Move over, Bill Gates—a new billionaire is climbing the ladder, and she’s on fire! Meet Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, heir to the L’Oreal empire.
With a whopping 33 percent stake in the beauty giant, this mogul-in-the-making is giving Gates a run for his money! Here is how much she’s worth, and how far away she is from taking the Microsoft founder’s spot!
Meet the Lady
Francoise Bettencourt Meyers has cemented her fortune as the granddaughter of L’Oreal’s originator, Eugène Schueller. Her mother, Liliane, held the title of the world’s wealthiest woman until her passing in 2017, leaving the lofty legacy to her daughter.
As an only child inheriting her mother’s substantial wealth, Meyers’ net worth has surged over time. Forbes reports her net worth skyrocketing from $80.5 billion (£64.2 billion) to a staggering $93.1 billion (£74.2 billion) on their latest rich list. Sitting at 14th globally in the rich rankings, this leading lady of wealth continues to fortify her fortune.
The Closing Gap
Meyers is nipping at Bill Gates’ heels, with a remarkable increase of $751 million (£599 million) compared to his meager $205 million (£163 million) since their last financial update. While she’s making strides, surpassing Gates remains a lofty dream for now.
Even with these gains, the L’Oréal heiress still trails a staggering $24 billion (£19 billion) behind Gates, who stands at number seven on the list! Indeed, the climb to surpass Bill Gates requires her to keep growing at a rapid clip while Gates’ wealth remains stagnant. Even with her impressive momentum, surpassing Gates and claiming the number seven spot seems like an uphill battle.
The Top Three
Meanwhile, the top 10 rich list features Elon Musk, with a net worth of $245.1 billion, predominantly from his leadership roles in Tesla and SpaceX. Following closely is Bernard Arnault & family at $196.9 billion, the titan behind LVMH.
Securing the third spot is Jeff Bezos with $168.2 billion, driven by his pioneering strides in e-commerce through Amazon.