Top 10 Richest Women In the World

Today we’re going to speak about 10 richest women in the world. Men still rule the world and most of the women inherited their fortunes but we have to give a reward to them for saving their fortunes, for controlling business and for making their fortunes grow. I’m not sure what would I do if I had at least a $100,000 on my bank account not speaking about millions and billions. Would I feel happy or lost? Would I know what to do and who to trust? Money makes life easier but big money makes it much harder.

No.1 Christy Walton

Fortune: $22.5 billion
Walmart. U.S.
© Matthew L. Bowler

Christy Ruth Walton was the wife of late John T. Walton, one of the sons of Sam Walton who has founded the Wal-Mart Stores company in 1962- the biggest network of discount department stores in US and world’s largest public corporation by revenue. After the death of her husband in 2005 Christy has inherited his fortune of $15.7 billion. Wal-Mart is still the world’s largest retailer, the network includes more than 5,100 stores serving 138 million customers per week with the sales around $285 billion. Christy is 50 now and has one son Lukas.

No.2 Alice Walton

Fortune: $20.6 billion
Walmart. U.S.
© Sipa Press

Alice Louise Walton is the daughter of Sam Walton. Same as Christy Walton, she has inherited her Walmart fortune. Alice is 60 and she’s 2 times divorced. Alice funded $100 million airport in Bentonville in 1990 and was involved in Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art development. Being an avid horse-lover, Ms Walton currently lives in Mineral Wells, Texas on The Rocking W Ranch.

No.3 Liliane Bettencourt

Fortune: $20 billion
L’Oreal. France

88 years old Liliane Bettencourt is an amazing French businesswoman. She is the principal shareholder of L’Oréal and the wealthiest woman in Europe. Liliane is the only child of Eugène Schuellerm, who was the founder of L’Oréal and her inherited L’Oréal fortune from her farther in 1957. Liliane is married to a French politician André Bettencourt and they have one daughter Françoise. In December 2009 Françoise asked a French court to place her mother “under juridical supervision to stop her handing away her money” telling that her mother is no longer in her right mind for giving they money (around one billion euro)

and gifts to 62-year-old photographer François-Marie Banier over a several-year period. Now mother and daughter don’t speak to each other.

No.4 Birgit Rausing

Fortune: $13 billion
Packaging. Sweden
© Scanpix

Birgit Rausing is a Swedish art historian and philanthropist. She inherited the billions after the death of her husband Gad Rausing in 2000. In 1944 her father-in-law founded Tetra Pak which revolutionized the packaging of liquids (juices, milk etc) so Birgit has inherited a packaging giant Tetra Laval. Birgit lives quietly in Switzerland, she’s 86 by now and has 3 children.

No.5 Savitri Jindal

Fortune: $12.2 billion
Steel and power. India
© Kamal Narang/The Hindu

Savitri Jindal is India’s richest woman, the world’s 44th richest person, and the non-executive chairperson of Jindal Steel- a steel and power conglomerate. She inherited the company and its billions in 2005 after her husband died in a helicopter crash. She’s 60 and has 9 children, Savitri is also a member of Indian National Congress.

No.6 Abigail Johnson

Fortune: $11.5 billion
Fidelity. U.S.
© Neal Hamber/Bloomberg News/Landov

Abigail Pierrepont is an American businesswoman and a President of Fidelity Investments Personal and Workplace Investing founded by her farther. She has joined the company when she was 25 having graduated from Harvard Business School. Abigail is happily married and has 2 children, she’s 48 now and believed to be father’s chosen successor. She is number 48 in the list of the world’s billionaires.

No.7 Susanne Klatten

Fortune: $11.1 billion
BMW. Germany
© dpa

Susanne Klatten is the richest woman in Germany and the 35th richest person in the world. On her father’s death she inherited his 50.1% stake in pharmaceutical and chemicals manufacturer Altana. She sits on Altana’s supervisory board and helped transform it into a world-class corporation. Her father also left her a 12.50% stake in BMW company which he rescued from bankruptcy decades ago. Susanna is married and has 3 children, plays golf and successfully invests her money.

N0.8 Iris Fontbona & family

Fortune: $ 11 billion
Copper. Chile
There’s more than little information about Iris available online. She has no page in Wikipedia, her age is unknown and there are no photos. She was a second wife of Chilean billionaire Andronico Luksic (who the richest person in Chile, the fourth in Latin America, and the 132nd in the world) who died from cancer in 2005. Iris and family control one of the world’s largest copper miners Antofagasta, her son Jean Paul serving as chairman. Company’s shares have jumped 80% in a year, the fortune amassed by Andronico was $4,2 billion.

N0.9 Jacqueline Mars

Fortune: $ 11 billion
Candy. U.S.
Washington Life Magazine

Jacqueline Mars is the daughter of Forrest Edward Mars, Sr. and granddaughter of Frank C. Mars- founders of the giant American candy company Mars, Incorporated. She’s a divorced woman of 70 with 3 children. Jacqueline inherited the company in 1999 and its constantly growing.

No.10 Anne Cox Chambers

Fortune: $10 billion
Cable and media. U.S.
© Redux/The New York Times

Anne Cox Chambers is a media proprietor- a primary owner of Cox Enterprises, a privately held media empire that includes newspapers, television, radio, cable television, and other businesses. Anne had a bright eventful life. She was an ambassador to Belgium from 1977 to 1981 and a director of the board of the Coca-Cola Company during the 1980s. She was also the first woman in Atlanta appointed to the board of the city’s chamber of commerce. Anne is a generous supporter of a wide range of cultural and educational charities. She’s 2 times divorced and has 3 children.