India has a record number of 200 billionaires in 2024, ranking third globally for the highest concentration of the ultra-rich, who continue to build on their wealth on the back of the country's buoyant stock market, according to the Forbes 2024 World Billionaires List.
In contrast, Asia’s third-largest economy had 169 billionaires last year.
The combined wealth of India's richest people is approaching $1 trillion dollars, with a record total of $954 billion, up 41 per cent from $675 billion last year, Forbes said.
Watch: Who is Bernard Arnault, the man who replaced Elon Musk as world’s richest?
“With shares of his Reliance Industries conglomerate booming, the net worth of Mukesh Ambani shot up to $116 billion, from $83 billion, making him the first Asian to break into the exclusive $100 billion club on the list,” Forbes said in its annual report, which used stock prices and exchange rates from March 8 to calculate the net worth of the world’s wealthiest.
Mr Ambani retained his position as the ninth-richest person globally and remained both India’s and Asia’s richest person.
Infrastructure and commodities tycoon Gautam Adani added $36.8 billion to his net worth to cement his position as India’s second-wealthiest person.
Although shares of Adani Group were battered last year after allegations of fraud by US-based short-seller Hindenburg Research, they rebounded strongly after it reduced debt and secured investors.
Mr Adani clawed his way back to become the 17th-richest person globally with a fortune of $84 billion – still well off the peak of his wealth of nearly $150 billion in September 2022, when he briefly overtook Amazon founder Jeff Bezos as the world's second-richest person.
The US continues to have the most billionaires in the world, with a record 813 billionaires worth a combined $5.7 trillion, Forbes said.
China, including Hong Kong, remains second on the list, with 473 billionaires worth $1.7 trillion, it added.
Weak consumer spending and a real estate bust helped wipe out about $300 billion in billionaire wealth in China, the report said.
The world has more billionaires than ever before. Currently, there are 2,781 billionaires worldwide – 141 more than last year and 26 more than the record set in 2021, according to Forbes.
Their combined net worth hit a record $14.2 trillion in aggregate, up by $2 trillion from 2023 and $1.1 trillion above the previous record, also set in 2021.
Much of the gains come from the world's top 20 richest people, who have added a combined $700 billion in wealth since 2023, Forbes said.
Top 10 richest people globally
Bernard Arnault, chairman of French luxury group LVMH, is the world’s richest person with a net worth of $233 billion, Forbes said.
In contrast to the Forbes list, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index estimates Mr Arnault’s current net worth to be $228 billion.
Elon Musk, co-founder of Tesla and the owner of social media platform X, is ranked second on the Forbes list with a net worth of $195 billion.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos remains in third place with a personal fortune of $194 billion, followed by Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Meta Platforms, in fourth place with $177 billion.
Larry Ellison, co-founder of computer technology company Oracle, is in fifth place with $141 billion.
Renowned investor Warren Buffett is the sixth-richest person in the world with a net worth of $133 billion, while Microsoft founder Bill Gates was in seventh place with $128 billion.
Steve Ballmer, former chief executive of Microsoft and owner of the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team, is the eighth-richest person in the world with a net worth of $121 billion, and Mr Ambani ranked ninth.
Rounding up the top 10 is Alphabet co-founder Larry Page with a personal fortune worth $114 billion, Forbes said.
Richest women
Women occupy a small but growing slice of the world’s exclusive billionaire club, with only 369, or 13.3 per cent, included on the list, up from 337 in 2023.
Combined, the world's wealthiest women are worth about $1.8 trillion, about $240 billion more than last year, according to Forbes.
Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, the granddaughter of French pharmacist and L’Oreal founder Eugene Schueller, is once again the world’s richest woman with a net worth of $99.5 billion.
Her fortune has jumped $19 billion in the past 12 months, the biggest gain of any woman on the list, but falling just short of her entering the $100 billion club.
Ms Meyers has topped the Forbes list for women for the fourth year running.
Nine of the 10 richest women inherited their fortunes, either from their fathers, husbands or, in one case, mother. MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Mr Bezos, is the only one in the top 10 to receive her fortune through divorce.
Walmart heir Alice Walton, the only daughter of the company's founder, Sam Walton, ranked second on the Forbes list with a personal fortune of $72.3 billion.
Julia Koch, who inherited a 42 per cent stake in Koch Industries along with her three children when her husband, David, died in 2019, dropped one spot to be the world’s third-richest woman with a net worth of $64.3 billion.
Jacqueline Mars – who inherited an estimated one third of Mars Incorporated, the sweets and pet food conglomerate behind brands such as M&M’s – ranked fourth on the list and is the world’s fourth-wealthiest woman at $38.5 billion.
Ms Scott ranked fifth on the list with a net worth of $35.6 billion.
Richest celebrities
The man behind the Star Wars and Indiana Jones movie franchises, George Lucas, ranked as the world’s richest celebrity with a net worth of $5.5 billion.
The director's wealth is derived largely from his production company Lucasfilm, which he sold to Disney in 2012 for more than $4 billion in cash and stock.
Forbes ranked Oscar-winning director Steven Spielberg as the second-richest celebrity with a net worth of $4.8 billion.
Former basketball star Michael Jordan is ranked third with a personal fortune of $3.2 billion.
The richest woman and the fourth-wealthiest entertainer on the celebrity list this year is Oprah Winfrey with a net worth of $2.8 billion.
Rounding out the top five is music mogul Jay-Z, real name Shawn Corey Carter, with a personal fortune worth $2.5 billion, according to Forbes.
World's top 10 richest people in 2024
- Bernard Arnault: $233 billion
- Elon Musk: $195 billion
- Jeff Bezos: $194 billion
- Mark Zuckerberg: $177 billion
- Larry Ellison: $141 billion
- Warren Buffett: $133 billion
- Bill Gates: $128 billion
- Steve Ballmer: $121 billion
- Mukesh Ambani: $116 billion
- Larry Page: $114 billion
Source: Forbes
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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Results
5.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,400m; Winner: Mcmanaman, Sam Hitchcock (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)
6.05pm: Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Bawaasil, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson
6.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (Dirt) 1,400m; Winner: Bochart, Fabrice Veron, Satish Seemar
7.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Mutaraffa, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
7.50pm: Longines Stakes – Conditions (TB) Dh120,00 (D) 1,900m; Winner: Rare Ninja, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
8.25pm: Zabeel Trophy – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Alfareeq, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
9pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (T) 2,410m; Winner: Good Tidings, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
9.35pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (T) 2,000m; Winner: Zorion, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi, Helal Al Alawi
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INVESTMENT PLEDGES
Cartlow: $13.4m
Rabbitmart: $14m
Smileneo: $5.8m
Soum: $4m
imVentures: $100m
Plug and Play: $25m
The Penguin
Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
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The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
FA CUP FINAL
Manchester City 6
(D Silva 26', Sterling 38', 81', 87', De Bruyne 61', Jesus 68')
Watford 0
Man of the match: Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
The specs
Engine: 2.5-litre, turbocharged 5-cylinder
Transmission: seven-speed auto
Power: 400hp
Torque: 500Nm
Price: Dh300,000 (estimate)
On sale: 2022
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Tips for taking the metro
- set out well ahead of time
- make sure you have at least Dh15 on you Nol card, as there could be big queues for top-up machines
- enter the right cabin. The train may be too busy to move between carriages once you're on
- don't carry too much luggage and tuck it under a seat to make room for fellow passengers
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
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ODI FIXTURE SCHEDULE
First ODI, October 22
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Second ODI, October 25
Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune
Third ODI, October 29
Venue TBC
yallacompare profile
Date of launch: 2014
Founder: Jon Richards, founder and chief executive; Samer Chebab, co-founder and chief operating officer, and Jonathan Rawlings, co-founder and chief financial officer
Based: Media City, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: 120 employees
Investors: 2014: $500,000 in a seed round led by Mulverhill Associates; 2015: $3m in Series A funding led by STC Ventures (managed by Iris Capital), Wamda and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority; 2019: $8m in Series B funding with the same investors as Series A along with Precinct Partners, Saned and Argo Ventures (the VC arm of multinational insurer Argo Group)
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
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%3Cp%3EAuthor%3A%20Shalash%3Cbr%3ETranslator%3A%20Luke%20Leafgren%3Cbr%3EPages%3A%20352%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20And%20Other%20Stories%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
