BILLIONAIRE BUST ON FORBES’ 2009 BILLIONAIRES LIST
Bill Gates Returns to #1 Spot, 355 Billionaires Drop Off List
Forbes’ 2009 list of World’s Billionaires reveals that on average the world’s richest people have lost 23% of their wealth in the last 12 months, and now have an average net worth of $3 billion. Like so many of us, the world’s billionaires have also seen their wealth go up in smoke. In 2008, the world contained 1,125 billionaires; this year there are only 793 billionaires, a drop of almost 30%. And of those that did make the 2009 Forbes list, 87% have lost money this year.
Bill Gates has regained his position as the world’s richest man in 2009, despite losing $18 billion. Last year’s number one Warren Buffett has slipped into second place having seen his fortune decline by $25 billion, as shares in his company, Berkshire Hathaway, fell by nearly 50% over the past year.
Catering to the budget conscious consumer was one successful way of making money in the last 12 months. 9 of the top 20 on the list made their money in discount retailing, and budget retailer Uniqlo’s Tadashi Yanai is one of the few newcomers to the list.
$14 billion was needed to make this year’s Top 20, $7 billion less than last year. Michael Bloomberg was the only man in the top 20 to make a gain in 2008; his net worth increased by $4.5 billion by a reevaluation of his financial data company Bloomberg, LP.
As fortunes fell in Asia and Russia, Americans once again dominate the superrich, occupying 10 of the Top 20 spots, up from only 4 last year
Europe boasts 196 in this elite club, worth $665 billion. This is 102 less than last year and all but 20 are poorer. Denmark, home to one of Europe’s six new billionaires is the only country in the world to add to its billionaire count.
The UK has 25 billionaires on this year’s list, a drop of 10 from last year. Gerald C Grosvenor and family are the wealthiest Britons, with a net worth of 11 billion. They are 29th on the list.
Last year Moscow overtook New York as the billionaire capital of the world, with 74 tycoons to New York’s 71. Today there are 27 in Moscow and 55 in New York. 28 billionaires now live in London.
The Top 10
1. William Gates III $40.0 bil USA (Microsoft)
2. Warren Buffett $37.0 bil USA (Berkshire Hathaway)
3. Carlos Slim Helu $35.0 bil Mexico (Telecom)
4. Lawrence Ellison $22.5 bil USA (Oracle)
5. Ingvar Kamprad $22.0 bil Sweden (Ikea)
6. Karl Albrecht $21.5 bil Germany (Aldi)
7. Mukesh Ambani $19.5 bil India (Petrochemicals)
8. Lakshmi Mittal $19.3 bil India (Steel)
9. Theo Albrecht $18.8 bil Germany (Aldi, Trader Joe’s)
10. Amancio Ortega $18.3 bil Spain (Zara)
David Jensen Photography:
https://www.davidjensen.co.uk/
