PHILANTHROPY

Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal said on Wednesday that he would leave his fortune to charitable projects in the coming years.

The size of his personal fortune, some US$32 billion (1.1 trillion baht), dwarfs most other generous billionaires who have made similar pledges in the past.

Here are some notable examples.

MELINDA AND BILL GATES

In 2000, the richest couple in the world at the time set up the Gates Foundation to raise billions of dollars to fight disease and fund education around the world. It was based in Seattle, Washington, and donated almost $4 billion in 2014.

BILL GATES AND WARREN BUFFET

In 2010, Mr Gates and billionaire US investor Warren Buffett launched the Giving Pledge, a campaign to get the richest people in the US to give half their fortune to charities. Their effort went global in early 2013. Among the more than 100 billionaires who have committed themselves are Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, Oracle boss Larry Ellison, former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, Indian IT magnate Azim Premji, Malaysian businessman Vincent Tan, British businessman Richard Branson, German IT boss Hasso Plattner, activist investor Carl Icahn and film producer George Lucas. Forbes magazine estimates Mr Gates’ fortune at $72.9 billion and that of Mr Buffett at $72.7 billion. In 2012, Mr Buffet donated $1.5 billion to the Gates Foundation.

TIM COOK

The head of Apple said this year that his entire fortune will go to charity after his death. It is currently estimated at around $120 million, plus stock options that have a current value of around $665 million.

LILIANE BETTENCOURT

The French head of L’Oreal cosmetics, and her husband created the Bettencourt Scheuller Foundation in 1987. Scheuller was the name of her father, who founded L’Oreal. Among the charities funded by the foundation is the Solthis organisation that fights Aids. Forbes puts her current worth at $40.9 billion.