Top 20 World’s Richest Women
Money and power have always gone hand in hand, but for decades, the list of the world’s wealthiest people was dominated almost entirely by men. Times have changed.
Today, women across the globe have built empires, inherited fortunes, and turned businesses into billion-dollar enterprises that shape industries and influence millions of lives. So who are these women with bank accounts that could make anyone’s head spin?
Let’s take a closer look at the ladies who’ve made it to the very top of the wealth ladder.
Francoise Bettencourt Meyers
The richest woman on the planet didn’t start from scratch, but she’s done plenty to keep her fortune growing. Francoise inherited a massive stake in L’Oreal, the beauty giant her grandfather founded way back in 1909.
She’s not just sitting around counting her billions though. This French heiress is also an accomplished author who’s written books on Greek mythology and Jewish-Christian relations.
Her wealth sits somewhere around 100 billion dollars, making her richer than most small countries.
Alice Walton
Walmart changed the way Americans shop, and Alice Walton is one of the heirs to that retail empire. Her father Sam Walton built the company from a single store into the largest retailer in the world.
Alice took her share of the family fortune and poured much of it into art, founding the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Arkansas. She’s worth roughly 70 billion dollars and has used that money to bring world-class art to a part of the country that rarely gets that kind of cultural attention.
Julia Koch
When David Koch passed away in 2019, his widow Julia inherited a chunk of Koch Industries, one of the largest private companies in America. The business touches everything from oil refineries to paper products, and it’s made the Koch family incredibly wealthy.
Julia now sits on a fortune worth about 60 billion dollars. She’s kept a relatively low profile compared to other billionaires, focusing on raising her three children and managing her philanthropic efforts in New York City.
Jacqueline Mars
Candy bars, pet food, and rice might not seem like the path to extreme wealth, but they worked for Jacqueline Mars. She’s part of the Mars family, which owns the company behind M&Ms, Snickers, Pedigree, and Uncle Ben’s rice.
Jacqueline worked for the family business for nearly 20 years before retiring, and she still owns about a third of the company. Her fortune hovers around 38 billion dollars, and she’s known for being intensely private despite her massive wealth.
Mackenzie Scott
Most people know her as Jeff Bezos’s ex-wife, but Mackenzie Scott has made a name for herself far beyond that relationship. After their divorce in 2019, she walked away with about 25 percent of their Amazon shares, which translated to billions.
Since then, she’s given away more money faster than almost anyone in history, donating over 14 billion dollars to charities, schools, and organizations helping people in need. Her current wealth sits around 35 billion dollars, even after all that giving.
Miriam Adelson
Las Vegas and Macau made Miriam Adelson incredibly rich. She and her late husband Sheldon built Las Vegas Sands into a casino empire that stretched from Nevada to Asia.
Miriam isn’t just a businesswoman though. She’s a trained physician who specialized in addiction medicine before getting involved in the casino business.
After Sheldon’s death, she inherited his shares, bringing her fortune to about 32 billion dollars, and she remains heavily involved in political causes she cares about.
Rafaela Aponte-Diamant
Shipping containers might not sound glamorous, but they’ve made Rafaela Aponte-Diamant one of the richest women alive. Together with her husband, she built the Mediterranean Shipping Company into the world’s second-largest container shipping line.
The couple started with just one ship back in 1970, and now their fleet moves goods across every ocean on Earth. Rafaela’s wealth is estimated at around 30 billion dollars, and she maintains Swiss citizenship while keeping the business largely out of the public eye.
Gina Rinehart
Australia’s mining industry created Gina Rinehart’s fortune, and she’s fiercely protective of it. She inherited a struggling mining company from her father and turned it into a powerhouse that extracts iron ore from the Australian outback.
Gina is known for being outspoken about politics and business regulation, and she’s not afraid to fight for what she believes in. Her wealth fluctuates with mineral prices but generally sits around 27 billion dollars, making her the richest person in Australia.
Susanne Klatten
Germany’s industrial strength helped build Susanne Klatten’s fortune. She inherited stakes in BMW and a pharmaceutical company from her parents, giving her a diverse portfolio of assets.
Susanne also invested in renewable energy and other forward-thinking industries long before it became fashionable. She’s worth about 24 billion dollars and has worked hard to step out of her family’s shadow, proving she’s a savvy investor in her own right.
Iris Fontbona
Copper mining in Chile created the foundation for Iris Fontbona’s wealth. After her husband died in 2005, she inherited his mining empire and took control of the family business.
Chile produces more copper than almost any other country, and Fontbona’s Antofagasta PLC is one of the biggest players in that market. Her fortune sits around 23 billion dollars, and she’s expanded the family holdings into other industries beyond mining.
Abigail Johnson
Fidelity Investments manages trillions of dollars in assets, and Abigail Johnson runs the whole operation. She’s the granddaughter of the company’s founder and worked her way up from analyst to CEO, proving she earned her spot at the top.
Under her leadership, Fidelity has stayed competitive in a rapidly changing financial industry. Abigail’s personal wealth is estimated at around 22 billion dollars, and she’s one of the most powerful women in finance.
Beate Heister
German discount supermarkets don’t scream luxury, but they’ve made Beate Heister incredibly wealthy. She and her brother inherited Aldi Sud, one of the two divisions of the Aldi grocery chain that now operates worldwide.
Beate keeps an extremely low profile, rarely giving interviews or appearing in public. Her fortune is estimated at about 20 billion dollars, and she’s content to let the business run without seeking attention or fame.
Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken
Beer built the Heineken fortune, and Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken controls it now. She inherited the brewery empire from her father and owns a controlling stake in Heineken International, one of the world’s largest beer producers.
The green bottles with the red star are sold in nearly every country on Earth. Charlene’s wealth sits around 18 billion dollars, and she’s managed to keep the company family-controlled while competing against massive global corporations.
Savitri Jindal
Steel and power generation in India created Savitri Jindal’s massive fortune. After her husband died in a helicopter crash, she took over the family business and grew it into a major conglomerate.
Savitri also entered politics, serving in the Haryana state government while still managing her business interests. Her wealth is estimated at around 17 billion dollars, and she’s one of the most influential women in Indian business.
Renata Kellnerova
Czech finance and telecommunications made Renata Kellnerova a billionaire. She inherited her late husband’s empire, which includes the PPF Group, a major investment firm operating across Europe and Asia.
The company has fingers in everything from banking to telecommunications to biotechnology. Renata’s fortune is valued at about 16 billion dollars, and she’s worked to continue her husband’s business vision while adding her own touch to the company’s direction.
Lee Boo-jin
South Korea’s Samsung empire isn’t just about phones and TVs. Lee Boo-jin runs Hotel Shilla, a luxury hotel chain that’s part of the Samsung conglomerate.
She’s the daughter of the Samsung chairman and was groomed for leadership from a young age. Lee studied at Harvard and worked her way up through various Samsung companies before taking charge of the hospitality division.
Her personal wealth is estimated at around 15 billion dollars, though her family’s total holdings are far larger.
Yang Huiyan
Chinese real estate created Yang Huiyan’s fortune at a remarkably young age. Her father transferred his shares in Country Garden Holdings to her before the company went public, making her a billionaire before she turned 30.
The property development company builds residential complexes across China, though the real estate market’s recent struggles have affected her wealth. She’s currently worth about 14 billion dollars and remains one of Asia’s richest self-made women, even though her father’s transfer gave her the initial stake.
Blair Parry-Okeden
Australia’s media landscape helped create Blair Parry-Okeden’s wealth. She inherited a stake in Cox Enterprises, a massive American media conglomerate, from her grandfather.
The company owns newspapers, television stations, and cable systems across the United States. Blair lives in Australia but maintains her ownership position in the American company.
Her fortune is estimated at around 13 billion dollars, and she’s managed to stay almost completely out of the public spotlight despite her enormous wealth.
Judy Faulkner
Healthcare software doesn’t sound exciting, but it made Judy Faulkner a billionaire. She founded Epic Systems, which creates electronic medical record systems used by hospitals and clinics across America.
Judy built the company from scratch and still owns the majority of it, refusing to sell or take it public. Her wealth sits around 12 billion dollars, and she’s pledged to give away most of it when she dies, following the Giving Pledge started by Warren Buffett and Bill Gates.
Christy Walton
Another Walmart heir makes the list, but Christy Walton’s path was different from Alice’s. She married into the Walton family and inherited her husband’s fortune when he died in a plane crash.
Christy focused much of her energy on philanthropy, supporting education and community development projects. Her wealth is estimated at around 11 billion dollars, and she’s been more publicly active in charitable work than some of her more reclusive in-laws.
Where Fortunes Come From
Looking at this list, patterns emerge about how women reach the top of the wealth ladder. Many inherited their fortunes from fathers or husbands, though plenty have grown those inheritances or built their own empires from the ground up.
The industries vary wildly, from beauty products to beer, from mining to medical software. What connects them all is the ability to manage enormous wealth and the responsibilities that come with it, whether through business leadership, investment decisions, or charitable giving that reshapes communities around the world.
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