11 Wealthiest Women Worldwide 2024
Explore the 11 wealthiest women worldwide in 2024, from tech moguls to industry leaders, an inspiring look at success and power in the global economy.
ELEVEN (11)
Mwenda Kelvin (Chief Editor)
12/11/20246 min read
Wealthy Woman (Credit: Freepik)
Women have established their legitimate position among the wealthiest people in the world as the wealth and power landscape continues to change in 2024 where these women have transformed conventional ideas of wealth by creating empires in a variety of industries, from computer moguls to family heiresses with some of them growing and diversifying their riches, demonstrating their leadership and business intelligence, while others inherited their wealth. This blog post article dives deeply into the accomplishments, careers, and lives of the 11 richest women in the world right now at the writing of this blog post article as follows:
Alice Walton 🇺🇸
United States
Net-Worth: $103.1 Billion
Age: 75
Source: Walmart
The richest woman in the world is still Alice Walton, the daughter of Sam Walton, the founder of Walmart with a fortune of an astounding $103.1 billion at the age of 75. Alice forged her own path, even though her siblings also received a portion of Walmart's wealth following her love of art instead of accepting a corporate position at Walmart. The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, founded by Walton, debuted in Bentonville, Arkansas, in 2011. Her wealth is mostly linked to Walmart's ongoing dominance in the global retail sector, but her emphasis on philanthropy and the arts has made her stand apart and as the retail powerhouse keeps growing, so does her wealth.
Francoise Bettencourt Meyers & Family 🇫🇷
France
Net-Worth: $75.9 Billion
Age: 71
Source: L'Oréal
After her mother, Liliane Bettencourt, died in 2017, Françoise Bettencourt Meyers inherited the L'Oréal wealth making her the wealthiest woman in France, with a personal net worth of $75.9 billion, mostly from her investments in the massive beauty company L'Oréal. L'Oréal has kept growing under her leadership by making significant investments in eco-friendly goods and digital marketing. In addition to being an author and scholar, Françoise is the head of the Bettencourt Schueller Foundation, which promotes charity and scientific research. With an emphasis on inclusivity and sustainability, she has played a crucial role in directing the company's future.
Julia Koch & Family 🇺🇸
United States
Net-Worth: $74.2 Billion
Age: 62
Source: Koch, Inc.
Following the death of her husband, David Koch, in 2019, Julia Koch inherited her wealth whereby she currently owns a sizeable stake in Koch Industries, one of the biggest privately held corporations in the United States, which has stakes in industries like chemicals, energy, and livestock. Since the business is privately held and not open to public scrutiny, Julia and her three kids currently run it not forgetting that Julia Koch has made a name for herself as a philanthropist by using her fortune, especially in the areas of cancer education and research, hence the persistent power of Koch Industries, which has diversified over the years to ensure its sustained success, is reflected in her family's wealth, which is currently estimated at over $74 billion.
Jacqueline Mars 🇺🇸
United States
Net-Worth: $44.8 Billion
Age: 85
Source: Candy, pet food
Forrest Mars Sr.'s daughter, Jacqueline Mars, got a share in the family-owned Mars Inc., a well-known pet food and confectionary business. Jacqueline and her brothers own the privately owned corporation, which makes well-known items including M&Ms, Snickers, and Pedigree Petfoods, and they have a net worth of $44.8 billion. In spite of her enormous wealth, Mars is renowned for leading a low-key life but she has supported a number of organizations with her fortune, such as health, education, and animal protection. With Jacqueline at the helm of a heritage spanning more than a century, Mars Inc. continues to dominate the worldwide candy business.
Savitri Jindal & Family 🇮🇳
India
Net-Worth: $41.2 Billion
Age: 74
Source: Steel
One of India's biggest and most powerful industrial empires, the O.P. Jindal Group, is owned by Indian steel mogul Savitri Jindal where under Savitri and her kids' guidance, the company, which works in the steel, energy, and infrastructure sectors, keeps expanding. Savitri's late husband, Om Prakash Jindal, who established the organization in the 1950s, is the source of her current $41.2 billion fortune with also India's economic power being bolstered by the Jindal family's global expansion not forgetting that Savitri Jindal is also a well-known politician in India, who is a member of the state legislature.
Abigail Johnson 🇺🇸
United States
Net-Worth: $37.5 Billion
Age: 62
Source: Fidelity
The CEO of the massive financial services company Fidelity Investments, which oversees assets worth over $4 trillion, is Abigail Johnson. Her grandfather started the business, which her family owns, contributing to her estimated $37.5 billion net worth solidifying her status as a financial industry powerhouse by leading one of the biggest investment firms in the world as a woman with also Fidelity embracing technological innovation under her direction, growing into cryptocurrency services and providing digital tools for asset management and investing. Johnson supports initiatives including healthcare and educational access as a philanthropist.
Miriam Adelson & Family 🇺🇸
United States
Net-Worth: $36.0 Billion
Age: 79
Source: Casinos
After her husband, Sheldon Adelson, passed away in 2021, Miriam Adelson inherited her wealth where one of the biggest casino and resort corporations in the world, Las Vegas Sands, is the main source of the Adelson family's wealth and as the company's chairperson, Miriam has continued to broaden the company's global presence by concentrating on upscale hotels and casinos worldwide. Outside of work, Miriam is a philanthropist who has made significant donations to medical research, especially in the areas of cancer and addiction with her current net worth of $36 billion being a testament to Las Vegas Sands' long-term success and her strategic contribution to its expansion.
Rafaela Aponte-Diamant 🇨🇭
Switzerland
Net-Worth: $33.3 Billion
Age: 79
Source: Shipping
The largest privately held shipping corporation in the world, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), was co-founded by Rafaela Aponte-Diamant and her husband. Rafaela, who is originally from Switzerland, has amassed a substantial fortune through her work in the international shipping and logistics sector, which is essential to global trade and with one of the biggest fleets of container ships, MSC has expanded into ports and logistical services all over the world thanks to Rafaela's leadership with also her $33.3 billion fortune being a testament to how important shipping is to the world economy.
MacKenzie Scott 🇺🇸
United States
Net-Worth: $31.9 Billion
Age: 54
Source: Amazon
After their 2019 divorce, MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, rose to become one of the richest women in the world whereby Scott's 4% ownership of Amazon, which has increased in value as the company enters new areas, being the source of her current $31.9 billion fortune but Scott's money is not the only thing that defines her legacy; her dedication to philanthropy has earned her recognition where she promised to donate the majority of her wealth in 2020, concentrating on issues like public health, climate change, and racial fairness.
Gina Rinehart 🇦🇺
Australia
Net-Worth: $30.8 Billion
Age: 70
Source: Mining
The Australian mining tycoon Gina Rinehart is the owner of Hancock Prospecting, a business with substantial iron ore reserves making her one of the richest women in the world, with a net worth of $30.8 billion. She has grown her corporate empire by making wise investments in mining and agriculture with also being a prominent figure in Australian business and a philanthropist who backs initiatives in medical research and education. Since the mining sector continues to be a major contributor to the Australian economy, her wealth is also increasing.
Melinda French Gates 🇺🇸
United States
Net-Worth: $30.2 Billion
Age: 60
Source: Microsoft, investments
Former Microsoft founder Bill Gates' wife, Melinda French Gates, has established her own charitable and influential legacy where Melinda's Microsoft ownership and interests in a number of other businesses have contributed to her $30.2 billion net worth. Following their divorce, Melinda concentrated on her charitable endeavors through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which addresses issues such as gender inequality, poverty, and healthcare vowing to use her fortune to make the world better for everyone and has turned into an advocate for women's rights.
Summary
From technology and banking to retail, transportation, and mining, the women on the above list come from a wide variety of backgrounds, all having created or inherited empires, but their dedication to leadership, creativity, and philanthropy is what makes them unique with their achievements being a testament to their capacity to change industries and open doors for upcoming generations of women in business, in addition to their financial success. The wealthiest women in the world are demonstrating that wealth is about more than just numbers as the twenty-first century progresses; it is also about influence, impact, and legacy continuing to influence and impacting the world economy through their ventures, investments, and humanitarian endeavors.