Finance – investment has created more than 420 billionaires globally, with the richest representative being Warren Buffett, Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway.
Earlier this month, magazine Forbes announced the list of world billionaires in 2024. This year, the world recorded a record of 2,781 billionaires, 141 more than last year. Their assets are also the largest ever, with 14,200 billion USD, thanks to the flourishing global stock market, despite inflation and geopolitical fluctuations.
The world’s billionaires get rich in many ways, from establishing venture capital funds, opening technology companies to selling milk tea and oyster sauce. However, according to statistics of Forbesmost billionaires operate in the following 10 industries:
1. Finance – investment
Number of billionaires: 427.
Percentage on list: 15%
Richest person: Warren Buffett (133 billion USD). He is the Chairman and CEO of investment company Berkshire Hathaway. The company owns stakes in more than 60 businesses, including Apple, Duracell and Dairy Queen.
2. Technology
Number of billionaires: 342
Percentage on list: 12%
Richest person: Jeff Bezos (194 billion USD). He is the founder of Amazon, owner of the Washington Post and aerospace company Blue Origin. At the end of 2021, Bezos resigned as CEO of Amazon and only held the position of Chairman.
3. Production
Number of billionaires: 328
Percentage on list: 12%
Richest person: Reinhold Wuerth ($33.6 billion). He is the Chairman of mechanical and metal equipment manufacturer Wuerth Group. The billionaire joined the family business at the age of 14 and took over the company when he was 19 years old.
4. Fashion – Retail
Number of billionaires: 285
Percentage on list: 10%
Richest person: Bernard Arnault ($233 billion). He is the Chairman and CEO of the world’s largest luxury goods group LVMH. This company currently owns 75 fashion and cosmetics brands, such as Sephora, Tiffany & Co, Givenchy, Christian Dior, Dom Perignon and Moët Hennessy.
Arnault is also currently the richest person in the world.
5. Food – Drinks
Number of billionaires: 210
Rate on list: 8%
Richest person: Zhong Shanshan (62.3 billion USD). He is the Chairman of Nongfu Spring bottled water company. In addition, Zhong also controls the pharmaceutical company Beijing Wantai Biological Pharmacy. He is currently the richest person in China.
6. Multidisciplinary
Number of billionaires: 201
Rate on list: 7%
Richest person: Mukesh Ambani (116 billion USD). The Indian billionaire is currently Chairman of Reliance Industries, doing business in many fields from petrochemicals, gas, oil, retail to telecommunications. In recent years, Ambani’s business has prospered, helping him continuously climb the world’s rich list.
7. Health
Managing Director of Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, Dilip Shanghvi, speaks during a news conference in Mumbai March 25, 2015. Reuters
Number of billionaires: 197
Rate on list: 7%
Richest person: Dilip Shanghvi (22.6 billion USD). He is the founder and Director of Sun Pharmaceutical Industries – India’s most valuable pharmaceutical company.
8. Real estate
Number of billionaires: 190
Rate on list: 7%
Richest person: Lee Shau Kee (27.7 billion USD). He is the co-founder of Sun Hung Kai and Henderson Land Development – two of the largest real estate firms in Hong Kong (China).
9. Media – Entertainment
Number of billionaires: 104
Rate on list: 4%
Richest person: Rupert Murdoch (19.5 billion USD). The media tycoon is 93 years old this year. Mudoch is the founder of News Corp – one of the largest media empires in the world, owning the Wall Street Journal, Times of London, New York Post…
10. Energy
Number of billionaires: 98
Rate on list: 4%
Richest person: Harold Hamm (18.5 billion USD). He is the founder and Chairman of Continental Resources – one of the largest private oil companies in the US. Harold Hamm is 78 years old this year.