In a world where wealth and power have long been dominated by men, an increasing number of women are breaking through the glass ceiling to make their mark as billionaires. In 2024, we have witnessed a remarkable surge in wealth creation, with the net worth of the world’s wealthiest individuals rising sharply. Women are now occupying a small but growing segment of Forbes’ World Billionaires list. This year, the latest data from Forbes reveals a notable rise in the number of women billionaires compared to the previous year.
World’s Wealthiest Woman in August 2024
Francoise Bettencourt Meyers and her family hold the top spot as the richest woman in the world with a net worth of $88.2 billion. She is the heiress to the L’Oréal fortune, one of the largest cosmetic companies globally. Bettencourt Meyers has significantly expanded her wealth through prudent investments and strategic leadership within the company.
Alice Walton, with a net worth of $82.2 billion, is the second richest woman in the world. She is the daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton and has played a pivotal role in the family’s retail empire. In addition to her contributions to Walmart, Alice is known for her extensive art collection and philanthropic efforts in the arts.
Julia Koch and her family rank third among the world’s wealthiest women, with a net worth of $74.6 billion. She inherited her fortune from her late husband, David Koch, who co-owned Koch Industries. Julia has since been involved in managing the family’s business interests and philanthropic activities, continuing the Koch legacy in both industry and charity.
Richest Woman in the World in August 2024
Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, at 70, and her family hold the title of the richest woman in the world, with a net worth of $88.2 billion. As the granddaughter of L’Oréal’s founder, she and her family own over a third of the company. Despite the pandemic’s impact, L’Oréal’s performance has rebounded, helping Francoise become the first woman to reach $100 billion in fortune by the end of 2023. She serves as the chairwoman of the family holding company.
Top-10 Richest Women in the World in August 2024
Francoise Bettencourt Meyers with the net worth of $88.2 billion, holds the title of the richest woman in the world, followed by Alice Walton, Julia Koch and Savitri Jindal.
Here is the list of top-10 richest women in the world in August 2024:
Top-10 Richest Women in the World in August 2024 | |||
Rank | Name | Net Worth ($ billions) | Source of Wealth |
1. | Francoise Bettencourt Meyers and Family | $88.2 billion | L’Oreal |
2. | Alice Walton | $82.2 billion | Walmart |
3. | Julia Koch and Family | $74.6 billion | Koch Industries |
4. | Savitri Jindal & Family | $39.5 billion | JSW Group |
5. | Jacqueline Mars | $38.5 billion | Mars Inc. |
6. | Rafaela Aponte-Diamant | $34.7 billion | Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) Group |
7. | Mackenzie Scott | $34.1 billion | Amazon |
8. | Abigail Johnson | $31.3 billion | Fidelity Investments |
9. | Gina Rinehart | $30.4 billion | Hancock Prospecting |
10. | Elaine Marshall & Family | $28.4 billion | Koch Industries |
Richest Woman of the World – Francoise Bettencourt Meyers
Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, aged 70 years, is the richest woman in the world with an estimated net worth of $88.2 billion as of August 2024. A French businesswoman, philanthropist, and writer, she inherited her fortune from her late mother, Liliane Bettencourt, and is the granddaughter of L’Oréal founder Eugène Schueller. Her wealth surged due to smart investments via her family holding company, Téthys Invest, and the high valuation of L’Oréal shares.
Second Wealthiest Woman in the World – Alice Walton
Alice Louise Walton, aged 74 years, is the second wealthiest woman in the world. As the daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton, she inherited a significant portion of the family’s fortune. By November 2023, Walton’s net worth reached $71 billion, making her the 17th richest person globally, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, following Françoise Bettencourt Meyers. Her substantial wealth is primarily derived from her substantial holdings in Walmart.
World’s Third Richest Woman – Julia Koch
Julia Margaret Flesher Koch, aged 62 years, is a prominent American socialite and philanthropist, and one of the wealthiest women globally. As of August 2024, she ranked as the third richest woman in the world with a net worth of $74.6 billion, according to Forbes. She inherited her wealth from her late husband, David Koch, who passed away in 2019.