Global billionaires on the increase: Forbes
The world is reeling from global uncertainties but the number of billionaires worldwide has hit a new record high, according to Forbes Magazine.
In the 25th anniversary of the rankings, the magazine found that 1,226 billionaires make the 2012 list of the World’s Richest People, against 1,210 in the previous year.
Five billionaires from Thailand are listed - Dhanin Chearavanont and family (No 133) with a net worth of US$7 billion; Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi (No 184, $5.5 billion); Chaleo Yoovidhya (No. 205, $5 billion); Aloke Lohia (No 683, $1.9 billion); and Krit Ratanarak (No. 1015, $1.2 billion).
For the third year in a row, Carlos Slim Helu of Mexico, chairman of telecom firm Fundacion Telmex, is named the richest man in the world with a net family worth of US$69 billion.
Bill Gates retains the No 2 spot with a net worth of $61 billion, followed by Warren Buffett with a net worth of $44 billion and Europe's richest person, Bernard Arnault with $41 billion. Amancio Ortega of Spain joins the Top 5 for the first time, with a net worth of $37.5 billion, an increase in fortune of $6.5 billion from 2011.
According to Forbes, in a year of churn and burn, 128 billionaires are new to the list (compared with 214 newcomers in 2011), while 117 dropped off. Added together, the total net worth for this year's billionaires is $4.6 trillion, up $100 billion from $4.5 trillion last year.
Billionaires came from 58 countries, including new addition Morocco, which had three people make it this year. The US leads the list, with 425 billionaires, followed by Asia-Pacific (315), Europe (310), The Americas (90) and the Middle East & Africa (86). At 41, Spanx founder and newcomer Sara Blakely (No. 1,153) is the youngest self-made woman in the billionaires club, with a net worth of $1 billion. A total 104 women made the list. Christy Walton (No. 11) is still the richest woman in the world - for the seventh year in a row - with a net worth of $25.3 billion. Other notable newcomers: Under Armour CEO/Founder Kevin Plank (No. 1075), and Michael Kors' financial backers Silas Chou (No. 634) and Lawrence Stroll (No. 719).
Notable drop-offs include JK Rowling, Australian Gerald Harvey (Harvey Norman discount retail stores), Jim Balsillie (Research in Motion, maker of BlackBerry) and Apple co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs, who passed away in October 2011.
