We all know who the richest men in the world are, but we seldom hear about the richest women. So, it is time to put that right! This is a list of the ten richest women in the world.
1. Liliane Bettencourt Wikipedia
At the age of 83, Liliane Bettencourt is the wealthiest woman in the world and is the 12th richest person overall. She has a net worth estimated at $20.7 billion made possible through the family business, a little company called L’Oreal. She is the daughter of L’Oreal founder Eugene Schueller and holds a controlling stake in the cosmetics giant so is likely to make even more money in the future.
2. Christy Walton Wikipedia
Christy Walton, 51, is the widow of John Walton, the Wal-Mart heir who died in an aircraft accident in June 2005. She inherited $15.9 billion (£8.4 billion) from the company originally founded by Sam Walton, making her the wealthiest woman in the United States. Wal-Mart is still the world’s largest retailer with more than 5,100 stores serving 138 million customers a week and ringing up sales of $285 billion (£151 billion). All of which makes Christy the 24th richest person in the world.
3. Alice Walton Wikipedia
As one would expect, the Waltons have deep family ties. Alice, 56, is the sister of the late John Walton and her fortune of $16.6 billion puts her at number 26 in the world’s rich list. Her brother Rob serves as chairman and the company donates a small fortune to charity through the Walton Family Foundation.
4. Abigail Johnson Wikipedia
As the 42nd richest person in the world, Abigail Johnson’s $13 billion inheritance comes from Fidelity Investments, America’s largest mutual fund company. The firm was founded by her grandfather Edward C. Johnson in 1946. Abigail, 45, interned at Fidelity while pursuing a Harvard MBA and returned full-time in1988. She became president of the company’s mutual fund division in 2001, and picked up $31 billion (£16.4 billion) in fund assets during her first six months. In May 2006 she took over Fidelity’s employer services division, administering payroll and employee stock plans.
5. Anne Cox Chambers Wikipedia
Anne, 86, inherited $12.6 billion (£6.6 billion) from the family media firm Cox Enterprises. Her father James Cox’s empire includes 17 newspapers, 15 TV stations, 79 radio stations and also cable systems. The business also runs to cars, including Manheim Auctions, America’s leading used-car auction business and majority ownership of AutoTrader.com, the world’s largest online auto classifieds site. Last year the family took cable arm Cox Communications private in an $8 billion (£4.2 billion) deal. She is the world’s 45th richest person.
6. Birgit Rausing Wikipedia
Dr Birgit Rausing is a Swedish art historian. Together with her three children, she inherited packaging giant Tetra Laval in January 2000 after her husband Gad Rausing’s death. As of 2007, her net worth is about $11 billion.
7. Jacqueline Mars Wikipedia
Jacqueline Badger Mars is the daughter of Forrest Edward Mars, Sr., and granddaughter of Frank C. Mars, founders of the giant American candy company Mars, Incorporated. With her share of the company, she is worth US$14.0 billion as of September 2007 she is the 58th richest person in the world, and the 19th richest person in the United States according to Forbes, she’s also the fourth richest American woman.
8. Susanne Klatten Wikipedia
Ms. Klatten, 43, picked up $8.1 billion (£4.3 billion) via a 12.5% stake in BMW cars and a 50.1% stake in pharmaceutical manufacturer Altana from her late father, Herbert Quandt. A trained economist with an MBA, Klatten is credited with helping transform Altana into a world-class pharmaceutical/chemical corporation with $3.6 billion (£1.9 billion) in sales and almost 11,000 employees. As of 2007, her net worth is $9.6 billion.
9. Yang Huiyan Wikipedia
Yang Huiyan is the majority shareholder of Country Garden Holdings and is currently considered the wealthiest person in Mainland China, with a net worth of about $9 billion USD as of April 2007. She is the daughter of Yang Guoqiang, who transferred 70% of Country Garden’s shares to her before its IPO.
10. Maria-Elisabeth Schaeffler Wikipedia
Maria-Elisabeth Schaeffler is joint owner with her son Georg of The Schaeffler Group, one of the world’s largest producers of roller bearings. Maria Elizabeth runs the company, which brought in about $11 billion last year. Her net worth in 2007 is $8.7 billion.
Contributor: nartjai
As the philosopher Randy Newman said, “They say money can’t buy happiness, but it can buy you a big long limousine with a big-breasted blonde and a big bottle of champagne. Now that may not be happiness, but it’s allright.”
Hey this is oprah and I wanted to tell you all it does not matter how they got there money yes its true I worked hard but these women lost something for the fame and fortune a loved one so think before you talk because it takes a brain to run multi billion dollars companies (ps. I don’t have even as close as to the poorest lady)
hope they are all ok and in good health…! Frankly i would like sharing they life experince and what they do when there is alot of money …that for sure they unable to use it till end of they life… pls..i wish one of them kindly send email to me…bye see you all..may god bless you all always !!
wth?! i don’t even know half these people!
If I was a bird I would fly to those blessed wealthy womans to help our NPO Organisation donate a car and suppotr us with a rent for our office
Hi .. to all 10 richest women, Thanks to God that you are happened to be one of the richest women in the world…its not easy to be rich.. you must be grateful to God and gifted by him that you are rich enough with alot of money and materials…you could get what ever you want…i wish to be like you one day but what to do…i am not born to be rich…and be afrid to be rich then…i wish to be rich in mind, happiness, healtiness and safety..hope you are happy with your family and God keeps the safety of yourself and your wealthy…..see then
mrs.Liliane Bettencourt Wikipedia
i read her wealth backgraund she are wonderful womane in this world, after few year she become top of richest men in the world.
good by
Hi to all remain nine woman’s you are liky woman’s in this world, you may lead this world by financial. all of wonderful!
In response the the Oprah comment;
She’s the richest black woman, not the richest woman in general.
rich *****es rock!!!!!
i am also the reachest woman but i want u ur self to see my money i sleep on money i use mney for toilet paper
hope that we will be pro-Oprah Winfrey..
she’s great to have her riches..
i think she’s happy with her life because she shares her money to foundations and charities..if i am one of the worlds richest, i will spend my money to God’s ministry because saved by grace people is more than a hundred billion to me…
Are You Kidding Me!?
to me, the richest woman on earth is Oprah Winfrey. cause she actually worked for her money and did not inherit it from her rich daddy.
Sad all the top 10 women had to inherit it from thier dadzz…
Thilna-Sri Lanka
every woman is reach when she can boost of having a good husband and a happy home
yes everyone is rich when she can boost of having a good husband and a happy home because if yo are rich and there is no peace and harmony in the family all the riches will go in vain.the same thing applies to discipline in the family.if there is no discilpine of the child in the fanily he/she may end up uneducated due to the riches of the parents.i have so many things yo say but i just want to make it free for some other time.
Thanks and God bless
from cosmas okafor in Nigeria
Omg! Oprah could number 10 selfmade billionaire,wat about the other women between 8.7 and 1.4 billion. Oprah isn’t that wealthy. Come on now
It’s a shame none of these women actually worked for this money.
It would have been much better if they hadn’t inherited it.
Good list though
I have to say for my self, must be nice to have money that if your spouse becomes disable you are still able to take care of your house.
I say that because my spouse became disable to the point that I have to do everything and is very hard for me and my 6 children.
While my spouse was able to work in a very successful business we helped many in need. and now that is the other way around, no one calls, no one helps and all we need is $576,389.98 for my spouse to have a surgery so we can have a 90 percent normal life. but unfortunately, is hard to get people who are blessed with money to donate.
My only consolation is, at least we have each other even if my spouse is almost a vegetable.
God Bless Every one this Christmas, it will be the first Christmas my children will not see a single thing, not even a tree.
i think there should be an african american woman in the list of these great women
THESE LADIES PROBABLY DON’T EVEN KNOW THIS SITE EXIST. PLUS WEALTHY PEOPLE HAVE OTHER PEOPLE ANSWERING FOR THEM. THEY REALLY DON’T HAVE TIME FOR ANY BODY ELSE BUT THEIR OWN KIND. TRUST ME, I KNOW BECAUSE I WROTE LETTERS TO Bill & Melinda Gates, Warren Buffett, George Kaiser, George Soros, William Barron Hilton, Walton Family, Herbert & Marion Sandler, Peter Peterson, Donald Bren, Michael Bloomberg, and MANY OTHER, AND WHO RESPONDED FOR ALL OF THEM NAMED ABOVE WERE THE PEOPLE WHO WORKS FOR THEM. NOT EVEN ONE OF THEM ANSWERED ME PERSONALLY. I WISH THEY DID. THE AMOUNT I NEED FOR THEM TO DONATE IS PROBABLY LIKE FIVE DOLLARS TO THEM.
GOD BLESS THEM ALL.
with that amount of money, they could feed thousands of hungry people living in a 3rd world country, and it wouldnt even cost them a lot compared on what they are earning…. all i can say, they cant bring it when they die,why not share what they have, and save lives.
hi. i am interested a make richman of the world everyone need money for living.money is more important for life. from the birth to end of death human.
#82 u got dat rite wen u said money is important from birth to death cuz honey child luv don’t pay the bills. so like the destinys child song says i would rather find a baller than a scrub who won’t be doing anything than to sit on his lazy good or nothing but while i do all the work ya heard!!!!
I love GOD ,people and money hi good things are good .
all of these ladies need to make money their selves!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
damnn these girls are fine!!!
they are my role models i hope to be like them
this persons was working hard, but i promess everybody i will be the most rich person in 5 years i try to work hard i first God i will, bye and see you in 5 years
The goodness with the rich and the poor is that they have one thing in common. One thing that makes them equal.
DEATH
MUTHURI:
aww, you poor little kid. you’re just upset because we’re rich and you’re not and never will be…
by the way thanks for your money
I would have done the same thing If I was in their position I mean they took the left overs … they didn’t have to fight for it . Like Oprah did . period .
Hi there are so many rich people who can’t give account of where there money come from. I am one of them. Who know how much I Have? I use fake names to open account all over the world. travel around the world with so many international passport. very hard to know about me. also use so many different face when travelling. harrymarley # yahoo
So what do you call that Harry what do you do for a living ??? what do you call yourself …
dogs,
You mean, have a rich parent/spouse that leaves you lots of money?
Yeah, that does sound good. Better than actually working for it I guess.
hi.How are you? I am writing it from Mongolia. I want to meet with foreign people. I work at the secondary school of Mongolia. I can be your honest and a good friend. Mongolia is a beautiful country. If you want to see it, please travel with me. My e-mail is tya_916@yahoo.com please e-mail me.
I believe that the Walton’s have sold their sole to the Devil the way they have treated ALL of their employees and the general public for the greed of money. They are all made of greed and nothing else.
I truly believe that they will all reunite with John T. Walton in Hell when the time comes for them to meet their maker.
I have never purchased anything from WALL-MART and never will because of there greed. The entire family is worth over 105 BILLION. The right thing for WALL-MART to do in this depressed economy, would be to throw down 10 Billion each and help build/open new manufacturing factories here in our United States and provide American jobs and start purchasing goods from within the U.S. and cut their dealings with China & India. Perhaps if they did something like this, their ugly reputation could turn around like when Sam Walton ran the company.
WALL-MART SUCKS! They can keep there cheap underwear :0)
I believe that the Walton’s have sold their sole to the Devil the way they have treated ALL of their employees and the general public for the greed of money. They are all made of greed and nothing else.
I truly believe that they will all reunite with John T. Walton in Hell when the time comes for them to meet their maker.
I have never purchased anything from WALL-MART and never will because of their greed. The entire family is worth over 105 BILLION. The right thing for WALL-MART to do in this depressed economy, would be to throw down 10 Billion each and help build/open new manufacturing factories here in our United States and provide American jobs and start purchasing goods from within the U.S. and cut their dealings with China & India. Perhaps if they did something like this, their ugly reputation could turn around like when Sam Walton ran the company.
WALL-MART SUCKS! They can keep there cheap underwear :0)
This list do not shows how much these women contributed in building up the enormous fortune. It is not an easy task to manage and growing the wealth after they inherited it.
I don’t see anything wrong in importing cheaper goods from any countries. After Japan, there is China then India and may be Africa to export cheap product to keep our inflation down in exchange for franchise fees for useless fast food outlets, soft drinks, tobacco and I.O.U. bond to keep the money here at next to nothing interest rate which may never be paid back or worth far less that its current value.
It is great to be blessed with riches and to me it should be a humbling esperience for the rich to know that the gardens of their hearts need constant weeding and care.A heart in tune with God can’t help but sing His praise. I pray that these blessed women can be true friends to womanhood and humanity and help other women ,eg in Africa in need with their kind hearts.To me a true friend is a friend in deed and in need and this is a gift from God.May God continue to richly bless these women in their social responsibilities.
what i beleave is that the rich also cry,no matter how rich this women may be, cos they surpose to care for the growing less privilege one.
Its tru dt these women didnt actually work 4 their money, but still, d money n question didnt jst materialize 4rm thin air. Along d line, some1 actually worked 4 d money, b it their parents or grand parents. But their ability 2 manage their inheritance speaks loads them, i mean, its nt everyone dt can handle dt ind of money, nt to even speak of managing it. i rily rily respect those women, and i say more grease to their elbows
Beautiful hard working woman,some didnt work so hard,pure luck,I am happy for them all.Spend it wisely and you will enjoyed every penny.
Keep your sticky finger mens away..find real love,althou it will be hard to tell..except if you looks deep enough into his eyes.
With so much money it will be hard to tell true love…but you have to give it a shot and thrust one…
Good luck…reminder you cannot pay for happiness,it comes in a bundle.
Fool and his money part with company
HEY!! on #4 it says somethin bout Edward C. I bet it’s Edward Cullen!!
“The firm was founded by her grandfather Edward C. Johnson in 1946.”
For an 80-90 year old, Abigail’s father held up quite well to play a teen vampire whenever that film came out. It can’t have been too long ago if these kids keep talking about it.
I wouldn’t mind hooking up with these Rich women….
XD
It is true that anything good comes from God. If for sure these ladies got their riches from the Almighty God, the world is full of the poor too. Can they share theirs with the bottom ten or so? How will the bottom ten be determined? Ofcourse I am not rich and I am not the bottom ten too.
what about me richest man in Africa? haaa-countless gold bars ,diamonds mines,natural gases,vast sanctuaries of safaris,i want against buffet or gates
Anyway i think majority of the women listed here archived thire wealth through thier family background……..but not to worry 04kasibe’s wife will be the next richest woman in the whole wide world………….
Hi all,i think that everybody works hard for their money,coz without it we would not survive,some people are just more fortunate to have more money than others,thats just the way life is,Have you ever thought of you being one of the richest people on earth,would you spend your money on other people??
Ass for me i am a huge Emma Watson fan,i think she is insanely beautiful,but chances are i will never even see her in my life,but i am realistic about it,these people are the rich and famous,they dont even read comments on these sites.
(South-Africa)
@jfrater,it really looks like you know what you are talking about,you also probably read a lot about celebrities,and finances,do you comment regularly on this site?
He owns this site… Lol!
think that everybody works hard for their money
http://believe-or-not.blogspot.com/2009/07/10-richest-women-in-world.html
please send money I NEED IT!
only men are not capable.female are also a ray of hope.
teach me how to make money age 24,am from nigeria with a school cert.
Meh, these uber-rich broads have too good lawyers. It is always smarter to go for the middle range rich.
It is the grace of God that makes riches without adding any sorrow.
I love you all. I wish i could be see any of those face to face and be chanced to have an hand shake with them
Abigail Johnson
It is great that you are rich and happy, to my side i wish that i can receive a little amount like $50. Thanks in advance.