WHERE THE WORLD’S WEALTHIEST INVEST

Being a billionaire is beyond the imagination of most people. Here’s a look at how ten of the richest people across the globe made and invested their money

Bernard Arnault Chairman of LVMH Estimated net worth: $38.1 billion (Dh139.9 billion) Arnault, 67, is the richest man in France. Through his Groupe Arnault, the Parisian is at the helm of luxury goods companies Christian Dior and LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. His vast wealth sits predominantly in companies he controls. He has $34.8 billion held among Christian Dior, LVMH and Carrefour, a French retail chain. The next largest distribution is in cash at $2.9 billion; this is money from salaries, dividends and holdings that give him liquidity when he needs it. Then come the homes: a mansion in Paris worth $55 million and a home in the Bahamas worth $30 million, as well as yachts and art. Shari Arison Owner of the Arison Group Estimated net worth: $5.6 billion (Dh20.5 billion) Arison, 59, was born in New York but splits her time now between Tel Aviv and Miami. Her father, Ted Arison, started Carnival Cruise Line in 1972. In 1990, he established Arison Investments. It later acquired Bank Hapoalim, Israel’s largest bank, and renamed the company the Arison Group. It has investments in finance, real estate, infrastructure, renewable energy and water. When her father died in 1999, Arison inherited 35 per cent of his wealth. Arison’s wealth is divided among different investments. She owns $1.6 billion of stock in Carnival Cruise Line, $1.6 billion of stock in Bank Hapoalim, $1.1 billion in the Arison Group and holds $1 billion in cash. Steven A. Ballmer Former chief executive of Microsoft Estimated net worth: $30.8 billion (Dh113 billion) Ballmer, 60, lived in the same dorm as Bill Gates, the cofounder of Microsoft. In 1980, he dropped out of Stanford University’s business school to start working for Gates. He was paid $50,000, but given a stake in the nascent company. He rose to become chief executive in 2000 — a post he held for nearly 14 years. Shortly after stepping down, he bought the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team for a record $2 billion. Even though Ballmer left Microsoft, the vast bulk of his wealth remains in company stock — $21.4 billion. He has $7.3 billion more in cash. He also has $450 million in Twitter shares. Ma Jianrong Executive Chairman of Shenzhou International Group Holdings Estimated net worth: $4.3 billion (Dh15.7 billion) Ever worn Nike, adidas, Puma or Uniqlo? Those items may have come from one of Ma Jianrong’s factories. Ma, 52, began working in the textile industry as a teenager and later earned a master’s degree from Zhejiang University of Technology. His father, Ma Baoxing, was chairman of the weaving company that became Shenzhou International Group Holdings. In the 1990s, the younger Ma took over the company and increased its revenue and net profit by 23 times in seven years. He seems to have about $340 million in cash, with the rest in Shenzhou International Group Holdings. Susanne Klatten Deputy Chairwoman of Altana Estimated net worth: $20 billion (Dh73 billion) Klatten, 54, the richest woman in Germany, can trace the source of her wealth to “the ultimate driving machine”, BMW. Her grandfather founded an industrial conglomerate that owned the German automotive company. It also owned the chemical giant Altana. Her father, Herbert Quandt, took over the family businesses when his father died in 1954. She is also chairwoman of the SGL Group. Her wealth is tied up in her companies, with over half, or $12.1 billion, in the BMW Group. An additional 16 per cent is in Altana, and 1 per cent is in the SGL Group. She has 22.5 per cent in cash. Patrice Motsepe Executive Chairman of African Rainbow Minerals Estimated net worth: $2.1 billion (Dh7.7 billion) Patrice Motsepe, 55, was born in Johannesburg and began his career as a lawyer with American firms in South Africa. In 1994, after Nelson Mandela became the country’s first black president, Motsepe quit law to start Future Mining, a mining services company. Then he began acquiring mines and other mining companies. By 2004, the accumulated entities became African Rainbow Minerals. He has nearly 30 per cent in Africa Rainbow Minerals, and a similar amount in Sanlam, a financial services firm. Some 5 per cent of his wealth is in the Harmony Gold Mining Company. Two of his homes are worth $7 million. Azim Premji Chairman of Wipro Estimated net worth: $10 billion (Dh36.7 billion) Premji, 71, was born into the family that started Western India Vegetable Products, which produced hydrogenated oils. When Premji was at Stanford University, his father died, and he left college to take it over. At 23, he became chief executive. In 1981, he ventured into information technology. Of his wealth, 64 per cent remains in Wipro shares. An additional 13 per cent is in a related company, Wipro Enterprises, and 20 per cent is shielded by his family office. Public records show that he has a $20 million stake in JM Financial (about 0.2 per cent of his wealth), $180 million in cash and $1 million in property in Mumbai. Peggy Cherng Co-founder of the Panda Restaurant Group Estimated net worth: $1.5 billion (Dh5.5 billion) In search of quick Chinese food? Panda Express is there to serve some up. Peggy Cherng, 69, founded the chain with her husband, Andrew. She began her career at the defence contractor McDonnell Douglas. She and her husband live in California.

Her largest holding is in the Panda Restaurant Group, which also owns Panda Inn. It is worth $1.2 billion, or 77 per cent of her wealth. Nearly 19 per cent of her wealth is in cash. She also has a large position, some $60 million, in the Golden Eagle Retail Group, a real estate development company. The rest of her wealth is in three homes in California. Carlos Alberto Sicupira Director of 3G Capital Estimated net worth: $8.6 billion (Dh31.5 billion) Sicupira, who turns 69 this year, hails from São Paulo, Brazil. He is a founder of 3G Capital, a private equity firm that is known for partnering with Warren E. Buffett, the second-wealthiest man in the world. Much of Sicupira’s wealth rests in a series of deals 3G did with breweries starting in 1999. He has a $5.8 billion stake in the combined Anheuser-Busch InBev, which accounts for nearly 67 per cent of his wealth. He has nearly $1 billion more in 3G itself. He still holds a $220 million stake in Lojas Americanas, where he remains chairman. He has an additional $1.6 billion in cash and a $2.5 million apartment on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. Kevin Systrom Chief Executive of Instagram Estimated net worth: $1.2 billion (Dh4.4 billion) Systrom, 33, is a founder of the photo-sharing site Instagram. Systrom went to Stanford University and, after graduating in 2006, put in time at Google before venturing out on his own. In 2010, he and a friend got the idea for Instagram. Two years later, the company was acquired by Facebook for $1 billion in cash and stock. He owned 40 per cent of the company. He remains the chief executive. Systrom’s wealth is tied to Facebook — at 88 per cent. But he has about $160 million in cash. He also has $600,000 in Walmart stock from his role as a director of the company and the chairman of its technology and e-commerce committee.