion
Born: August 30, 1930
Warren Edward Buffett is an American businessman, investor, and philanthropist who is the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. Known as one of the world’s most renowned investors, his net worth reached $147 billion in October 2024, ranking him as the eighth-richest person globally.
Born in Omaha, Nebraska, Buffett developed an early interest in investing. He attended Wharton and graduated from the University of Nebraska at 19, then earned his degree from Columbia Business School, where he embraced value investing. In 1956, he founded Buffett Partnership Ltd., acquiring Berkshire Hathaway and transforming it into a diversified holding company.
Buffett has led Berkshire Hathaway since 1970, earning nicknames like the “Oracle of Omaha” because of his success. Despite his wealth, he is known for his frugality and value investing principles. He has pledged to give away 99% of his fortune, primarily through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and co-founded the Giving Pledge in 2010.
10. Sergey Brin
Born: August 21, 1973)
Net worth: About $146 billion,
Sergey Mikhailovich Brin is an American computer scientist and businessman who co-founded Google with Larry Page. He served as president of Google’s parent company, Alphabet Inc., until December 3, 2019. Brin and Page remain involved with Alphabet as co-founders, controlling shareholders, and board members. As of June 2024, Brin’s estimated net worth is $146 billion, ranking him as the 7th-richest person in the world.
Born in the Soviet Union, Brin immigrated to the U.S. at age six. He earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and computer science from the University of Maryland. While pursuing a PhD at Stanford University, he met Page, and together they developed a web search engine that grew popular at Stanford. They eventually left their studies to establish Google in a garage in Menlo Park.
Bottom Line:
The top ten richest persons in the world present the model of entrepreneurial achievement and innovation. Their huge funds are a testament to their ability to guide complex industries and adapt to changing market dynamics. As they continue to lead their respective companies and explore new ventures, their impact on the global economy and society will undoubtedly continue, shaping the future in ways we can only begin to imagine.
