The first woman to have 100 billion USD

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Francoise Bettencourt Meyers - the richest woman in the world - has just recorded assets reaching 100 billion USD.

According to the list of billionaires Bloomberg Billionaire's Index , as of December 28, L'Oreal cosmetics empire heir Francoise Bettencourt Meyers became the first woman in the world to own 100 billion USD.

She is currently the 12th richest person on the planet, ranked above Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani. Since the beginning of the year, her fortune has increased by $28.6 billion, thanks to a 35% increase in L'Oreal shares this year. Global consumers are still spending heavily on luxury goods since the pandemic appeared.

According to Forbes ' list of billionaires , Bettencourt Meyers's assets are nearly reaching the $100 billion mark. Currently, she has 99.6 billion USD.

Ms. Francoise Bettencourt Meyers is currently the richest woman in the world. Photo: Reuters

L'Oreal said that in 2022, Bettencourt Meyers and his family owned more than 34% of this cosmetics empire. This has helped her hold the position of richest woman in the world for many years. She is the granddaughter of L'Oreal founder Eugène Schueller.

Bettencourt Meyers first appeared on rich lists in 2018, after her mother - Liliane Bettencourt - passed away. She is currently the president of her family's investment company - Tethys and Vice President of L'Oreal Group.

However, in the luxury goods industry, Bettencourt Meyers' assets are still much lower than LVMH Chairman Bernard Arnault. The owner of the world's largest luxury goods manufacturer is currently the second richest person on the planet, with $179 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

L'Oreal Group is the world's largest cosmetics empire, owning many brands such as Lancome and Maybelline. Last year, the group's revenue was more than 38 billion euros ($42 billion).

Earlier this year, L'Oreal bought Australian brand Aesop for $2.5 billion. This is the company's largest merger and acquisition (M&A) deal to date. The old record was the $1.7 billion purchase of YSL Beauté in 2008.

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The richest women on the planet
This year is the first time in three years that a self-made billionaire has made it into Forbes' top 10 richest women in the world.

1. Françoise Bettencourt Meyers

Assets: 80.5 billion USD

Age: 69

Source of wealth: L'Oréal

Nationality: French

Bettencourt Meyers is the richest woman in the world for the third year in a row, thanks to a 12% increase in the cosmetics giant's shares last year. She is the granddaughter of the founder of the L'Oréal cosmetics empire. Bettencourt Meyers first appeared on the Forbes list in 2018, after her mother - Liliane Bettencourt - passed away.

2. Julia Koch

Photo: Julia Koch

Assets: 59 billion USD

Age: 60

Source of wealth: Koch Industries

Nationality: American

Julia Koch is the wife of the late billionaire David Koch. Koch Industries is currently one of the second largest private companies in the US. David's brother - Charles Koch is currently the chairman, holding 42% of the company's shares.

3. Alice Walton

Photo: Forbes

Assets: 56.7 billion USD

Age: 73

Source of wealth: Walmart

Nationality: American

Alice is the child of Walmart founder Sam Walton. Her assets decreased by about 9 billion USD in the past year. She was once the richest woman in the world in 2020.

4. Jacqueline Mars

Photo: Jacqueline Mars

Assets: 38.3 billion USD

Age: 83

Source of wealth: Candy, pet food

Nationality: American

Mars inherits about a third of Mars Incorporated, the candy and pet food maker that is the parent company of brands like M&M's, IAMS and Pedigree. This company was founded by her father - Frank C. Mars in 1911.

5. Miriam Adelson

Photo: Bloomberg

Assets: 35 billion USD

Age: 77

Source of wealth: Casino

Nationality: American

Miriam is the wife of the late casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson. Miriam currently owns nearly 50% of her husband's shares in Las Vegas Sands after he passed away in early 2021. As a doctor, she has donated nearly 1 billion USD to charity for drug research.

6. Rafaela Aponte-Diamant

Photo: Forbes

Assets: 31.2 billion USD

Age: 78

Source of wealth: Shipping

Nationality: Italian

Aponte-Diamant is the first self-made female billionaire to join the top 10. Most of her assets come from MSC - one of the world's largest shipping companies. She and her husband co-founded MSC in 1970 with just one ship.

7. Susanne Klatten

Photo: Bloomberg

Assets: 27.4 billion USD

Age: 60

Source of wealth: BMW, pharmaceuticals

Nationality Germany

Susanne Klatten owns 19% of the German car company BMW, which she inherited from her parents - Johanna Quandt and Herbert Quandt. Quandt is the man who saved the German car company from bankruptcy in 1959. Klatten also owns the Altana chemical company.

8. Gina Rinehart

Photo: Gina Rinehart

Assets: 27 billion USD

Age: 69

Source of wealth: Mining

Nationality: Australian

Rinehart is the president of mining and agriculture firm Hancock Prospecting Group - the company founded by her father - Lang Hancock. Her assets have decreased by 11% in the past year, mainly due to falling iron ore prices.

9. MacKenzie Scott

Photo: Bloomberg

Assets: 24.4 billion USD

Age: 52

Source of wealth: Amazon

Nationality: American

Since divorcing Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in 2019 and receiving 4% of the company's shares, Scott has been actively doing charity work. To date, she has donated more than 14 billion USD to 1,600 organizations.

10. Iris Fontbona

Photo: Iris Fontbona

Assets: 23.1 billion USD

Age: 80

Source of wealth: Mining

Nationality: Chilean

Fontbona is the wife of mining and beverage tycoon Andrónico Luksic. He died of cancer in 2005. Fontbona and his family currently own copper mines in Chile through Antofagasta - a company listed on the London stock exchange. They also hold a large stake in Quiñenco - a Chilean company doing business in banking, beer and manufacturing.