Top billionaires: who are the richest people in the world?
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Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos is the richest man in the world
Apr 22, 2020
The world’s richest person, Amazon boss Jeff Bezos, is getting richer from the coronavirus pandemic.
His wealth has grown since the world has been largely in shutdown, bringing his net worth to $140.5bn, up from $129.9bn in mid-February.
The Amazon founder still owns an 11% stake in the company, which has seen a surge in demand due to households being stuck on lockdown and all but essential shops closing.
It comes amid reports that Amazon workers are under strain, with many on the frontline packing and shipping items at warehouses, reports The Guardian. Amazon reported its first warehouse worker death on Tuesday, and several warehouses have reported cases of workers testing positive for the virus.
The company has faced protests from employees and even stopped operations in France after a civil court ruled that it was not properly protecting workers from the risks of Covid-19.
The firm, which insists safety is paramount, is certainly making money for Bezos, who has been the richest person in the world since 2017.
Here are the wealthiest people on Earth, according to the latest real-time net worth figures from Forbes:
1. Jeff Bezos, $140.5bn
The former hedge fund manager turned online book seller started Amazon in his garage in 1994. Bezos has invested heavily in space technology and also owns The Washington Post newspaper.
. Bill Gates, $102.4bn
A permanent fixture at the top end of Forbes’ list for the past 20 years, the Microsoft founder has sold or given away much of his stake in the company – he owns just 1% of Microsoft – and now focuses predominantly on his philanthropic work.
3. Bernard Arnault, $92.5bn
Arnault is the wealthiest European on the list. The Frenchman oversees an empire of more than 60 brands including Louis Vuitton and Sephora. And he recently overtook Bill Gates to become the second richest man on the planet.
4. Warren Buffett, $72.5bn
Now in his ninth decade, the Berkshire Hathaway chief executive, known as the “Oracle of Omagh” is one of the most successful investors of all time. Like Gates he has pledged to give away more than 99% of his fortune to charity.
5. Larry Ellison, $64.5bn
Co-founder of software firm Oracle, Ellison stepped down as CEO in 2014 but still serves as chairman of the board and chief technology officer.
6. Mark Zuckerberg, $63.3bn
Zuckerberg famously started Facebook in 2004 at the age of 19 and now is among the top five richest men in the world.
7. Amancio Ortega, $62.7bn
Ortega stepped down as chairman of Inditex, known for its Zara brand, in 2011 but he still owns nearly 60% of its shares.
8. Steve Ballmer, $60.8bn
The former Microsoft CEO led the company from 2000 to 2014 after joining in 1980 as employee number 30, having dropped out of Stanford University’s MBA programme. The same year he retired from Microsoft he bought the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers for $2bn, says Forbes.
9. Jim Walton, $57.0bn
Walton is the youngest son of Sam Walton, the Walmart founder, and heir to the family fortune. He sat on Walmart’s board for more than a decade before giving up his seat to his son, Steuart, in June 2016.
10. Alice Walton, $56.8bn
Just pipped to ninth place by her brother Jim, Alice is the only daughter of Sam Walton. Rather than getting too involved in the family business, Alice has focused on curating art.
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