The 20 Richest People in the World in 2022
There are a lot of misconceptions about what it takes to become one of the wealthiest people in the world. For starters, you don’t need to be born into a wealthy family or have a trust fund to your name. Many of the world’s wealthiest people are self-made billionaires who started with nothing more than an idea and a lot of hard work. In this post, we look at the 20 richest people in the world, their business interests, and their network.
20. Phill Knight – $47.3 Billion
Nike has dominated the sportswear industry for decades. And it is all thanks to this man, Phill Knight. He is the co-founder of Nike. Currently, his net worth stands at $47.3 billion. According to Moneyinc, Nike’s most expensive product can set you back up to $2 million. This is the Solid Gold Ovo X Air Jordan. It is made with 18-karat gold and encrusted with diamonds. While Phill Knight is the man behind this genius, his business interests go beyond Nike. For instance, he is also the chairman of Laika Entertainment, a leading animation studio.
19. Rob Walton – $65 Billion
You have this man to thank if you’ve ever shopped at Walmart. Rob Walton is the eldest son of Walmart’s founder, Sam Walton. Rob Walton took over as the chairman of Walmart in 1992. And he held the position for 23 years. Under his leadership, Walmart became the largest company in the world. It is also one of the most valuable brands in the world. Today, Walmart has a market value of over $250 billion. And it is present in 27 countries. Walton stepped down as the chairman of Walmart in 2015. But he still remains on the board of directors. His current net worth is $65 billion.
18. Alice Walton – $65.3 Billion
Alice Walton is the only daughter of Sam Walton, the founder of Walmart. Although she does not have an executive role in the company, she owns a substantial number of Walmart shares. These shares have made her one of the richest people in the world, with a net worth of $ 65.3 billion. Apart from her stake in Walmart, Alice Walton has also invested in a number of other companies. These include Rhea Drug Company, Arvest Bank Group, and LL Bean. She is also an active philanthropist and has donated millions of dollars to a number of charitable causes over the years.
17. Zhong Shanshan – $65.7 Billion
Zhong Shanshan is a Chinese business magnate. He is the founder, chairman, and CEO of the Nongfu Spring Company. Nongfu Spring is one of the leading bottled water companies in China. It is also one of the most valuable brands in China. Shanshan is currently the wealthiest person in China, with a net worth of $65.7 billion. He is also the 12th richest Person in the world. In addition to Nongfu Spring, Shanshan is interested in healthcare and manufacturing.
16. Jim Walton – $66.2 Billion
Walmart is not short of billionaire heirs. Infact, according to Bloomberg, Walton family is one of the wealthiest in the world. Rob Walton is the eldest son of Walmart’s founder, Sam Walton. But Jim Walton is not far behind either. He is the youngest son of Sam Walton and currently has a net worth of $66.2 billion. He, too, is a board member at Walmart and has been since 2005. However, unlike his brother Rob, Jim Walton is not actively involved in Walmart’s operations. Instead, he focuses on his other business interests. These include Arvest Bank and Community Publishers Inc.
15. Mark Zuckerberg – $67.3 Billion
Mark Zuckerberg is the founder of Facebook. And his current net worth is estimated to be $67.3 billion. Like Larry Ellison and Sergey Brin, Zuckerberg dropped his social media interests out of college. At the time, social media platforms were not nearly as popular as today. But Zuckerberg saw the potential for them to grow. And he was right. Facebook is now one of the world’s most popular social media platforms. Recently, he has rebranded it into Metaverse. And it has made Zuckerberg a wealthy man. In addition to his stake in Facebook, Zuckerberg has investments in other companies, including Slack and Airbnb.
14. Francoise Bettencourt Meyers – $74.2 Billion
The beauty industry is pretty lucrative, and Francoise Bettencourt Meyers knows this too well. She is the granddaughter of L’Oreal founder Eugene Schueller. She is the world’s richest woman with a net worth of $92.2 billion. She currently serves on L’Oreal’s board of directors and is one of the company’s principal shareholders. Her other business interests include art, luxury goods, and investments.
It’s no secret that the richest people in the world are also some of the best investors. To maintain their wealth, they must continually grow it. And what better way to do that than by investing in assets and companies that will provide stability and growth for years to come? If you want to be one of the wealthiest people in the world in 2022, start thinking like them and invest in your future.
13. Carlos Slim Helu – $81.2 Billion
According to CNBC, Carlos Slim Helu was the richest man in the world from 2010-2013. Although that is no longer the case, he is still a force to be reckoned with. He is a Mexican business magnate with a net worth of $81.2 billion. The source of his wealth is largely due to his ownership of America Movil. This is a Mexican telecom company that is the largest in Latin America. In addition to telecom, he is interested in banking, retail, and construction.
12. Michael Bloomberg – $82 Billion
This man needs no introduction. Michael Bloomberg is a media mogul and one of the richest men in the world. He is the founder of Bloomberg LP. A financial data and media company. The company has a global reach and employs over 20,000 people. Bloomberg’s net worth is $82 billion. But besides his business interests, Bloomberg is also a politician. He was the mayor of New York City for three terms. He even considered becoming the president of the U.S. in 2016 and 2020. But he eventually decided not to run. Today, he has dedicated his time to being the C.E.0 of Bloomberg.
11. Gautam Adami – $90 Billion
Gautam Adani is an Indian business magnate who is the founder and chairman of the Adani Group. He is one of the wealthiest people in India, with a net worth of $65.8 billion. The conglomerate is interested in coal, power, ports, logistics, real estate, agriculture, and defense. It is one of the largest privately-owned companies in India. Adani is also one of the most controversial businessmen in India. This is because of his close ties to the current Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi. Nonetheless, this hasn’t stopped him from building his empire.
10. Mukesh Ambani – $90.7 Billion
Mukesh has previously held the record as the richest man in Asia. Nonetheless, he is still one of the wealthiest business magnates in the world, with a net worth of $90.7 billion. He is an Indian entrepreneur and the chairman of Reliance Industries. Reliance Industries is an Indian conglomerate interested in oil, gas, and telecom. It is also one of the largest companies in India. Additionally, he sold some JIO shares to companies such as Facebook and Google, earning him a pretty penny.
9. Steve Ballmer – $91 Billion
According to Celebritynetworth, Steve Ballmer opted to drop out of college in 1980. He was a Stanford University business faculty student who opted to pursue other interests. Although most people would have considered this a gamble, it paid off. Today, Ballmer previously worked as the CEO of Microsoft and currently owns the Los Angeles Clippers. He is worth a whopping $91 billion. And he ranks among the richest people in the world. Steve Ballmer made most of his money through his stake in Microsoft. When he left the company in 2014, he had amassed a 4% stake worth $22 billion. However, Ballmer has done a great job growing his investment portfolio. He invests in several companies, including Twitter, Slack, and Goldman Sachs.
8. Larry Elisson – $106 Billion
Larry Ellison is the founder of Oracle. And his current net worth is estimated to be $106 billion. Ellison dropped out of college after just one semester. He then moved to California to pursue a career in computer programming. In 1977, he founded Oracle with a group of friends. The company quickly grew to become one of the world’s most successful enterprise software companies. Ellison currently serves as the executive chairman and CTO of Oracle. In addition to his stake in Oracle, Ellison has investments in several other companies, including Salesforce and Tesla. Today, Ellisson is living his best life in a $ 300 million home in Silicon Valley. He is also an avid collector of luxury cars and yachts.
7. Sergey Brin – $107 Billion
Sergey Brin is the co-founder of Google. And his current net worth is estimated to be $107 billion. Like Steve Ballmer, Sergey Brin dropped out of college to pursue other interests. He was studying for his PhD in computer science at Stanford University when he and his friend Larry Page decided to start Google. The rest, as they say, is history. Google quickly grew into one of the most successful companies in the world. And Brin has been a big part of that success. He currently serves as the president of Alphabet, Google’s parent company. In addition to his stake in Google, Brin also has investments in many other companies, including Airbnb and Tesla.
6. Larry Page – $111 Billion
Larry Page is another Google man. He graduated from Stanford with a degree in computer science. He then went on to co-found Google with Sergey Brin. Together, they formulated Google’s page rank algorithm, which is still used by the company today. Page served as Google’s CEO from 2001 to 2015. He then stepped down from that role to become the CEO of Alphabet, which is Google’s parent company. His current net worth is estimated to be $111 billion. In addition to his stake in Google and Alphabet, Page has investments in many other companies, including Uber and Nest. Moreover, he also has an interest and has invested in flying cars.
5. Warren Buffet – $118 Billion
Warren Buffet is popularly referred to as the Oracle of Omaha. Although he is wealthy, he is a big advocate for frugality. He is currently the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. And his net worth is estimated to be $108 billion. Unlike Steve Ballmer, Warren Buffet was born into a wealthy family. His father was a U.S Congressman. However, that didn’t stop him from building his wealth. He started investing in stocks when he was just 11 years old. And by the time he was 20, he had amassed a small fortune. He then used that money to buy shares in a textile manufacturing company called Berkshire Hathaway. Over the years, he has grown that investment into one of the most successful companies in the world. In addition to his stake in Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffet has investments in many other companies, including Coca-Cola, Apple, and Wells Fargo.
4. Bill Gates – $129 Billion
Bill Gates is among the few billionaires that have ranked among the richest people in the world for a long time. Regardless of the constant changes in the list, he has always made it to the top 5. He is the co-founder of Microsoft. And his current net worth is estimated to be $129 billion. Like many of his counterparts, Bill is a college dropout. He, however, did not stop there as he went ahead to become one of the most brilliant minds in the tech world. Gates stepped down as the CEO of Microsoft in 2000.
He then transitioned into a role as the company’s chief software architect. In 2006, he stepped down from that role as well. He is currently the chairman of Microsoft and also sits on the board of directors. Besides his work at Microsoft, Gates is also a philanthropist. He is the co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the largest private charitable foundation in the world.
3. Bernard Arnault – $158 Billion
If you have doubted that fashion is a lucrative industry, this man will prove you wrong. In fact, in 2021, Bernard Arnault had a short stint as the number one richest man on earth. And besides it being short-lived, he currently holds the record as the wealthiest man in France and Europe. Arnault started as an engineer. He then joined his family’s business in 1968. The company was focused on construction and civil engineering. However, in the 70s, the company got into the luxury goods space. And by the 80s, it had acquired many high-end brands, including Louis Vuitton. The company is now known as LVMH. And it owns over 60 brands, including Sephora and Moet & Chandon. Arnault’s current net worth is $158 billion.
2. Jeff Bezos – $171 Billion
Amazon is a household name in retail and online shopping. Before founding this company, Jeff Bezos was working on Wall Street. After he quit his job, he founded Amazon in 1994. The company has since seen tremendous growth. According to Businessinsider initially, Bezos wanted to call the company Cadabra. However, his then-lawyer thought it was a ridiculous idea. Bezos opted to replace it with the name Amazon as it is the largest river in the world. He also wanted his company to be just as big. Today, Amazon is worth an estimated $1 trillion. And Bezos’ current net worth is $171 billion. Besides Amazon, Bezos also has many other investments. He is the founder of Blue Origin, a space technology company. He also has a stake in The Washington Post.
1. Elon Musk – $219 Billion
No list of the wealthiest people in the world would be complete without Elon Musk. The South African-born businessman is currently the wealthiest person in the world. And his current net worth is a staggering $219 billion. Musk is the founder of SpaceX, which is a space technology company. He is also the co-founder of Tesla. But apart from these companies, Musk also has stakes in SolarCity, a corporation specializing in solar energy. He also has a stake in the Boring Company, a tunnel construction company. In 2021, Times Magazine named him the Person of the Year. They attributed this to his immense contribution to the business world and beyond.
Conclusion
The list of the wealthiest people in the world can change anytime. Some fortunes grow, and others shrink. But these 20 individuals have a permanent spot on the list, thanks to their impressive net worths. Whether you’re motivated by money or not, it’s fascinating to see how these billionaires got so rich and what they do with their fortunes.
