A notable group of people have made incredible riches at a time and culture driven by ambition and the desire to start their own business. These outstanding leaders have reached the pinnacles of achievement and joined the exclusive group of the world's richest people. They are innovative and visionary. And that is no easy task.
After all, the combined wealth of the world's ten richest individuals exceeds the GDP of several countries. These days, the retail, banking, and technology sectors account for the majority of their wealth. A major concern for people everywhere is the widening wealth gap between them and the less fortunate.
The top 10 richest persons in the world are revealed in this article, together with information on their outstanding achievements, prowess as entrepreneurs, and significant impact on the world economy. Forbes is the source of this ranked list.
The top 10 richest people in the world in 2023
| Name & Rank | Net Worth (in $ Billions) | Source of Wealth | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sergey Brin (10) | $110.6 | United States | |
| Steve Ballmer (9) | $111.5 | Microsoft | United States |
| Larry Page (8) | $115.3 | United States | |
| Bill Gates (7) | $116.9 | Microsoft | United States |
| Mark Zuckerberg (6) | $119.3 | United States | |
| Warren Buffett (5) | $120.5 | Berkshire Hathaway | United States |
| Larry Ellison (4) | $146.4 | Oracle | United States |
| Jeff Bezos (3) | $166.6 | Amazon | United States |
| Bernard Arnault & family (2) | $191.9 | LVMH | France |
| Elon Musk (1) | $246.1 | Tesla, SpaceX | United States |
10. Sergey Brin - United States
Image Source: Twitter
| Age | 50 |
| Residence | Los Altos, California |
In 1998, Sergey Brin and Larry Page, his Stanford PhD classmate, were instrumental in founding the Google search engine. Russian-born Brin was Google's first technology president before moving on to special project management, where he oversaw the creation of Google Glass, a wearable with voice-activated "smart glasses." At the moment, Brin has a sizable controlling interest in Alphabet, the corporation that owns Google, in addition to serving as a board member.
9. Steve Ballmer - United States
Image Source: Twitter
| Age | 67 |
| Residence | Hunts Point, Washington |
Steve Ballmer, Bill Gates's classmate at Harvard University, led Microsoft as CEO from 2000 to 2014. After leaving Stanford University's MBA program, he joined Microsoft as its thirty-first employee in 1980, marking the beginning of his career with the corporation.
Ballmer made news the year he resigned from Microsoft when he spent an astounding $2 billion to acquire the Los Angeles Clippers basketball franchise, which at the time was a record-breaking amount for the most money ever paid for an NBA team.
8. Larry Page - United States
Image Source: Twitter
| Age | 50 |
| Residence | Palo Alto, California |
In 1998, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, a fellow PhD candidate at Stanford, co-founded Google. Page was the CEO from 2011 until 2015. He had previously served in that capacity until 2001.
As a big stakeholder, he currently holds enormous authority over Alphabet, the parent company of Google, in addition to his role as a member of the board. In addition, Page was a significant founding investor in the space exploration corporation Planetary Resources.
7. Bill Gates - United States
Image Source: Twitter
| Age | 67 |
| Residence | Medina, Washington |
Forbes was the first to identify Gates as a billionaire in 1987. With brief breaks in 2008 and 2010–2013, he held the title of richest person in the world from 1995 until 2017. Melinda French Gates received at least $6 billion in stocks as part of the settlement when she and Bill Gates divorced in 2021.
Based on estimations from Forbes, between May 1 and June 1, 2023, Gates' wealth increased by almost $500 million, which moved him up one slot to take fifth place in the rankings.
6. Mark Zuckerberg - United States
Image Source: Twitter
| Age | 39 |
| Residence | Palo Alto, California |
In 2004, at the age of 19, Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO and co-founder of Meta Platforms, launched Facebook, the company's primary social media platform. He studied psychology and computer science at Harvard University. Facebook was designed to allow college students' identities and photographs to match. Anyone with a working email account who was at least 13 years old may join Facebook in 2006.
When the firm went public in May 2012, Zuckerberg was rated 10th on Forbes' list of the world's most powerful people by December 2016. At now, Zuckerberg holds around 13% of the company's equity.
The 39-year-old IT enthusiast has three children from his marriage to Priscilla Chan. He and his spouse are investing $3 billion to try and eradicate, treat, or control all illnesses by the year 2100.
5. Warren Buffett - United States
Image Source: Twitter
| Age | 93 |
| Residence | Omaha, Nebraska |
Acknowledged as the "Oracle of Omaha," Warren Buffett is among the most successful investors in history. As the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, an investing conglomerate with a broad portfolio that includes many firms including food chain Dairy Queen, insurance provider Geico, and battery producer Duracell, he leads the company.
Buffett, Bill and Melinda Gates, along with Melinda French Gates, launched the Giving Pledge project in 2010 to encourage billionaires to give up at least half of their fortune to charity causes. Buffett has said that 99 per cent of his wealth would be donated, demonstrating his consistent dedication to philanthropy.
4. Larry Ellison - United States
Image Source: Twitter
| Age | 79 |
| Residence | Lanai, Hawaii |
In 1977, Larry Ellison co-founded Oracle, a software company, and served as its CEO until 2014. He now holds the positions of chairman and chief technology officer for the business. When Ellison paid $300 million for the Hawaiian island of Lanai in 2012, the news was publicized. Ellison has made financial ventures, such as a substantial investment in Tesla, where he was a director from 2018 to 2022.
3. Jeff Bezos - United States
Image Source: Twitter
| Age | 59 |
| Residence | Medina, Washington |
Jeff Bezos chose to resign as CEO of the industry leader in online retail, Amazon, in July 2021, but he will continue to serve as chairman. In that same month, Bezos launched a space expedition on a rocket built by Blue Origin, a privately held space exploration firm he founded and kindly contributed billions of money to.
2. Bernard Arnault & Family - France
Image Source: Twitter
| Age | 74 |
| Residence | Paris |
| Citizenship | France |
The CEO and chairman of Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH), the largest luxury goods firm in the world with almost 70 well-known fashion and cosmetics brands, is Bernard Arnault, the second richest person in the world. Among the well-known brands in its collection are Sephora, Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, and Moet & Chandon. Jeweler Tiffany & Co. was acquired by LVMH in January 2021 for an astounding $15.8 billion.
The five children of Arnault are involved in different areas of the vast LVMH company. He named his daughter Delphine as the head of Dior, the second-biggest brand in the company, in January 2023.
1. Elon Musk - United States
Image Source: Twitter
| Age | 52 |
| Residence | Austin, Texas |
The world's richest individual is Elon Musk. He serves as the CEO of a number of well-known businesses, including SpaceX, a space exploration corporation, and Tesla, an electric vehicle maker. As of this now, he has a 23 per cent share in Tesla. Approximately two-thirds of his fortune is dependent on Tesla's performance. When Musk paid $44 billion to acquire Twitter in October 2022, the news was publicized.
2010 saw Tesla's IPO under Musk's leadership. In September 2021, Musk became one of the richest persons in the world as the company's market capitalization increased significantly in 2020 and 2021. Musk's wealth peaked in November 2021 at an incredible $320 billion.
About the Author:
Akanksha Sinha
I'm Akanksha Sinha, an expert in writing sports blogs, news, and various articles for entertainment and more. I bring a unique flair to my work, providing insightful perspectives on the world of sports.
My articles aim to inform and entertain, making me a go-to source for sports enthusiasts seeking a blend of information and enjoyment. With a passion for storytelling and a keen eye for detail, I consistently deliver compelling narratives that resonate with a diverse audience.