Top 10 Richest People in the World 2009

1. Bill Gates

William Henry "Bill" Gates III (born October 28, 1955) is an American business magnate, philanthropist, and chairman of Microsoft, the software company he founded with Paul Allen. He is ranked consistently one of the world's wealthiest people and the wealthiest overall as of 2009.During his career at Microsoft, Gates held the positions of CEO and chief software architect, and remains the largest individual shareholder with more than 8 percent of the common stock. He has also authored or co-authored several books.

2. Warren Buffett

Warren Edward Buffett (born August 30, 1930) is an American investor, businessman, and philanthropist. He is one of the most successful investors in history, the primary shareholder and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway,and in 2008 was ranked by Forbes as the richest person in the world with an estimated net worth of approximately $62 billion.In 2009, Buffett was ranked as the second richest man in the United States with a net worth of $40 billion.However, this was after he donated billions of dollars to charity.

3. Carlos Slim


Carlos Slim Helú, simply known as Carlos Slim (born January 28, 1940) is a Mexican engineer, businessman and philanthropist largely focused on the telecommunications industry. He is currently the third wealthiest person in the world with a net worth of around US$35 billion through his holdings. He was able to raise money for a telecommunications company by purchasing standby letters of credit which enabled him to obtain guaranteed loans which provided the capital.

4. Larry Ellison

Lawrence Joseph "Larry" Ellison (born August 17, 1944) is an American entrepreneur and the co-founder and CEO of Oracle Corporation, a major enterprise software company. He is currently listed on the Forbes list of billionaires as the fourth richest person in the world (as of September 30, 2009). Ellison is the third richest American, with an estimated net worth of US $27 billion. Ellison owns 22.59% of Oracle Corporation that is worth between 20 and 25 billion US dollars.

5. Ingvar Kamprad
Ingvar Feodor Kamprad ; born 30 March 1926 is a Swedish entrepreneur who is the founder of the home furnishing retail chain IKEA. As of 2009[update], he is the richest person in Europe and the fifth wealthiest person in the world, according to Forbes magazine, with an estimated net worth of around US$22 billion.

6.Karl Albrecht

Karl Hans Albrecht (born 20 February 1920) is a German entrepreneur who founded the discount supermarket chain Aldi with his brother Theo. He is among the richest men in the world, with an estimated net worth in 2009 of $21.5 billion according to Forbes Magazine. Albrecht is the wealthiest man in Germany.

7. Mukesh Ambani

Mukesh Ambani (born on April 19, 1957 in Aden, Yemen) is a Indian engineer and businessman. He is the chairman, managing director and the largest shareholder of Reliance Industries, India's largest private sector enterprise and a Fortune 500 company, which he got funded by purchasing large standby letters of credit, which were monetized by several Swiss banks which afforded him guaranteed loans for the purchase. His personal stake in Reliance Industries is 48%. His wealth is valued at $ 32 Billion by Forbes, making him India's wealthiest person. Mukesh and his younger brother Anil are sons of the late founder of Reliance Industries, Dhirubhai Ambani. Anil Ambani is also a billionaire and owns another company - Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group. Mukesh also owns the Indian Premier League team Mumbai Indians.

8.Lakshmi Mittal

Lakshmi Niwas Mittal (born 15 June 1950)[2] is an Indian born industrialist based in the United Kingdom. He was born in Sadulpur village, in the Churu district of Rajasthan, India. He is the CEO and founder of and has been the chairman and CEO of ArcelorMittal since the merge. He also serves as a non-executive director of Goldman Sachs, EADS and ICICI Bank and is the chairman of the World Steel Association.

9.Theo Albrecht

Theodor Paul Albrecht (born 28 March 1922), generally known as Theo Albrecht, is a German entrepreneur, who in 2009 was ranked by Forbes magazine as the 9th richest person in the world, with a net worth of $18.8 billion. He owns and was the CEO of the Aldi Nord discount supermarket chain. In the US he owns the Trader Joe's specialty grocery store chain. His brother Karl Albrecht owns the Aldi Süd discount supermarket chain. The two chains originally were a single family enterprise until a friendly division of assets in 1960. Aldi Süd operates the Aldi groceries in the United States. So Aldi and Trader Joe's, while owned by the brothers, have separate and distinct ownership and operations.

10. Amancio Ortega Gaona

Amancio Ortega Gaona (born March 28, 1936, Busdongo de Arbas, León) is a Spanish fashion entrepreneur. Ranked by Forbes as Spain's richest man and the 10th richest man in the World in 2009. He is the founder, with his then-wife Rosalía Mera, and chairman of the Inditex Group. He currently lives with his second wife in a discreet apartment building in the centre of A Coruña (Corunna).

Top 10 Richest Women in the World, Top Wealth Woman 2010, Most Rich Women

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No.1 Christy WaltonThe 54.years old with $20 billion is now the world’s richest woman. Christy Ruth Walton is the wife of late John T. Walton. After his death in June 2005, she inherited his fortune of $15.7 billion. As of March 2009, she is the 12th richest person in the Forbes World's Billionaires, with an estimated net worth of US$17.6 billion.She currently resides in Jackson, Wyoming. She has one son, Lukas.

No.2 Alice Walton

The 59 years old with $19.5 billion is now world’s IInd richest woman .Father Sam and Uncle James started general-store chain in Bentonville, Ark., in 1962. Today Wal-Mart is world’s largest retailer: controls more than 7,900 stores, has 2 million employees and has sales of $400 billion. Alice Louise Walton (born October 7, 1949 in Newport, Arkansas)[1] is an American heiress to the Wal-mart fortune. She is the daughter of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton and Helen Walton, and sister of S. Robson Walton, and Jim Walton. Another brother, John T. Walton died in a 2005 plane crash. In 2009, her estimated net worth was US$18 billion, making her the richest woman in the world along with her sister-in-law Christy Walton.

No.3 Liliane Bettencourt

The 86 years old with $15 billion is now world’s III rd richest woman and also Europe’s wealthiest women.Liliane Bettencourt (born 21 October 1922(1922-10-21) in Paris, France) is a French heiress, socialite, and businesswoman. She is the principal shareholder of L'Oréal and the wealthiest woman in Europe. She is the second richest person in France, behind Bernard Arnault whose wealth is estimated at US$16.5 billion, and she ranks 21st in wealthiest people in the world. Forbes magazine estimated her wealth in 2009 at US$13.4 billion.
Bettencourt was the only child of Eugène Schueller, the founder of L'Oréal, one of the world's leading cosmetics and beauty companies. In 1927, her mother died when Liliane was 5 years old.

4. Abigail Johnson

Abigail Pierrepont Johnson (born December 19, 1961) is an American businesswoman. Johnson is President of Fidelity Investments Personal and Workplace Investing. Fidelity is led by her father, Edward Johnson.
In September 2008, her net worth was estimated at US$15 billion, tying her for 15th place in Forbes List of the 400 Richest Americans. (Her father, with $11 billion, is tied for 28th place.)
She is the 35th richest person in the world, though her current net worth has decreased to US$10 billion. Her father is tied for 62nd place with US$7 billion.

5. Barbara-Cox Anthony

Barbara Cox Anthony (1922 – May 28, 2007) was the youngest daughter of James M. Cox, a Democratic governor of Ohio, newspaper publisher and broadcaster. With her sister Anne Cox Chambers and brother James M. Cox, Jr., she inherited, via a trust, ownership and control of her father’s company, now called Cox Enterprises. Upon her brother's death in 1974, the sisters received his share of the company equally.
Her net worth was estimated at $12 billion, based principally on her equity interest in Cox Enterprises which made her one of the richest women in the United States and the richest resident of Hawaii.

6. Anne Cox Chambers

Anne Cox Chambers (born December 1, 1919) is a billionaire media proprietor. She is the daughter of James M. Cox, a newspaper publisher and 1920 Democratic Presidential nominee, and his second wife, Margaretta Parler Blair. She owns and controls her father's business interests, through Cox Enterprises. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia. Her sister, Barbara Cox Anthony, died on May 28, 2007.
An alumna of Finch College and a generous financial supporter of the Democratic Party, she was President Jimmy Carter's pick as United States Ambassador to Belgium from 1977 to 1981.
Her net worth has been estimated at $13 billion,based principally on her equity interest in Cox Enterprises, which makes her the fourth richest woman in the United States.

7. Jacqueline Mars

Jacqueline Badger Mars is the daughter of Forrest Edward Mars, Sr., and granddaughter of Frank C. Mars, founders of the giant American candy company Mars, Incorporated. With her share of the company, she is worth US$9.0 billion. As of March 2009 she is the 58th richest person in the world, and the 19th richest person in the United States according to Forbes; she is also the fourth richest American woman. She is twice divorced and has 3 children.

8. Susanne Klatten

Susanne Klatten (born Susanne Hanna Ursula Quandt on 28 April 1962 in Bad Homburg, Germany) is the daughter of Herbert and Johanna Quandt. As of 2009, she is the richest woman in Germany and the 35th richest person in the world.

9.Maria-Elisabeth Schaeffler

Maria-Elisabeth Schaeffler is one of the owners of Schaeffler Group, one of the world's largest producers of roller bearings. The other owner is her son Georg F. W. Schaeffler.
10. Johannah Quandt

Johanna Quandt (born 1926) is a German billionaire and is the widow of industrialist Herbert Quandt, who resurrected BMW from bankruptcy. As a result, she is the 14th richest person in Germany.

She was born Johanna Bruhn in 1926. She became a secretary in Herbert’s office in the 1950s and eventually became his personal assistant. She married Herbert in 1960. After Herbert’s death in 1982, she became a major shareholder in BMW, and sat on its supervisory board until she retired in 1997. She still owns 16.7% of BMW. The two children of her marriage, Stefan Quandt and Susanne Klatten, are also substantial shareholders in BMW and now sit on the supervisory board of BMW. Johanna lives quietly in Bad Homburg. She supports child-cancer institutes and is a major donor to political parties.