$NZ1.63 billion boost for Hart, Bloomberg says
AUCKLAND: New Zealand’s richest man, Graeme Hart, has added another $US1.1 billion $NZ1.63 billion to his fortune, according to Bloomberg’s Billionaire Index.
French businessman Bernard Arnault, chief executive of luxury goods company LVMH Moat HennessyLouis Vuitton, has surpassed Microsoft’s Bill Gates to gain the title of the world’s second richest man in the latest index.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos remains the world’s richest man with a total net worth of $US125 billion ($NZ185 billion), followed by Mr Arnault with a net worth of $US108 billion and Mr Gates with $US107 billion.
Mr Gates has never been ranked below the second spot on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. His philanthropic endeavours were the biggest reasons for his slip in rankings.
According to Bloomberg, the trio’s collective wealth exceeds the individual market values of almost every company in the S&P 500 index.
Graeme Hart, New Zealand’s richest man, added more than $US1.1 billion to his fortune in the year to date — he is now worth $US6.98 billion ($NZ10.3 billion).
The owner of Aucklandbased private equity firm Rank Group is ranked as the 237th richest man in the world, according to the index.
Rank Group’s three main divisions are Reynolds Group, which owns food packaging and consumer products businesses, building materials supplier Carter Holt Harvey and vehicle parts business Automotive Group.
Mr Hart sandwiched between controversial billionaire, George Soros, a hedge fund tycoon known as the ‘‘man who broke the Bank of England’’ and fashion designer Giorgio Armani in 238th place.
Mr Hart is ranked three spots ahead of luxury fashion powerhouse Ralph Lauren who has a net worth of $US6.9 billion.
He is the only New Zealander to appear on Bloomberg’s Billionaire Index.
Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, daughter and heiress of personal care company L’Oreal’s Liliane Bettencourt, is the world’s richest woman and ranked 10th on the index.
Ms Meyers’ total net worth is $US56.3 billion, she gained more than $US10.1 billion in the calendar year and is worth more than Indian business magnate Mukesh Ambani ranked at the 13th richest man in the world with $US51.8 billion.
In third spot is American businessman and investor Warren Buffet of Berkshire Hathaway, worth $US83.9 billion, followed by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg in 5th place with $US79.5 billion.
Others in the top 10 include Amancio Ortega, Larry Ellison, Larry Page and Carlos Slim.
Six billionaires ranked in the top 10 are from America. — NZME
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