Forbes stated that the five wealthiest women in the world, topped by L’Oréal heiress Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, saw their aggregate net worth increase by US$47.8 billion over the previous year.
1. Françoise Bettencourt Meyers
French billionaire Françoise Bettencourt Meyers inherited the L’Oréal cosmetics company from her mother, Liliane Bettencourt, who died in 2017.
She currently owns about 35% of the beauty behemoth, which her grandfather, Eugène Schueller, founded in 1909.
According to its annual report, the company’s 36 prominent brands, including Maybelline, Kiehl’s, and Yves Saint Laurent, generated 41.18 billion euros (US$44 billion) in revenue last year.
Bettencourt Meyers was named the richest woman in the world by Forbes in 2019, with a net worth of $42.2 billion.
Her wealth has more than doubled since then, reaching $95 billion as of April 24, allowing her to retain the top rank for the fourth year in a row.
Her net worth has increased by $14.5 billion over the past year.
2. Alice Walton
Alice Walton, an American millionaire, is one of the successors to Walmart, the world’s largest retailer founded by her father, Sam Walton.
She got a 12% interest in the company when Sam died in 1992, but has never been on its board of directors since, preferring to focus on humanitarian projects relating to human creativity and well-being, according to the Walton Museum.
Walmart’s share price increased 34% in the last year, bringing her net worth to $71.3 billion as of April 24, up $15.6 billion from 2023 levels.
3. Julia Koch
Julia Koch’s wealth is derived from a 42% interest in Koch Industries, the second-largest private firm in the United States, which she and her three children obtained following the death of her husband and co-owner, David Koch, in 2019.
The conglomerate’s holdings range from oil refining and medical technology to paper towels, with an estimated yearly income of $125 million.
Koch currently leads the David H. Koch Foundation, a charity organization through which she and her late husband donated billions of dollars to causes such as poverty, addiction, criminal justice, and education, according to Forbes.
This year, the American billionaire fell from second to third richest woman, with a net worth of $65.3 billion as of March 24, up 10.7% from 2023.
4. Jacqueline Mars
Jacqueline Mars is the American heiress of Mars Inc., the world’s largest candy maker founded by her grandpa, Frank C. Mars.
M&Ms and Snickers are among the company’s most well-known brands.
She owns around one-third of the company and formerly served on its board until 2016.
Her net worth climbed by $200 million from last year, reaching $38.5 billion as of April 24.
5. Mackenzie Scott
Mackenzie Scott, an American billionaire philanthropist, got her 4% ownership in Amazon, one of the world’s largest e-commerce platforms, from her ex-husband, the company’s founder and chairman, Jeff Bezos, during their 2019 divorce.
In late March, she donated $640 million to 361 NGOs, raising her total career philanthropic contribution to $16.5 billion, according to AP.
Despite her efforts to give away her riches, Scott’s net worth increased by $11.2 billion from the previous year to $33.5 billion as of April 24.
According to Forbes, if she hadn’t been so charitable, she would have been the third richest woman with a net worth of $69 billion.