Krit joins 'Forbes' list of world's richest
Krit Ratanarak, the helmsman of his family's banking and television empire, joins the ranks of the world's richest people for the first time, according to Forbes, with a net worth of US$1.2 billion (Bt37 billion).
Krit is chairman and CEO of Bangkok Broadcasting & TV, which operates Channel 7. The family is a major shareholder in Bank of Ayudhya and Siam City Cement, both founded by Krit’s late father Chuan.
Krit was among five Thais and 1,226 individuals worldwide whose net worth exceeds $1 billion. He is among the 128 billionaires worldwide new to the list, compared to 214 in 2011, while 117 dropped off.
The other four Thais are Dhanin Chearavanont and family at No 133 with net worth of $7 billion, Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi at No 184 with $5.5 billion, Chaleo Yoovidhya at No 205 with $5 billion and Aloke Lohia at No 683 with $1.9 billion.
Lohia, whose family owns most of Indorama Ventures, which claims to be the world’s longest polyester value chain business, made his entry into the list last year.
Based on www.forbes.com/billionaires, although the rich are reeling from global uncertainties, the number of billionaires worldwide – in the 25th anniversary of the rankings – hit a new record, at 1,226, up from 1,210 in the previous survey. However, their average net worth was unchanged at $3.7 billion, while their combined net worth rose by $100 billion to $4.6 trillion.
For the third year in a row, Carlos Slim Helu of Mexico, chairman of telecom firm Fundacion Telmex, was named the richest man in the world with a family net worth of$69 billion.
Bill Gates retained the second spot with $61 billion, followed by Warren Buffett with $44 billion and Europe’s richest person, Bernard Arnault, with $41 billion. Amancio Ortega of Spain joins the top five with $37.5 billion, an increase of $6.5 billion from 2011.
The billionaires came from 58 countries, including new addition Morocco. The US led with 425 members in the exclusive club, followed by Asia-Pacific with 315, Europe with 310, the Americas with 90 and the Middle East and Africa with 86.
At 41, Spanx founder and newcomer Sara Blakely is the youngest self-made woman in the billionaires club, at No 1,153 with net worth of $1 billion. Altogether 104 women featured on the list this year.
