Forbes just released their new list of the world's billionaires, and Bill Gates has been taken down a notch. The new richest man in the world is Mexico's Carlos Slim Helu, with an estimated net worth of $53.5 billion. He edged out Gates by a mere $500,000,000, but sometimes that's all it takes. Microsoft stock jumping 50% in 12 months still wasn't enough to hold off Helu.
Of the near-record 1,011 billionaires listed this year (2008 had 1,125), they maintained an average net worth of $3.5 billion, up a staggering 17% amid one of the world's worst recessions. Americans made up 40% of the list, down from 45% last year. And only 15 of the 97 new billionaires on the list are American. One of the notable American newbies was Isaac Perlmutter, who sold his stake in Marvel to Disney for $900 million cash and 20 million shares of Disney.
Larry Ellison may have fallen from #4 on the list to #6 with an estimated net worth of $28 billion, but he's no doubt the coolest member of the Top Ten because he whipped the shit out of Alinghi and brought the America's Cup home where it belongs last month.
they should consider age as one of the criterias as well. It looks like hes about to bite the dust pretty soon.
I am very impressed by the H&M guy on the list. That company is awesome. All women i know age 20-40 absolutely love the place, even the ones that can easily afford better clothes.
We need some meat on that list.
I saw a comment somewhere that a large part of Gates and Buffett being knocked from the top was due to how much cash they've been contributing to philanthropy lately. Unselfish bastards...
Slim probably has more money that the bottom 80% of mexico combined
my favorite guy on the list is Roman Abromovich. true baller.
Ambromavich is a bossman. He knows how to run shit.
It's kind of arresting how few on the list got there by traditional banking/trading. Sure, you've got some hedgies, but most are scrappier entreprenuers who went all in on something early on, like buying a business out of bankruptcy or investing in real estate while attending college. A reminder to me that "investing" comprises more than stockpicking, and wealth doesn't have an HR department.
Just goes to shows you there is no clear cut path to were the list those people are on.
I would hope Forbes isn't silly enough to ever add Abromovich to the list of supreme ballers. He got rich off stolen oil. Crooked billionaires shouldn't count.
^^^^
True, but Ambromovich is just filthy, stinking dirty rich and he's not afraid to show it through his lavish spending. But at the same time he did some great things in Russia during his governor stint. But i personally feel that he just kind of got it handed to him. Those built their empire from scratch, like Buffet (Shame that Berkshire got downgraded though), are far too humble to spend lavishly. He says he don't fly private jets, and keep in mind that Berkshire Hathaway owns Netjets. The man is just humble.
Crazy... id at least use the jets here and there.....
I'm sure Abromovich has done more that sell stolen oil, he must have some serious blood on his hands - he has a personal army of 40 men protecting him through the day.
I still have a lot of respect for him, make it by any means necessary I guess
He does fly in a PJ thought, partially why he bought into NJ, he liked the service so much.
Abramovich just got his ass handed to him by a little old lady in the south of France. When he couldn't pull the trigger on the purchase of the world's most expensive home ($500 mil), he lost his deposit of $35 million or something, and now she's coming after him for a million dollar penalty. As if that weren't funny enough, she's donating all the money she gets from him to charity!
Take that, Boris.
there is a house for sale for 500 mil.
^^^ I read about that. 10% deposit gone. I think it was closer to 50M. I bet if he were a more respectable billionaire, the judge would've cut him a better deal.
I'll bet losing $50 million came as less of a shock to him than encountering a judge he couldn't buy...
If you divide people on the list up by industry as opposed to simply finance vs. entrepreneurship, you'll notice that finance makes a very strong showing. HFs, PE and Real Estate make a pretty good percentage of the list.
Ambromavich is ballin. Insane car collection
Ferrari FXX, a US$2.2 million (€1.57 million) "racetrack-only" car, of which only 30 were built. He also owns a Bugatti Veyron (blue on black), Maserati MC12 Corsa, Ferrari 360, Porsche Carrera GT, Porsche 911 GT1 and a Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR.
I know of a guy worth WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY less than Abfromavich who also has a CLK GTR, Carrera GT, Ferrari 360 and about 30 other cars. Only thing that tops his is the FXX, which he does not own.
Again, he is super ballin' but that car collection listed isnt anything THAT spectacular for someone with his $.. Then again, how much more spectacular can you get?? lol
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