Top 50 Billionaires in the

World
2009

08/18/09 1
William Gates III
$40 billion
Microsoft/U.S.
53. Married, three children

Software visionary regains title as the world's richest man

despite losing $18 billion in the past 12 months. Stepped down
from day-to-day duties at Microsoft last summer to devote his
talents and riches to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Organization's assets were $30 billion in January; annual letter
lauds endowment manager Michael Larson for limiting last year's
losses to 20%. Gates decided to increase donations in 2009 to
$3.8 billion, up 15% from 2008. Dedicated to fighting hunger in
developing countries, improving education in America's high
schools and developing vaccines against malaria, tuberculosis and
AIDS. Appointed Microsoft Office veteran Jeffrey Raikes chief
executive of Gates Foundation in September. Gates remains
Microsoft chairman. Sells shares each quarter, redeploys proceeds
via investment vehicle Cascade; more than half of fortune
08/18/09 2
Warren Buffett
$37 billion
Investments/U.S.
78. Widowed, remarried; three children

Last year America's most beloved investor was the world's richest man.
This year he has to settle for second place after losing $25 billion in 12 months.
Shares of Berkshire Hathaway down 45% since last March. Injected billions of
dollars into Goldman Sachs, General Electric in exchange for preferred stock last
fall; propped up insurance firm Swiss Re in February with $2.6 billion infusion.
Admits he made some "dumb" investment mistakes in 2008. Upbeat about
America's future: "Our economic system has worked extraordinarily well over
time. It has unleashed human potential as no other system has, and it will
continue to do so." Scoffs at Wall Street's over-reliance on "history-based"
models: "If merely looking up past financial data would tell you what the future
holds, the Forbes 400 would consist of librarians." Son of Nebraska politician
delivered newspapers as a boy. Filed first tax return at age 13, claiming $35
deduction for bicycle. Studied under value investing guru Benjamin Graham at
Columbia. Took over textile firm Berkshire Hathaway 1965. Today holding
company invested in insurance (GEICO, General Re), jewelry (Borsheim's),
utilities (MidAmerican Energy), food (Dairy Queen, See's Candies). Also has
noncontrolling stakes in Anheuser-Busch, Coca-Cola, Wells Fargo.

08/18/09 3
Carlos Slim Helú
$35 billion
Telecom/Mexico
69. Widowed, six children

Economic downturn and plunging peso shaved $25 billion from

the fortune of Latin America's richest man. Global recession
testing his ability to live up to the principles he sets for his
employees: "Maintain austerity in times of fat cows." Son of a
Lebanese immigrant bought fixed-line operator Telefonos de
Mexico (Telmex) in 1990; now controls 90% of Mexico's telephone
landlines. Would be a billionaire based on his dividends alone.
Biggest holding: $16 billion stake in America Movil, Latin America's
largest mobile phone company, with 173 million customers.
America Movil and Telmex reportedly planning to jointly invest $4
billion to bolster telecom infrastructure in Latin America. Buying
up cheap media, energy and retail assets. Last year took stakes in
New York Times Co., former billionaire Anthony O'Reilly's
Independent News & Media and Bronco Drilling; also increased
08/18/09 4
Lawrence Ellison
$22.5 billion
Oracle/U.S.
64. Thrice divorced, remarried;
two children

Database titan continues to engulf the competition; Oracle has

racked up 49 acquisitions in the past four years. Bought BEA
Systems for $8.5 billion last year. Company still sitting on $7
billion in cash. Revenues up 11% to $10.9 billion in the six months
ended Nov. 30, 2007; profits also up 11% to $2.4 billion. Stock
down 25% in past 12 months. Invested $125 million in Web
software outfit Netsuite; took public in 2007, stock down 80%
since. His shares are still worth $300 million. Chicago native
studied physics at University of Chicago, didn't graduate. Started
Oracle in 1977. Public in 1986, a day before Microsoft. Owns 453-
foot Rising Sun; built a smaller leisure boat because the long yacht
is hard to park. Squabbling in court with Swiss boating billionaire

08/18/09 5
Ingvar Kamprad
$22 billion
Ikea/Sweden
83. Divorced, remarried;
four children

Peddled matches, fish, pens, Christmas cards and other items

by bicycle as a teenager. Started selling furniture in 1947. Opened
first Ikea store 50 years ago; store's name is a combination of
initials of his first and last name, his family farm and the nearest
village. Retired in 1986; company's "senior adviser" still reportedly
works tirelessly on his brand. Discount retailer now sells 9,500
items in 36 countries; prints catalog in 27 languages. Revenues up
7% to $27.4 billion in fiscal-year 2008. Opened 10th store in China
this February; planning to open first in Dominican Republic later
this year. Three sons all work at the company. Thrifty entrepreneur
flies economy class, frequents cheap restaurants and furnishes his
home mostly with Ikea products.

08/18/09 6
Karl Albrecht
$21.5 billion
Supermarkets/Germany
89. Married, two children

Germany's richest person owns discount supermarket

giant Aldi Sud. Retailer faring well amid economic
downturn; analysts expect its 2008 sales to be up 9.4% to
$33.7 billion. Sales in the U.S. up estimated 20% last year
to $7 billion. Plans to open 75 U.S. stores in 2009, including
first in New York City. With younger brother, Theo,
transformed their mother's corner grocery store into Aldi
after World War II. Brothers split ownership in 1961; Karl
took the stores in southern Germany, plus the rights to the
brand in the U.K., Australia and the U.S. Theo got northern
Germany and the rest of Europe. Retired from daily
operations. Fiercely private: little known about him other
08/18/09 7
Mukesh Ambani
$19.5 billion
Petrochemicals/India
51. Married, three children

Oversees Reliance Industries, India's most valuable company by market

cap, despite stock falling 40% in past year. Merging his Reliance Petroleum with
flagship Reliance Industries. As part of deal, will exercise right to buy back
Chevron's 5% stake in Reliance Petroleum at $1.2 per share--the same price at
which he sold it three years ago. Today the stock trades for $1.80 a share.
Increased stake in Reliance Industries last October; paid $3.4 billion to convert
120 million preferential warrants into shares. Reliance Petroleum refinery on
India's western coast began operating in December despite falling global
demand and declining margins. Late father Dhirubhai founded Reliance and
built it into a massive conglomerate. After he died, Mukesh and his brother, Anil,
ran the family business together for a brief time. But siblings feuded over
control; mother eventually brokered split of assets. Brothers may be looking to
bury hatchet; played joint hosts at mother's recent 75th birthday bash. Has yet
to move into his 27-story home that he's building at a reported cost of $1
billion. Ardent fan of Bollywood films. Wife, Nita, oversees school named after
his father.

08/18/09 8
Lakshmi Mittal
$19.3 billion
Steel/India
58. Married, two children

Indian immigrant heads world's largest steel company;

ArcelorMittal was formed via hostile takeover three years ago.
Stock in company makes up bulk of his fortune; shares at a four-
year low, with steel prices down 75% since last summer. Company
forced to pay heavy fines after a French antitrust investigation
found 10 companies guilty of price-fixing in European steel
markets. Arcelor posted $2.6 billion loss in most recent quarter;
announced plans to slow acquisitions, cut capital expenditures,
pay down debt. Started in family steel business in the 1970s,
branched out on his own in 1994. Initially bought up steel mills on
the cheap in Eastern Europe. Company bought 19.9% stake in
Australia's Macarthur Coal last year. Also owns pieces of Mumbai's
Indiabulls Group, London's RAB Capital; owns stake in, sits on
board of Goldman Sachs. Holds substantial cash; owns 12-
08/18/09 9
Theo Albrecht
$18.8 billion
Supermarkets/Germany
87. Married, two children

Runs discount supermarket group Aldi Nord; firm holding

up amid economic downturn. Sales expected to hit $31
billion in 2008. After World War II he and older brother Karl
transformed their mother's corner grocery into Aldi.
Brothers split ownership in 1961; Karl took the stores in
southern Germany, plus the rights to the brand in the U.K.,
Australia and the U.S. Theo got the northern Germany
stores and the rest of Europe. Unable to operate Aldi stores
in U.S., Theo developed discount food store Trader Joe's;
now has more than 320 U.S. stores. Also owns stake in
Supervalu. Became a recluse after being kidnapped for 17
days in 1971; said to collect old typewriters, loves golf
08/18/09 10
Amancio Ortega
$18.3 billion
Fashion/Spain
73. Divorced, remarried;
three children

Railway worker's son started as a gofer in a shirt store. With

then wife Rosalia Mera, also now a billionaire, started making
dressing gowns and lingerie in their living room. Business became
one of world's most successful apparel manufacturers. Today
Inditex has more than 4,000 stores in 71 countries. Sales: $12.3
billion. Ortega is chairman. Company exported its cheap chic Zara
stores to four new markets last year: Ukraine, South Korea,
Montenegro and Honduras. Stock up 1% in past 12 months, but
fortune down because of weak euro. Also has personal
investments in gas, tourism, banks and real estate. Owns
properties in Madrid, Spain; Paris; London; and Lisbon, Portugal;
plus a luxury hotel and apartment complex in Miami, a horse-

08/18/09 11
Jim C. Walton
$17.8 billion
Wal-Mart/U.S.
61. Married, four children

Wal-Mart remains the exception to the rule in the crumbling

retail sector, thanks to its global footprint and deeply discounted
prices. Also helping: the exodus of competitors like Circuit City and
and Linens 'n Things. Shares down 25% since September. Fourth-
quarter profit hurt by lawsuit settlements, poor currency
exchange; still beat analyst expectations. Stake in solar-paneling
outfit First Solar fared far worse; shares down 60% since August
after surging 120% in previous 12 months. Sam Walton started as
J.C. Penney clerk in 1940; opened Newport, Ark., five-and-dime
store Benjamin Franklin five years later. Lost lease in 1950. With
brother James started general store chain in Bentonville, Ark., in
1962. Today Wal-Mart is world's largest retailer: 7,200 stores, 2
million employees serve 200 million customers. Sales: $378
billion. Jim chairs Arvest Bank Group, Community Publishers.
08/18/09 12
S. Robson Walton
$17.6 billion
Wal-Mart/U.S.
65. Divorced, remarried;
three children

Wal-Mart remains the exception to the rule in the crumbling retail sector,
thanks to its global footprint and deeply discounted prices. Also helping: the
exodus of competitors like Circuit City and Linens 'n Things. Shares down 25%
since September. Fourth-quarter profit hurt by lawsuit settlements, poor
currency exchange; still beat analyst expectations. Stake in solar-paneling outfit
First Solar fared far worse; shares down 60% since August after surging 120% in
previous 12 months. Sam Walton started as J.C. Penney clerk in 1940; opened
Newport, Ark., five-and-dime store Benjamin Franklin five years later. Lost lease
in 1950. With brother James started general store chain in Bentonville, Ark., in
1962. Today Wal-Mart is world's largest retailer: 7,200 stores, 2 million
employees serve 200 million customers. Sales: $378 billion. Rob is Wal-Mart
chairman; helping company become eco-friendly through partnership with
environmental group Conservation International.

08/18/09 13
Alice Walton
$17.6 billion
Wal-Mart/U.S.
59. Twice divorced

Wal-Mart remains the exception to the rule in the crumbling

retail sector, thanks to its global footprint and deeply discounted
prices. Also helping: the exodus of competitors like Circuit City and
Linens 'n Things. Shares down 25% since September. Fourth-
quarter profit hurt by lawsuit settlements, poor currency
exchange; still beat analyst expectations. Stake in solar-paneling
outfit First Solar fared far worse; shares down 60% since August
after surging 120% in previous 12 months. Sam Walton started as
J.C. Penney clerk in 1940; opened Newport, Ark., five-and-dime
store Benjamin Franklin five years later. Lost lease in 1950. With
brother James started general store chain in Bentonville, Ark., in
1962. Today Wal-Mart is world's largest retailer: 7,200 stores, 2
million employees serve 200 million customers. Sales: $378
billion. Alice's Crystal Bridges art museum in Bentonville under
08/18/09 14
Christy Walton & family
$17.6 billion
Wal-Mart/U.S.
54. Widowed, one child

Wal-Mart remains the exception to the rule in the crumbling

retail sector, thanks to its global footprint and deeply discounted
prices. Also helping: the exodus of competitors like Circuit City and
Linens 'n Things. Shares down 25% since September. Fourth-
quarter profit hurt by lawsuit settlements, poor currency
exchange; still beat analyst expectations. Stake in solar-paneling
outfit First Solar fared far worse; shares down 60% since August
after surging 120% in previous 12 months. Sam Walton started as
J.C. Penney clerk in 1940; opened Newport, Ark., five-and-dime
store Benjamin Franklin five years later. Lost lease in 1950. With
brother James started general store chain in Bentonville, Ark., in
1962. Today Wal-Mart is world's largest retailer: 7,200 stores, 2
million employees serve 200 million customers. Sales: $378
billion. Christy is the widow of John Walton (died 2005); donated
08/18/09 15
Bernard Arnault
$16.5 billion
Luxury goods/France.
60. Divorced, remarried;
five children

France's richest man lost $9 billion in the past year, as shares

of his $22 billion (sales) luxury goods group, LVMH Moët Hennessy
Louis Vuitton, dropped 29%. Sailing into new waters: bought
Princess Yachts, one of Britain's oldest luxury motorboat
manufacturers, last summer; picked up yacht builder Royal van
Lent soon after. Via his investment arm, Groupe Arnault, owns
French tour operator Go Voyages and has a stake in French retailer
Carrefour. Built Le Cheval Blanc in French ski resort town of
Courchevel, where he often likes to spend New Year's Eve. Also
owns two wineries with good friend, Belgian billionaire Albert
Frere. Father made small fortune in construction; Arnault put up
$15 million from that business to buy Christian Dior in 1985. Still a

08/18/09 16
Li Ka-shing
$16.2 billion
Ports, retail, energy/Hong Kong
80. Widowed, two children

Net worth of Hong Kong's "Superman" is down $10 billion in

the past year, as stock of his publicly traded conglomerates
Cheung Kong and Hutchison Whampoa tumbled. The two
companies are about to start construction on a property project in
Shanghai, China. HW's retail group plans to open 120 stores in
China in 2009. Through the two companies, Li is world's largest
operator of container terminals, world's largest health and beauty
retailer by number of outlets, a major supplier of electricity to
Hong Kong, and a real estate developer. His second-largest
holding: Canadian oil firm Husky Energy, which cut spending by
almost a third for 2009. Charitable foundation recently raised $510
million by selling 40% of its stake in Bank of China. Avid golfer
plays almost every day; sank his 15th hole in one in September.
Poor immigrant sold plastic flowers in Hong Kong in the 1950s.
08/18/09 17
Michael Bloomberg
$16 billion
Bloomberg LP/U.S.
67. Divorced, two children

New York City mayor facing a fiscal crisis as banking chaos destroys Wall
Street. Lucrative bonuses that came with working on Wall Street fueled
spending on apartments, restaurants and shopping in recent years; as bonuses
dry up, so does the city's income. Forecasts predict NYC's tax revenues will fall
28%--nearly $7 billion--in 2010 from 2008. Law passed in October will allow
Bloomberg to run for third term later this year. Approval rating now 52%, down
from 71% last summer. Becomes one of the world's richest men after a
transaction put a solid valuation on Bloomberg LP: He borrowed to buy a 20%
stake in his company from Merrill Lynch in July for $4.5 billion. Today he owns
88% of the financial data and news outfit he founded in 1982. Boston-born son
of accountant got engineering degree from Johns Hopkins; M.B.A. from Harvard.
Became a trader at Salomon Brothers 1970s, quit with $10 million in stock.
Created financial information services firm Innovative Market Systems to sell
financial data, analytic tools to Wall Street. Renamed Bloomberg LP in 1987;
added news service, magazine, cable network, radio station. Has given away
nearly $800 million to charity in the past five years.

08/18/09 18
Stefan Persson
$14.5 billion
Hennes & Mauritz/Sweden
61. Married, three children

Heads cheap-chic fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz; H&M

known for bringing in big names like Madonna, Karl Lagerfeld,
Stella McCartney and Kylie Minogue to design affordable
collections for its 1,700 stores. Opened first store in Japan last fall.
Business holding up so far amid economic downturn; sales, profits
up 13% each in 2008. Stock up 3% in past year, but his fortune
dragged down by weak euro. Plans to create 6,000 new jobs, open
225 stores this year, including first in Beijing. Stefan's father Erling
founded H&M in 1947; Stefan took over in 1982, gave up chief
executive position in 1998 but remains chairman. Son Karl-Johan,
34, will become chief this summer. Stefan is a founder of the
Mentor Foundation, nonprofit that combats substance abuse
among youth. Enjoys downhill skiing, tennis and golf.

08/18/09 19
Charles Koch
$14 billion
Koch Industries/U.S.
73. Married, two children

Fortune of one of America's richest men down more than 25%

in past six months as fertilizer, oil, chemical markets all collapsed.
Still, sales at his Koch Industries topped $100 billion in 2008;
company now America's second-largest private company. Father,
Fred C. Koch (died 1967), invented method of turning heavy oil
into gasoline. Sons Charles, David, Frederick and William inherited
Koch Industries after father's death. Charles and David bought out
William and Frederick for $1.1 billion in 1983. Today company has
stakes in pipelines, refineries, fertilizer, fibers and polymers, forest
and consumer products, chemical technology. Employs 80,000
workers in 60 countries. Purchased Invista, maker of Lycra and
Coolmax fabric, in 2004 for $4.2 billion. Dropped $21 billion on
paper and building-supply vendor Georgia-Pacific the following
year. Brothers each own 42%. Charles is chief executive. Studied
08/18/09 20
David Koch
$14 billion
Koch Industries/U.S.
68. Married, three children

Fortune of one of America's richest men down more than 25% in past six
months as fertilizer, oil, chemical markets all collapsed. Still, sales at his Koch
Industries topped $100 billion in 2008; company now America's second-largest
private company. Father, Fred C. Koch (died 1967), invented method of turning
heavy oil into gasoline. Sons Charles, David, Frederick and William inherited
Koch Industries after father's death. Charles and David bought out William and
Frederick for $1.1 billion in 1983. Today company has stakes in pipelines,
refineries, fertilizer, fibers and polymers, forest and consumer products,
chemical technology. Employs 80,000 workers in 60 countries. Purchased
Invista, maker of Lycra and Coolmax fabric, in 2004 for $4.2 billion. Dropped
$21 billion on paper and building-supply vendor Georgia-Pacific the following
year. Brothers each own 42%. David is executive vice president. Holds chemical
engineering degrees from MIT; pledged $100 million to alma mater for cancer
research last year. Pledged another $100 million to New York's Lincoln Center
last July.

08/18/09 21
Liliane Bettencourt
$13.4 billion
L'Oréal/France
86. Widowed, one child

Europe's richest woman and L'Oréal's biggest

shareholder is embroiled in a sensational scandal. Only
daughter and heir, Francoise Bettencourt-Meyers,
petitioned courts to investigate reported $1 billion worth of
cash and gifts her mother allegedly gave to Francois-Marie
Banier, 61, a well-known photographer, writer and painter
whom she befriended. Daughter claims Banier took
advantage of her mother, who became a widow in
November 2007. Liliane denies it; mother and daughter
apparently no longer speak. Case now in court. Not
Bettencourt's first brush with scandal: her father, L'Oréal
founder Eugene Schueller, is said to have had wartime ties
08/18/09 22
Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Alsaud
$13.3 billion
Investments/Saudi Arabia
54. Thrice divorced, remarried;
two children

Even the "Buffett of Arabia" has been battered by the global

financial crisis. Shares of his Saudi-listed investment vehicle
Kingdom Holding fell 60% in the last year, as shares of Citigroup--
once its largest holding--lost 86% of their value in 12 months.
Alwaleed announced he was purchasing an additional 1% of
Citigroup shares in November 2008, only to see the stock plunge
further. Recently sold $1 billion worth of real estate and shares of
various companies to meet Kingdom Holding's debt obligations.
Nephew of the Saudi king still plans to build the world's tallest
building in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Prince first came to prominence
in the early 1990s after purchasing a stake in what was then
Citicorp. Owns a jewelry collection he values at $730 million, plus

08/18/09 23
Michael Otto & family
$13.2 billion
Retail/Germany
65. Married, two children

Otto family's shopping center outfit ECE Group is taking

advantage of weak markets to make a big move in America;
recently agreed to buy stake in struggling U.S. mall giant
Developers Diversified Realty. Family's Paramount Group bought
Deutsche Bank's Wall Street headquarters in 2007; reportedly paid
a record price per square foot for lower Manhattan. Michael retired
that same year after 26 years as chief executive; still heads
supervisory board of $14.8 billion (sales) Otto Group. Father
Werner Otto started out making a 14-page shoe catalog in 1949; it
later sold everything from toys to building supplies. Michael joined
in 1971 and expanded operations overseas and moved company
into Internet sales; now world's second-biggest Internet retailer
after Amazon.com. Owns 96% stake in home furnishings retailer
Crate & Barrel. Environmentalist supports foundation that funds
08/18/09 24
David Thomson & family
$13 billion
Thomson Reuters/Canada
51. Divorced,
three children

Chairman of Thomson Corp., media conglomerate, in

which his family has a 55% stake. Grandfather Roy founded
the business in 1934. Renamed Thomson Reuters after
completing acquisition of Reuters in April 2008; stock down
25% since. With brother Peter, he serves as co-chair of
family's investment concern, Woodbridge. Helped oversee
donation of father Kenneth's (died 2006) art collection to
Art Gallery of Ontario; 2,000-piece collection includes
medieval ivory diptychs and American Indian art.
Reportedly split from American actress Kelly Rowan last
April around the time she gave birth to a daughter.
08/18/09 25
Michael Dell
$12.3 billion
Dell Computer/U.S.
44. Married, four children

Computer king has lost millions buying shares of the company

he founded 25 years ago. Bought up $200 million in Dell stock
between July and September 2007; shares down more than 60%
since. Returned to chief executive post last year. Company
hammered as cash-strapped consumers and corporations wait for
the recession to end before upgrading their computers; fourth-
quarter profits down 48%. Sales down 17%. Planning to reduce
costs by $4 billion annually by 2011; caused ire in Ireland after
relocating factory to cheaper Poland. Started selling PCs out of
University of Texas dorm room with $1,000. Built business with
direct-sales method; public in 1988. Majority of wealth invested
via MSD Capital. Michael & Susan Dell Foundation supports
education, health initiatives; endowment exceeds $1 billion.

08/18/09 26
Donald Bren
$12 billion
Real estate/U.S.
76. Twice divorced, remarried;
seven children

Attended University of Washington on skiing scholarship; halted Olympics

bid after injury in 1956. Joined Marines, then built first house on $10,000 loan in
1958. Planned and developed 10,000-acre Rancho Mission Viejo in California,
sold to Philip Morris in 1967. With partners, bought 145-year-old real estate
master planner and developer Irvine Co. for $337 million in 1977. Became firm's
principal owner in 1996. In California, developed central Orange County, Irvine
and half of Newport Beach. Today owns 400 office buildings, 90 apartment
communities, 40 retail centers, resort properties and new housing communities
in Orange County, San Diego, Los Angeles and Silicon Valley. Company has
permanently protected more than half of the 93,000-acre ranch, creating public
parks and trails. Conservation program deals with more than 50,000 acres,
protecting a wide range of endangered plant and animal species. Has given
away more than $1.3 billion to charity.

08/18/09 27
Larry Page
$12 billion
Google/U.S.
36. Married

Google co-founder continues to dominate search business

despite facing strong headwinds. Stock down 30% in past six
months, slicing nearly $4 billion from personal balance sheet.
Company posted better than expected earnings in January;
trimmed staff and employee perks. Added oceans to Google Earth,
but pulled the plug on radio and print ad projects. Android phone
has had mixed reviews. Professor's son met partner Sergey Brin in
computer science Ph.D. program at Stanford. Duo dropped out in
1998 to start Google from friend's garage. Initial financing came
from angel investors K. Ram Shriram, Andy von Bechtolsheim,
professor David Cheriton. Venture capital firms Kleiner Perkins
Caufield & Byers and Sequoia Capital pitched in $25 million.
Longtime tech exec Eric Schmidt brought on in 2001; took
company public in 2004. Sales: $21.8 billion. Net margin: 19%.
08/18/09 28
Sergey Brin
$12 billion
Google/U.S.
35. Married, one child

Google co-founder continues to dominate search business

despite facing strong headwinds. Stock down 30% in past six
months, slicing $3.9 billion from personal balance sheet. Company
posted better than expected earnings in January; trimmed staff
and employee perks. Added oceans to Google Earth, but pulled
the plug on radio and print ad projects. Android phone has had
mixed reviews. Professor's son emigrated from Russia, met partner
Larry Page in computer science Ph.D. program at Stanford. Duo
dropped out in 1998 to start Google from friend's garage. Initial
financing came from angel investors K. Ram Shriram, Andy von
Bechtolsheim, professor David Cheriton. Venture capital firms
Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Sequoia Capital pitched in
$25 million. Longtime tech exec Eric Schmidt brought on in 2001;
took company public in 2004. Sales: $21.8 billion. Net margin:
08/18/09 29
Gerald Grosvenor
Cavendish
$11 billion
Real estate/U.K.
57. Married, four children

The sixth Duke of Westminster is the U.K.'s

wealthiest landowner. His Grosvenor property group
has valuable holdings in the posh Mayfair and
Belgravia neighborhoods of London, where rents have
fallen almost a third since last spring. Group recently
entered into negotiations with banks to refinance debt
of its troubled retail arm. Owns additional land in
London via private family trusts; also holds farmland in
northern England and Scotland. Officer in Britain's
08/18/09 30
Steve Ballmer
$11 billion
Microsoft/U.S.
53. Married, three children

Microsoft chief gave keynote address at the

International Consumer Electronics Show for the first time
in January. Discussed opportunities with smart phones and
improved connectedness between tech devices. Tried to
take over Yahoo! for $44.6 billion last February; attempt to
compete with Google on search backfired after six-month
slugfest--featuring a nasty Carl Icahn proxy fight at Yahoo!--
yielded no deal. Microsoft sales up 18% to $60 billion last
year; net profits rose 26%. Shares still sluggish, down 40%
in the past six months. Detroit native dropped out of
Stanford M.B.A. program to join former Harvard classmate
Bill Gates in 1980. Employee No. 30, chief executive since
08/18/09 31
Kwok family
$10.5 billion
Real estate/Hong Kong

Family behind one of Hong Kong's most storied real

estate firms was thrown into tumult even before
property prices tumbled. Eldest brother Walter
stepped down from 18-year chairmanship of Sun Hung
Kai Properties last May after disputing with his two
younger siblings, Raymond and Thomas. Mother
Kwong Siu-hing, 80, took over as chairman. Stock
down 50% in past year. Firm still pushing ahead:
opened a W hotel in Hong Kong in January and has
plans to open another in Shanghai by 2010. In late
February sold 150 luxury apartments in its Kowloon
residential development, generating $450 million in
08/18/09 32
Paul Allen
$10.5 billion
Microsoft/U.S.
56. Single

Microsoft co-founder has lost 65% of his fortune in the last 12

months. Washington State dropout founded software giant with
buddy Bill Gates in 1975; left in 1983 after Hodgkin's disease
diagnosis. Sold off much of his stake to lose huge sums on far-off
visions through holding company Vulcan. Microsoft now makes up
25% of his net worth; shares down 40% since September. Also lost
big on investment in Charter Communications; cable outfit
announced financial restructuring plan in February; Chapter 11
filing expected by April. Dabbles in odd tech projects; funding
research to scan outer space for signs of intelligent alien life, as
well as Allen Institute for Brain Science, which is creating a genetic
map of the mouse brain. Guitar fanatic owns a rock 'n' roll
museum, Jimi Hendrix artifacts. This spring kicks off inaugural
season of his Major League Soccer club Seattle Sounders FC; also
08/18/09 33
Anil Ambani
$10.1 billion
Telecom, energy/India
49. Married, two children

Last year's biggest billionaire gainer is this year's biggest

loser: fortune is down $32 billion in the past 12 months, as shares
in Reliance Communications, Reliance Power and Reliance Capital
all crumbled. Got family's interests in telecom, power and financial
services following bitter parting with older sibling Mukesh in 2005.
Plans to merge his Reliance Communications with South Africa's
MTN were scuttled last July after brother Mukesh threatened to
sue, claiming he had right of first refusal. Stock down 58% since.
Reliance Power bagged three mega-power projects for a combined
14,000 megawatts last year. Married to former actress Tina
Munim, Anil has Hollywood ambitions; Reliance Entertainment is
investing $500 million in a new studio venture with Steven
Spielberg's DreamWorks; has signed A-list actors George Clooney,
Jim Carrey and Julia Roberts to co-produce future films. May soon
08/18/09 34
Hans Rausing
$10 billion
Packaging/Sweden
83. Married, three children

Father founded packaging giant Tetra Laval in 1944. Hans and

brother Gad inherited the business. Hans sold his share to Gad for
estimated $7 billion in 1995. Moved to England in early 1980s to
avoid punitive Swedish taxes. Resides on a 900-acre estate in
village of Wadhurst in East Sussex; spends time collecting vintage
cars. Awarded an honorary knighthood for his services to charity in
2006. Last April son Hans-Kristian and American daughter-in-law
Eva were charged with cocaine and heroin possession after Eva
allegedly tried to smuggle drugs into the American Embassy in
London; drugs were found in their home. The police decided not to
prosecute after the couple admitted to possession and agreed to
drug counseling. Hans' daughter Lisbet is director of Arcadia
charitable trust; daughter Sigrid runs Portobello Books and Granta
magazine.
08/18/09 35
Abigail Johnson
$10 billion
Fidelity Investments/U.S.
47. Married, two children

With family, runs Fidelity Investments, America's largest

mutual fund company. Falling markets cutting into revenues as
assets under management shrank 22% to $1.25 trillion at the end
of 2008. Company announced 3,000 job cuts last November,
father Edward III refused to rule out more. Ned joined company as
analyst in 1957, president 15 years later. "Abby" ran her first
diversified fund in 1993. Ned reduced his ownership in 1995, Abby
inherited a 24% stake; she is rumored to have sold shares back to
family in recent years. Individual stakes now a secret. Family owns
49% of company. Abby became president of company's mutual
fund division in 2001. Today runs Personal & Workplace Investing
division. Last year several top executives resigned, fueling
speculation that Abby will eventually take over.

08/18/09 36
Ronald Perelman
$10 billion
Investments/U.S.
66. Four-times divorced,
six children

Wharton grad left dad's buyout business; bought $1.9

million stake in jewelry distributor Cohen-Hatfield in 1978.
Sold jewelry operation to Sam Walton seven years later.
Purchased licorice maker MacAndrews & Forbes, used as a
holding company for buyouts. Bought Revlon in 1985. Sold
Golden State Bancorp with Gerald Ford to Citigroup in 2002
for $6 billion. Citi shares down 95% in past 12 months;
claims to have sold his position in the bank long before its
demise. Owns large stakes in lottery outfit Scientific Games,
military Humvee maker AM General. Agreed to sell security
firm AlliedBarton last year.
08/18/09 37
Susanne Klatten
$10 billion
BMW/Germany.
46. Married, three children

Despite her well-guarded privacy, got caught up in

salacious scandal: the married BMW heiress claimed
publicly that an ex-lover whom she'd met at a hotel bar had
blackmailed her for millions. She turned in the man, who
had apparently videotaped the escapades with a partner;
he was apparently sentenced to six years in prison in early
March. Inherited stake in automaker BMW from late father
Herbert Quandt, who rescued it from bankruptcy decades
ago; also got a 50% stake in pharmaceutical and chemical
manufacturer Altana. Trained economist with an M.B.A. sits
on Altana's board of supervisors; recently upped her stake
in the company from 50% to approximately 88%. Plans to
08/18/09 38
Birgit Rausing & family
$9.9 billion
Packaging/Sweden.
85. Widowed,
three children

With her three children, inherited packaging giant

Tetra Laval in 2000 after death of her husband Gad
Rausing. Her father-in-law founded the company in
1944. Today sales are $14 billion. All of her children sit
on Tetra Laval's board. Son Jorn is head of mergers
and acquisitions. Birgit lives quietly in Switzerland.
Daughter Kirsten is a horse breeder in the U.K. Son
Finn is chairman of the board of the Swedish R.R.
Institute of Applied Economic
08/18/09 39
Michele Ferrero & family
$9.5 billion
Chocolates/Italy.
82. Married, two children

Richest man in Italy owns Ferrero,

chocolatier that makes such brands as Ferrero
Rocher, Nutella, Tic Tac and Kinder Eggs. Sales:
$7.5 billion. Recently introduced Gran Soleil, a
ready-to-freeze dessert that is stored at room
temperature; after shaking and placing in
freezer for several hours, turns into an ice
cream-like substance. Reportedly told Italian
media that Gran Soleil will be bigger than
08/18/09 40
Jack Crawford Taylor & family
$9.5 billion
Enterprise Rent-A-Car/U.S.
86. Divorced, two children

Distressed auto industry not doing any favors for rental car
king; estimated net worth down $4.5 billion since last March. Left
Washington University to join Navy; served as a fighter pilot on
U.S.S. Enterprise during World War II. Became sales manager for
St. Louis Cadillac distributor. Took 50% pay cut to start company
that provided replacement cars; eventually rented cars to
customers with stolen or damaged vehicles. Business took off in
1970s when insurance companies were ordered by courts to pay
for replacement rentals. Today Enterprise revenues exceed $10
billion. Rental car business suffering as automakers sell fleets
fewer cars; buyers for used rentals are scarce. Enterprise skirting
some industry woes by focusing on insurance replacements;
demand remains steady so long as cars break down. Last year
appointed nonrelated exec Pamela M. Nicholson president; son
08/18/09 41
Mikhail Prokhorov
$9.5 billion
Metals/Russia
43. Single

Bachelor billionaire is now the richest man in

Russia despite a 51% drop in his net worth. Cashed
out his 25% stake in Norilsk Nickel last spring,
unloading the holding to fellow billionaire Oleg
Deripaska. Stepped down as general director of metals
outfit Norilsk two year ago after being detained on
suspicions that he allegedly made prostitutes
available to guests he was entertaining in the glitzy
French ski resort of Courchevel; he was never charged.
Soon after that, split with his longtime partner,

08/18/09 42
Lee Shau Kee
$9 billion
Real estate/Hong Kong.
81. Divorced, five children

"Stock God of Asia" is proving mortal. His biggest

holding, Henderson Land Development, lost more than
half its value in past year. Lee has been engaged in
property development in Hong Kong for more than five
decades. Chairman of Henderson since 1976, also
chairs Hong Kong and China Gas Co. and Miramar
Hotel and Investment Co. He is vice chairman of Sun
Hung Kai Properties Limited and director of Hong Kong
Ferry (Holdings) and the Bank of East Asia. Donated
$16 million for a library at Shanghai's Fudan

08/18/09 43
Carl Icahn
$9 billion
Investments/U.S.
73. Divorced, remarried;
two children

America's richest "shareholder activist" doling out blame

widely: faults "reckless executives who gambled with their
company's futures, feckless regulators and somnambulant boards
of directors" for financial meltdown. Appeased last August by Jerry
Yang, got three seats on Yahoo!'s board after pushing the sluggish
search outfit all summer to take $44.6 billion buyout offer from
Microsoft. Now taking aim at movie studio Lions Gate
Entertainment. Enemy of corporate ineptitude losing his touch;
shares of holding company Icahn Enterprises (real estate, hedge
funds) down 71% since last March. Started Wall Street career in
securities arbitrage at Dreyfus & Co. Big money in 1980s buyouts.
Publishes blog about "anti-Darwinian" executives, "myth" of

08/18/09 44
Anne Cox Chambers
$9 billion
Cox Communications/U.S.
89. Twice divorced,
three children

Surviving daughter of Cox Enterprises founder

James M. Cox (died 1957); sister Barbara Cox Anthony
passed away in 2007. High school dropout James Sr.
worked as a newspaper reporter before buying Dayton
Evening News for $26,000 in 1898. Segued into
politics; three-term Ohio governor. Today media
empire includes 17 daily newspapers, 15 TV stations,
86 radio stations, used car retailer Manheim Auctions,
Cox Auto Trader. Sales exceed $15 billion. Nephew
08/18/09 45
Jacqueline Mars
$9 billion
Mars/U.S.
69. Twice divorced,
three children

Chocolate maker Mars completed purchase of gum giant

Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. last October for $23 billion. Merger
created world's largest confectionery company; combined
sales estimated to be between $22 billion and $28 billion.
Much of the deal paid with debt. Grandfather Frank Mars
began making chocolates in 1911 in his kitchen in Tacoma,
Wash. Father, Forrest Sr., invented M&M's, then introduced
malt-flavored nougat, which became foundation of famous
candy bar line that includes Milky Way, Snickers, 3
Musketeers. Third generation inherited company when
father died in 1999. Also owns pet food operation (Whiskas,
08/18/09 46
John Franklyn Mars
$9 billion
Mars/U.S.
72. Married, two children

Chocolate maker Mars completed purchase of gum giant

Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. last October for $23 billion. Merger
created world's largest confectionery company; combined
sales estimated to be between $22 billion and $28 billion.
Much of the deal paid with debt. Grandfather Frank Mars
began making chocolates in 1911 in his kitchen in Tacoma,
Wash. Father, Forrest Sr., invented M&M's, then introduced
malt-flavored nougat, which became foundation of famous
candy-bar line that includes Milky Way, Snickers, 3
Musketeers. Third generation inherited company when
father died in 1999. Also owns pet food operation (Whiskas,
Pedigree), Uncle Ben's Rice.
08/18/09 47
Forrest Edward Mars Jr.
$9 billion
Mars/U.S.
77. Married, four children

Chocolate maker Mars completed purchase of gum giant

Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. last October for $23 billion. Merger
created world's largest confectionery company; combined
sales estimated to be between $22 billion and $28 billion.
Much of the deal paid with debt. Grandfather Frank Mars
began making chocolates 1911 in his kitchen in Tacoma,
Wash. Father, Forrest Sr., invented M&M's, then introduced
malt-flavored nougat, which became foundation of famous
candy-bar line that includes Milky Way, Snickers, 3
Musketeers. Third generation inherited company when
father died in 1999. Also owns pet food operation (Whiskas,
Pedigree), Uncle Ben's Rice.
08/18/09 48
George Kaiser
$9 billion
Energy, investments/U.S.
66. Married, three children

Energy titan has lost a quarter of his net worth--$3 billion--in

the last six months as oil prices, investments plunge. He'd prefer
that others have more of his money anyway. Told lawmakers in
January to eliminate or reduce tax incentives for oil and gas
industry, saying the money would be better spent on health care
or eduction: "Let's give the taxpayer a break during these difficult
times." Family fled Nazi Germany in 1938, settled in Oklahoma.
Parents developed oil and gas business. Took over in 1969. Today
Kaiser-Francis Oil is among the biggest private energy producers.
Diversified: owns $1.5 billion stake in Bank of Oklahoma, vast
private equity holdings, large derivatives and energy trading
portfolio. Recently purchased gas reserves in Oklahoma's
Anadarko and Arkoma basins for $412 million from Chesapeake
Energy. Passionate philanthropist fights childhood poverty through
08/18/09 49
Mohammed Al Amoudi
$9 billion
Oil/Saudi Arabia.
63. Married, eight children

Born in Ethiopia and now a Saudi citizen. Built

fortune in construction and real estate in Saudi Arabia
before betting on energy. Began investing in Sweden
in 1974; owns Svenska Petroleum and Swedish
refinery Preem. Has invested more than $2 billion in
Ethiopia, from hotels to stevedoring (business of
unloading cargo). Hit jackpot with gold mine in the
Oromo region of Ethiopia; it now produces six tons of
gold annually and is set to double production by 2010.
Owns several properties in London and the U.S.

08/18/09 50