The World’s 200 Richest People(2005)

Compiled by Forbes

(Each listing will include the rank, name, age, worth [in $billions], country of citizenship, and residence, along withbrief biographical information.)

1 William Gates III, 49, $46.5bn, USA, Medina, Wash. (USA)Industry: SoftwareMarital Status: married , 3 childrenHarvard University, Drop Out

Gates was given honorary knighthood in March, but don’t call him SirWilliam: the title is only good for citizens of the Commonwealth. He isstaying plenty busy pressing Microsoft beyond PCs into television set-topboxes, games, cell phones. “Software is where the action is,” Gatesproclaimed to company researchers last August. Competition from rivalopen source operating system, Linux, is stalling Microsoft’s growth in theserver market, but desktop dominance remains intact: Windows installed in94% of PCs being sold. Next version, Longhorn, should be ready in 2006.Microsoft, meanwhile, is pursuing online music, photos and searchsoftware. Gates is methodically diversifying his wealth: He sells 20 million shares each quarter, reinveststhrough Cascade Investment in non-tech companies, including big stakes in Cox Communications, CanadianNational Railway, Republic Services. World’s biggest philanthropist also devoting $27 billion to good deeds.Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation fights infectious diseases (hepatitis B, AIDS), funds vaccine development,helps high schools.

2 Warren Buffett, 74, $44.0bn, USA, Omaha, Neb. (USA)Industry: InvestmentsMarital Status: widowed , 3 childrenUniversity of Nebraska Lincoln, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceColumbia University, Master of Science

Newspaper delivery boy filed first 1040 at age 13; claimed $35deduction for bicycle. Studied under Benjamin Graham at Columbia.Applied value-investing principles to build Berkshire Hathaway to $133billion (market cap) holding company: insurance, energy, carpets, jewelry,furniture, paint (Benjamin Moore), apparel (Fruit of the Loom). Also bigstakes in American Express, Coca-Cola, Gillette (now set to merge withProcter & Gamble). Admits Berkshire’s $30 billion-plus cash hoard isunderutilized: “It’s a painful condition to be in, but not as painful as doingsomething stupid... [Vice Chairman] Charlie [Munger] and I detest takingeven small risks.” Recent bets include Pier One Imports, Comcast, food distributor McLane. Bought mobile-home maker Clayton Homes after reading autobiography by company founder. “If we fail, we will have no ex-cuses.” Since taking control of Berkshire has delivered compound annual return of 24%. Outspoken opponentof Bush tax cuts, courted as adviser to pols Arnold Schwarzenegger and John Kerry. Critic of lax corporategovernance, became target of failed campaign to vote him off Coca-Cola board. Fanatical supporters still faroutnumber critics: Berkshire’s folksy annual meeting crowds routinely top 15,000.

3 Lakshmi Mittal, 54, $25.0bn, India, London (UK)Industry: ManufacturingMarital Status: married , 2 childrenSt. Xavier’s College Calcutta, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Coming-out year for the steel titan, who now oversees the world’s largest steel company,Mittal Steel. In December he merged his Ispat International with Ohio-based InternationalSteel Group. Owns 88% of the $31.5 billion (sales) company. Recently shelled out $100million for a new 12-bedroom mansion in London’s posh Kensington neighborhood. Also reportedly dropped$60 million to host his daughter’s five-day-long wedding celebration in Versailles last summer.

4 Carlos Slim Helu, 65, $23.8bn, Mexico, Mexico City (Mexico)Industry: CommunicationsMarital Status: widowed , 6 children

Just call him Midas. Latin America’s richest man upped his wealth this year byan incredible $10 billion, thanks to a growing and diverse empire that includesholdings in retail, banking and insurance, and auto parts manufacturing. Shares ofhis flagship wireless telecom outfit, América Movil, soared 76% during the year.And his fixed-line operator, Telefonos de Mexico, or Telmex, is reportedly gearingup to double its customer base this year, primarily in Mexico, by signing up600,000 broadband Internet subscribers. As one of its largest shareholders, Slimwas purportedly contemplating taking MCI private—until Verizon bid to acquirethe beaten-down phone company in February. Said to have one of Latin America’slargest collections of Rodin sculptures; is also the founder of Foundation of the Historic Center of MexicoCity, dedicated to restoring colonial buildings in Mexico City’s historic city center.

5 Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud, 48, $23.7bn, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia)Industry: InvestmentsMarital Status: married , 2 childrenMenlo College, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceSyracuse University, Master of Science

This savvy global investor and nephew of the Saudi king continues tothrive on deal-making—in addition to a dash of pro-American politicalcrusading. His fortune, anchored by a $10 billion stake in Citigroup, waslifted in part by a 116% rise in the Saudi stock market in 2004. Last year heunloaded his half of New York’s Plaza Hotel and plowed the profits intobuying stakes in London’s Savoy Hotel and Monaco’s Monte Carlo Grand.In January he helped bail out an ailing Disneyland-Paris with a $30 millioncash injection. A vocal supporter of women’s rights, he hired the firstfemale airplane pilot in Saudi Arabia, a country where women still can’tlegally drive. Clearly pleased with his stock picking prowess, he took outads on CNN touting his holdings. “We’re telling the market all these companies are number one in their field,”crows Alwaleed.

6 Ingvar Kamprad, 78, $23.0bn, Sweden, Lausanne (Switzerland)Industry: RetailingMarital Status: married , 4 children

Founder and owner of $16.4 billion (sales) IKEA, the preferred furniturecompany for the hip and cost-conscious. Cult-like following: store openings drawhuge, occasionally unruly crowds, sometimes resulting in stampedes or in one casetwo deaths. Stories of Kamprad parsimony abound: He reportedly flies economy,stays in cheap hotels and so on. But he doesn’t deprive himself entirely: owns a poshvilla in Sweden, a 17-hectare winery in Provence and lives in wealthy-friendlySwitzerland rather than Sweden.

7 Paul Allen, 52, $21.0bn, USA, Seattle, Wash. (USA)Industry: SoftwareMarital Status: singleWashington State University, Drop Out

Microsoft cofounder still a believer in “wired world,” though these daysjettisoning investments like TechTV in favor of biotech. Stock in cablecompany Charter Communications languishing, thanks to an assist from theindictment of 4 executives on charges of inflating company’s results. Othermisfortune with investment in troubled telecom provider RCN; last year hesold his stake at a big loss. Still managing to have a good time elsewhere.Owns pro football’s Seattle Seahawks, basketball’s Portland Trail Blazers.Financial backer of SpaceShipOne, first to launch private flight into suborbitalspace. Added Science Fiction Museum to his Experience Music Project in

Seattle; includes captain’s chair from the original Star Trek. Other captain’s chair sits high atop the Octopus,

413-foot yacht armed with 2 helicopters and a 60-foot submarine. His Paul G. Allen Family Foundation hasdonated heavily to education, art and science causes. Joined buddy Bill Gates in 1975, left the company in1983 to fight Hodgkin’s disease. Has been slowly selling off Microsoft stake ever since.

8 Karl Albrecht, 85, $18.5bn, Germany, Mülheim an der Ruhr (Germany)Industry: RetailingMarital Status: married , 1 child

Richest man in Germany. With younger brother, Theo, turned mother’s corner grocery store into discountsupermarket giant Aldi. Now has 7,000 stores and estimated $50 billion in sales. Karl used to manage moreprofitable southern half of Aldi’s German business, but has since retired. Fiercely private, he apparently lovesgolf and raises orchids.

9 Lawrence Ellison, 60, $18.4bn, USA, Silicon Valley, Calif. (USA)Industry: SoftwareMarital Status: married , 2 childrenUniversity of Illinois, Drop Out

Chicago native cofounded database software firm Oracle in 1977 and took itpublic in 1986, one day before Microsoft; nipping at rival’s heels ever since. ToutsDarwinian view of software industry, decreeing that all but the largest players aredoomed. Just as competitive on the high seas: Ellison’s a tenacious competitor inthe America’s Cup and his BMW Oracle Racing team looks to be in fighting trimleading up to the 2007 race. A visionary very attached to his own vision of things,he gave exclusive access to a biographer in exchange for being allowed to pepperthe book with footnotes giving his own version of events. Latest footnote: adding PeopleSoft to Oracle’s arse-nal.

10 S. Robson Walton, 61, $18.3bn, USA, Bentonville, Ark. (USA)Industry: RetailingMarital Status: divorced , 3 childrenUniversity of Arkansas, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceColumbia University, Doctor of Jurisprudence

Eldest son of Sam Walton (d. 1992), legendary merchant who opened first discount store in Rogers, Ark. in1962. Took Wal-Mart public in 1970; explosive growth. Wal-Mart is now the world’s largest retailer, withmore than 5,000 stores. Serves as Wal-Mart chairman. Retail giant is now selling softer side after barrage ofcriticism over poor worker benefits and strong-arming suppliers. Family donates via Walton Family Founda-tion.

11 Jim Walton, 57, $18.2bn, USA, Bentonville, Ark. (USA)Industry: RetailingMarital Status: married , 4 children

Youngest son of Sam Walton (d. 1992), legendary merchant who opened firstdiscount store in Rogers, Ark. in 1962. Took Wal-Mart public 1970; explosive growth.Wal-Mart now world’s largest retailer, with more than 5,000 stores. Though not activein company, Jim is president of Arvest, Arkansas’ biggest bank. Retail giant nowselling softer side after barrage of criticism over poor worker benefits, strong-armingsuppliers. Family donates via Walton Family Founda-tion.

11 John Walton, 59, $18.2bn, USA, Bentonville, Ark. (USA)Industry: RetailingMarital Status: married , 1 child

Son of Sam Walton (d. 1992), legendary merchant who opened firstdiscount store in Rogers, Ark. in 1962. Took Wal-Mart public 1970; explosivegrowth. Wal-Mart now world’s largest retailer, with more than 5,000 stores.Serves as a director. Retail giant now selling softer side after barrage ofcriticism over poor worker benefits, strong-arming suppliers. Family donatesvia Walton Family Foundation.

13 Alice Walton, 56, $18.0bn, USA, Fort Worth, Texas (USA)Industry: RetailingMarital Status: divorcedTrinity University of San Antonio, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Only daughter of Sam Walton (d. 1992), legendary merchant who openedfirst discount store in Rogers, Ark. in 1962. Took Wal-Mart public 1970;explosive growth. Wal-Mart now world’s largest retailer, with more than5,000 stores. Alice raises horses on Texas ranch, not active in company.Retail giant now selling softer side after barrage of criticism over poor workerbenefits, strong-arming suppliers. Family donates via Walton FamilyFoundation.

13 Helen Walton, 85, $18.0bn, USA, Bentonville, Ark. (USA)Industry: RetailingMarital Status: widowed , 4 childrenUniversity of Oklahoma, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Widow of Sam Walton (d. 1992), legendary merchant who opened firstdiscount store in Rogers, Ark. in 1962. Took Wal-Mart public 1970; explosivegrowth. Wal-Mart now world’s largest retailer, with more than 5,000 stores.Helen not active in company. Retail giant now selling softer side after barrageof criticism over poor worker benefits, strong-arming suppliers. Family donatesvia Walton Family Foundation.

15 Kenneth Thomson & family, 81, $17.9bn, Canada, Toronto (Canada)Industry: Media/EntertainmentMarital Status: married , 3 children

Sir Kenneth passed along chairmanship of $8.1 billion (sales) ThomsonCorp. to son David in 2002. Derives wealth from 69% stake in media giantThomson, now entrenched in electronic media and information services such asThomson ONE and Westlaw. Sold Thomson Media and its 54 tradepublications to Bahrain-based Investcorp for $350 million late last year.Company also investing in financial software infrastructure; bought bond-trading platform TradeWeb for $385 million. Thomson remains obsessed withhis famous art collection. Donated more than $300 million in paintings in 2002to the Art Gallery of Ontario, then pledged $50 million for an expansion thefollowing year. Among the trove of 3,000 works: “Massacre of the Innocents,”a long-lost masterpiece by Rubens that Thomson bought for $77 million, the third-highest price ever paid for apainting at auction, and the highest for an Old Master.

16 Liliane Bettencourt, 82, $17.2bn, France, Paris (France)Industry: ManufacturingMarital Status: widowed , 1 child

As daughter of L’Oréal founder Eugene Schueller, Bettencourt has held on to hercontrolling 27% stake in the cosmetics company for some four decades, securing herspot as France’s richest resident. She has always shunned the press, perhaps to avoidpersistent rumors of both her father’s checkered wartime past and her late husbandAndré’s journalistic screeds against Jews. Her pet cause is the Bettencourt SchuellerFoundation, which awards the Liliane Bettencourt Prize for Life Sciences to aEuropean researcher under the age of 45.

17 Bernard Arnault, 56, $17.0bn, France, Paris (France)Industry: DiversifiedMarital Status: married , 5 childrenEcole Polytechnique de Paris, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Founder and chief of sprawling LVMH empire, peddler of must-haveaccoutrements for the rich and powerful. Among his brands: Dom Perignon, Fendi,Louis Vuitton, and TAG Heuer. Virtually all of Arnault’s fortune is tied up in his near-50% stake in LVMH. Another Arnault to watch: eldest child Delphine, 29, whooverseas company’s Christian Dior shoe and bag business, and is on the board ofdirectors.

18 Michael Dell, 40, $16.0bn, USA, Austin, Texas (USA)Industry: TechnologyMarital Status: married , 4 childrenUniversity of Texas Austin, Drop Out

Founder of world’s biggest PC maker stepped down as chief executive last July,but remains chairman, works closely with successor Kevin Rollins to push companytoward goal of $60 billion in sales by 2007. As a 19-year-old college kid startedcompany from his University of Texas dorm room. Grew fast with low cost, lowR&D, direct-sales model. Now beginning to compete in media software, printers,other gizmos. Diversifying wealth by selling stock, reinvesting through MSD Capitalin other ventures, including 377-room luxury Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea,Hawaii. Other investments: stakes in International House of Pancakes, Dollar ThriftyAutomotive Group, Tyler Technologies, Indiana restaurant chain Steak n Shake.

19 Sheldon Adelson, 71, $15.6bn, USA, Las Vegas, Nev. (USA)Industry: ServiceMarital Status: married , 5 childrenCity College of New York, Drop Out

Casino mogul hit jackpot with December public offering of his Las Vegas Sands;company’s stock rose 61% on first day of trading, pushing Adelson’s net worth up767% from a year ago. The owner of the Venetian in Las Vegas now fully entrenchedin Asian gambling mecca Macau: $265 million Sands Macau casino opened in May2004; says he will recoup investment after the first year of operation. Constructionramping up on his Cotai Strip, an estimated $6 billion project that will put 7 hotel-casinos on a piece of reclaimed land between Macau’s two islands, Taipa and Coloane.Back in Vegas, building the Palazzo, new $1.8 billion casino next to the Venetian. Still feuding with arch-nemesis Steve Wynn over parking, though Adelson having last laugh: With net worth of $15.6 billion, seven-times richer than his rival. Admitted Broadway enthusiast who studied voice in his teens bringing The Phantomof the Opera to the Venetian 2006. Made first fortune in trade shows, selling Comdex to Japan’s Softbank for$862 million in 1995.

20 Theo Albrecht, 83, $15.5bn, Germany, Foehr (Germany)Industry: RetailingMarital Status: married , 2 children

With older brother, Karl, turned mother’s corner grocery store into discount supermarket giant Aldi. Nowhas 7,000 stores and estimated $50 billion in sales. At age 83, is still hands-on, running the business’ less-profitable Aldi Nord; his two sons are also executives there. Has U.S. holdings including gourmet food retailerTrader Joe’s and an 8% stake in Boise, Idaho-based Albertson’s supermarkets. Intensely private, is said to col-lect old typewriters, loves to golf and is extremely thrifty.

21 Roman Abramovich,38, $13.3bn, Russia, London (UK)Industry: Oil/GasMarital Status: married , 5 childrenDrop Out

Orphaned as a child, Abramovich dropped out of college, then made a fortunein a series of controversial oil-export deals in the early 1990s. His fortune tookoff in 1995 when he teamed up with Boris Berezovsky to take over oil giantSibneft at a fraction of its market value. (When Berezovsky fled Russia in 2000 toescape fraud charges, he sold out to Abramovich.) His British-registeredMillhouse Capital also has holdings in pharmaceuticals and heavy industry.Spending his fortune conspicuously—in the past two years he has spent an es-timated $700 million on expensive playthings like the Pelorus yacht and theChelsea Football club.

22 Li Ka-shing, 76, $13.0bn, Hong Kong, Hong KongIndustry: DiversifiedMarital Status: widowed , 2 childrenHigh School, Drop Out

Asia’s richest and most influential businessman. Centered on the conglomeratesHutchinson Whampoa and Cheung Kong, Li’s empire spans 40 countries and accountsfor 11.5% of Hong Kong’s stock market value. Leading real estate developer, cell phoneprovider and retailer, and the major supplier of electricity in Hong Kong. Also theworld’s largest operator of container terminals. This year Li sold his $1 billion stake of

Canadian Imperial Bank and donated all proceeds to his charities, including a new Canadian Li Ka-shingFoundation. Both his sons Richard and Victor hold Canadian citizenship.

23 Amancio Ortega, 69, $12.6bn, Spain, La Coruna (Spain)Industry: ApparelMarital Status: married , 3 childrenHigh School, Drop Out

Spain’s wealthiest man. Son of a railway worker in Asturias, started makinggowns and lingerie in his home with the help of ex-wife Rosalia Mera. Eventuallybecame $5.8 billion (2003 revenues) Inditex, an apparel manufacturer that alsoowns Zara retail stores. Has investment groups own stakes in such companies asBrisa Auto Estradas, Union Electrica Fenosa and hotel chain NH Hoteles.Reportedly loves horses.

24 Steven Ballmer, 49, $12.1bn, USA, Redmond, Wash. (USA)Industry: SoftwareMarital Status: married , 2 childrenHarvard University, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceStanford University, Master of Business Administration

“I’m confident we have some of the greatest dollar growth prospects in frontof us of any company in the world, full stop, period-without question, it’s there.”So said Microsoft’s chief executive and boisterous booster last July. Citescorporate servers and America’s living room, where Xbox commands a growingshare of U.S. gaming market. Yet Microsoft is decidedly more mature now, withrecent $32 billion cash dividend, cost-cutting and settling of old feuds with SunMicrosystems, Apple Computer, Time Warner and dozens of federal and statetrustbusters. Native of Detroit quit Stanford MBA program to join Harvard

classmate (and dropout) Bill Gates in 1980. At the helm of Microsoft since 1998.

25 Silvio Berlusconi, 68, $12.0bn, Italy, North of Milan (Italy)Industry: Media/EntertainmentMarital Status: married , 5 childrenUniversity of Milan, Doctor of Jurisprudence

Italy’s wealthiest man has been its prime minister since 2001. He wasacquitted in December of charges that he bribed a judge in 1985 to block thesale of a food company to a business rival. In December, he resigned aspresident of ACMilan soccer team to conform with Italian laws prohibitingthe prime minister from running private companies while in office. Hisinvestment holding company, Fininvest, owns more than half of Mediaset,one of Italy’s largest television networks. Also has banking, insurance andpublishing interests. Still has time for leisure pursuits like singing andgardening.

25 Abigail Johnson, 43, $12.0bn, USA, Boston, Mass. (USA)Industry: FinanceMarital Status: married , 2 childrenWilliam Smith College, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceHarvard University, Master of Arts

With father, Edward, runs Fidelity Investments, America’s largest mutualfund company: $1.1 trillion under management. Art history major at Hobartand William Smith Colleges interned at firm 1980. Spent 2 years as consultantfor Booz Allen Hamilton, then Harvard MBA. Returned to Fidelity 1988,followed machinery and automation stocks, managed sector funds. Ran firstdiversified fund 1993, became president of company’s mutual fund division in2001. Avoided taint of corruption by keeping money managers from markettiming. Father reduced ownership for estate planning in 1995; now FMR’slargest shareholder.

27 Barbara Cox Anthony, 81, $11.7bn, USA, Honolulu, Hawaii (USA)Industry: Media/EntertainmentMarital Status: married , 2 childrenHigh School, Diploma

With sister Anne Cox Chambers, two daughters of James M. Cox (d. 1957), a high school dropout whoworked as a reporter and congressional secretary before buying Dayton Evening News for $26,000 in 1898.Built media empire: newspapers (17 daily metros, including flagship Atlanta Journal-Constitution), 15 TV sta-tions, 78 radio stations, cable systems. Anne: former ambassador to Belgium under Carter. Barbara’s son,James Cox Kennedy, oversees business.

27 Anne Cox Chambers, 85, $11.7bn, USA, Atlanta, Ga. (USA)Industry: Media/EntertainmentMarital Status: divorced , 3 childrenHigh School, Diploma

With sister Barbara Cox Anthony two daughters of James M. Cox (d. 1957), a high school dropout whoworked as a reporter and congressional secretary before buying Dayton Evening News for $26,000 in 1898.Built media empire: newspapers (17 daily metros, including flagship Atlanta Journal-Constitution), 15 TV sta-tions, 78 radio stations, cable systems. Anne: former ambassador to Belgium under Carter. Barbara’s son,James Cox Kennedy, oversees business.

29 Stefan Persson, 57, $11.2bn, Sweden, Stockholm (Sweden)Industry: RetailingMarital Status: married , 3 childrenUniversity of Stockholm, Associate in Arts / Science

Heads Swedish retailer Hennes & Mauritz, founded by his father, Erling, in 1947. The$7.6 billion (sales) chain now has over 1,000 stores in 20 countries in Europe and NorthAmerica. Member of the board of the Mentor Foundation, which fights youth substanceabuse (trustees include the Queen of Sweden and the Crown Prince of Spain). Enjoysgolf, tennis and downhill skiing.

30 John Kluge, 90, $11.0bn, USA, Palm Beach, Fla. (USA)Industry: Media/EntertainmentMarital Status: married , 3 childrenColumbia University, Bachelor of Arts / Science

German immigrant, onetime richest man in America, amassed fortune buying andselling broadcast, cellular properties. Tech crash drove his Metromedia FiberNetwork into bankruptcy; emerged as AboveNet with equity partners Craig McCawand Franklin Mutual Funds. Oversees large collection of eclectic investments:restaurants (Ponderosa, Bonanza, Steak and Ale chains), medical and lighttechnology, gourmet beef. Collects aboriginal art; gives to education, $60 million tothe Library of Congress. Celebrated 90th birthday in Bavaria, Germany.

31 Raymond, Thomas & Walter Kwok, age N/A, $10.9bn, Hong KongIndustry: Real EstateMarital Status: N/A

Brothers inherited Hong Kong’s giant real estate developer Sun Hung Kai Properties in 1990 following fa-ther’s death. Later, the company branched out into cellular phone service under SmarTone name. Also controlKMB, a large bus operator in Hong Kong. The brothers are now looking to bid for U.S. rail company CSXCorp.’s Hong Kong port assets.

32 Forrest Mars Jr., 73, $10.4bn, USA, McLean, Va. (USA)Industry: FoodMarital Status: married , 4 childrenYale University, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Grandchild of Frank and Ethel Mars, who started making confections 1911, struck sweet spot after youngForrest (d. 1999) suggested candy bar based on popular chocolate malted milk drink. Malt-flavored nougat be-came cornerstone of Mars candy bar line: Milky Way, Snickers, 3 Musketeers. Added M&Ms, Twix, Skittles.Now the nation’s largest confectioner, with sales of over $17 billion. Also pet food (Whiskas, Sheba, Pedi-gree), Uncle Ben’s Rice, electronic components for vending machines.

32 Jacqueline Mars, 65, $10.4bn, USA, Bedminster, N.J. (USA)Industry: FoodMarital Status: divorced , 3 childrenBryn Mawr College, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Grandchild of Frank and Ethel Mars, who started making confections 1911, struck sweet spot after youngForrest (d. 1999) suggested candy bar based on popular chocolate malted milk drink. Malt-flavored nougat be-came cornerstone of Mars candy bar line: Milky Way, Snickers, 3 Musketeers. Added M&Ms, Twix, Skittles.Now the nation’s largest confectioner, with sales of over $17 billion. Also pet food (Whiskas, Sheba, Pedi-gree), Uncle Ben’s Rice, electronic components for vending machines.

32 John Mars, 68, $10.4bn, USA, Arlington, Va. (USA)Industry: FoodMarital Status: married , 2 childrenYale University, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Grandchild of Frank and Ethel Mars, who started making confections 1911, struck sweet spot after youngForrest (d. 1999) suggested candy bar based on popular chocolate malted milk drink. Malt-flavored nougat be-came cornerstone of Mars candy bar line: Milky Way, Snickers, 3 Musketeers. Added M&Ms, Twix, Skittles.Now the nation’s largest confectioner, with sales of over $17 billion. Also pet food (Whiskas, Sheba, Pedi-gree), Uncle Ben’s Rice, electronic components for vending machines. Outsiders run day-to-day business, butJohn’s son, Frank, currently head of Mars’ Asia Pacific operations, being groomed for top spot.

35 Luciano Benetton & family, 69, $9.9bn, Italy, Treviso (Italy)Industry: ApparelMarital Status: married , 4 children

After 38 years at the helm of this well-known Italian fashion brand, Benetton pulled back from day-to-dayactivity two years ago, though he remains chairman. Also keeps his luxurious office, decked out in 17th-century ceiling frescoes. (Enjoys a reputation as one of Europe’s most famous patrons of the arts.) Through aholding company, the largest Benetton stakes are not in clothing at all, but in Autostrade, an operator of nearlytwo-thirds of Italy’s motorways, and Autogrill, a chain of roadside restaurants. Luciano’s son Alessandro, 40, a

former Goldman Sachs analyst with a Harvard MBA, was named co-vice president of Benetton Group. Ales-sandro is primed to become heir to the Benetton empire.

35 Pierre Omidyar, 37, $9.9bn, USA, Henderson, Nev. (USA)Industry: TechnologyMarital Status: married , 2 childrenTufts University, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Former computer programmer launched online auctioneer Ebay in 1995. Today the world’s biggest dot-com ($56 billion market capitalization), which lets consumers bid on everything from arcane Americana toIraqi dinars. Still chairman but concentrates on philanthropy with a twist: he backs both nonprofit and for-profit companies engaged in “empowering individuals and enriching connections.” His Omidyar Network in-vests in microloans to small business owners in developing economies and in open-source software. Oncepromised to donate all but 1% of wealth to philanthropy. Now says he will use his entire fortune to “do good.”

35 Galen Weston & family, 64, $9.9bn, Canada, Toronto (Canada)Industry: RetailingMarital Status: married , 2 childrenUniversity of Western Ontario, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Master chef. Weston is chairman and president of George Weston Ltd., one of NorthAmerica’s largest bakers. Company’s stock has risen 20% since September. Asidefrom tending to his controlling stake in Loblaw’s, Canada’s largest supermarket chain,Weston also minds upscale retailers Holt Renfrew and Brown Thomas. AcquiredLondon-based department store Selfridges for $958 million through his WittingtonInvestments in 2003. Avid collector of avant-garde artist Christo, Weston regularlyhosts exhibitions influential artists at a gallery founded by his daughter, Alannah, atWindsor, his private community in Vero Beach, Fla.

38 Lee Shau Kee, 77, $9.3bn, Hong Kong, Hong KongIndustry: Real EstateMarital Status: married , 5 children

Hong Kong real estate tycoon got boost in fortunes from unlikely source—Singapore real estate—as theSuntec development in which he owns a stake went public last year. The tycoon also last year set up a specialholding company, Shau Kee Financial, in which he claims to hold over $6 billion in investment assets. Lee’score Hong Kong real estate holdings in Henderson group of companies is onceagain showing signs of life as rents rise in central office locations after a longperiod in the doldrums. And of course his China real estate investments are alsobooming.

38 Azim Premji, 59, $9.3bn, India, Bangalore (India)Industry: TechnologyMarital Status: married , 2 childrenStanford University, Bachelor of Arts / Science

India’s software icon. His $1.3 billion (sales) Wipro, of which he owns 83%,is riding high on continuing outsourcing boom. Is opening new offices outsideBangalore, his home base, to combat ballooning costs and staff attrition. Wasawarded the Padma Bhushan, a national civilian honor, from the Indiangovernment for his contribution to the country’s economy. Parsimonious Premjirecently traded his eight-year-old Ford Escort for a new Toyota Corolla.

40 Nasser Al-Kharafi & family, 61, $9.0bn, Kuwait, Kuwait City (Kuwait)Industry: Engineering/ConstructionMarital Status: NA

Runs $3.9 billion (sales) M.A. Kharafi & Sons in Kuwait. His powerful family includes older brother Jas-sim, a major politico, and sister Faiza, president of Kuwait University. Also owns a chunk of Mobile Tele-communications Co., which decided in January to halt most of its activities in Iraq fearing for personnel safety.Other ties to Iraq reconstruction effort are in banking and construction contracts. Not everything he touchesturns to gold: His Albanian Airlines operation is still bleeding cash despite the purchase of a second aircraftand the rise of passenger traffic by 15%. At least he can relax at the family-owned, Disneyesque Port Galib onEgypt’s Red Sea coast, where nearly a thousand visiting yachts docked last year.

41 Kirk Kerkorian, 87, $8.9bn, USA, Los Angeles, Calif. (USA)Industry: InvestmentsMarital Status: divorced , 2 childrenHigh School, Diploma

Low-key investor hit jackpot with $7.9 billion takeover of Mandalay BayResorts last year. MGM Mirage stake now worth $6.3 billion. Former WorldWar II pilot got start selling Trans International Airlines for $104 million profitin the 1960s. Invested proceeds in Vegas: acquired Flamingo hotel 1967, builtInternational hotel 1969. Sold both properties to Hilton Hotels in 1970. Builtfirst MGM Grand (now Bally’s), opened second incarnation 1993. BoughtSteve Wynn’s Mirage Resorts for $6.4 billion in 2000. Longtime love affairwith MGM movie studio coming to an end: Within weeks, Sony will close onits $5 billion deal to buy MGM with three private-equity firms and cable giant Comcast. Originally purchasedstudio 1970; sold to Ted Turner 1986, bought back months later. Sold again 1990. Picked up a third time 1996.Personally netted $1 billion when studio paid massive $8 dividend to investors in May 2004.

42 Sumner Redstone, 81, $8.8bn, USA, Beverly Hills, Calif. (USA)Industry: Media/EntertainmentMarital Status: married , 2 childrenHarvard University, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceHarvard University, Doctor of Jurisprudence

Son of drive-in-theater owner, took over Dad’s business in 1954, built NationalAmusements into 1,400-screen chain. Today Viacom is in movies (Paramount), cablechannels (MTV, VH-1, Nickelodeon, BET), network television (CBS, UPN), radio(Infinity Broadcasting), books (Simon & Schuster). Bought Blockbuster video chain in1993; took public, now launching new mail service to compete with Netflix. Last yeardumped Viacom president Mel Karmazin after 4 years of chronic head-butting. Ownsstakes in videogame developer Midway Games, WMS Industries. Boston native splitshis time between New York and the West Coast with his second wife, Paula.

43 Leonardo Del Vecchio, 69, $8.5bn, Italy, Milan (Italy)Industry: ManufacturingMarital Status: married , 4 childrenHigh School

Workaholic founder and chairman of Luxottica Group, a $4.2 billion (sales)designer and manufacturer of high-quality eyeglass frames. Sent to orphanage atage 7 because his mother could not afford to support five children. Started as anapprentice at a factory that made molds for auto parts, eyeglass frames; openedhis own shop in 1958. Today Luxottica owns the Ray-Ban brand and U.S.retailers Sunglass Hut, LensCrafters and recently purchased Pearle Vision stores.Through licensing agreements, makes Prada and Chanel sunglasses. In Julybrought in a young chief executive, prompting rumors of his retirement, which hedenied. Also the largest shareholder and chairman of Beni Stabili, one of Italy’sleading real estate groups, and sits on Versace’s board. Son Claudio owns men’s retailer Brooks Brothers.

43 Michele Ferrero & family, 78, $8.5bn, Italy, Brussels (Belgium)Industry: FoodMarital Status: married , 2 children

Owner of the eponymous chocolate maker, one of Europe’s largest. Brands sold around the world includeFerrero Rocher, Nutella, Tic Tac and Kinder Eggs. Kobe Bryant signed on for U.S. marketing campaign forNutella in January 2001, though the relationship was not renewed in 2003 in the wake of the Bryant sexual as-sault scandal. Notoriously private Michele relinquished day-to-day oversight to sons Pietro, 39, and Giovanni,41, who are co-chiefs. Recently began recruiting managers from outside the company. Passions: church andchocolate.

45 Michael Otto & family, 61, $8.3bn, Germany, Hamburg (Germany)Industry: RetailingMarital Status: married , 2 childrenBachelor of Arts / Science, Doctorate

Head of $18 billion sales (2003) Otto GmbH, the world’s largest mail-order company, which was foundedby his father in 1949. Otto and his family own extensive real estate in Canada and the U.S., shopping centers inGermany and more than 50% of home furnishings chain Crate & Barrel. Known as a committed environmen-talist, his company has long touted environmentally safe products.

46 Susanne Klatten, 43, $8.2bn, Germany, Bad Homburg (Germany)Industry: PharmaceuticalsMarital Status: married , 3 childrenBachelor of Arts / ScienceIMD-Lausanne, Master of Business Administration

Inherited a 12% stake in BMW and a 50% stake in pharmaceuticalmanufacturer Altana from her father, Herbert Quandt. Although her presence atAltana is typically low-key (a Quandt trait), trained economist Klatten, who hasan MBA, is credited with helping to transform the firm into a world-classpharmaceutical/chemical corporation with over 10,000 employees and revenuesof $3.4 billion in 2003. Once worked as an assistant to billionaire publisherHubert Burda. Her husband is an entrepreneur.

46 Philip Knight, 67, $8.2bn, USA, Beaverton, Ore. (USA)Industry: ApparelMarital Status: married , 3 childrenUniversity of Oregon, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceStanford University, Master of Business Administration

Started out selling shoes from his car at track meets in 1964. Gainedtraction with innovative waffle sole, swoosh logo, superstar endorsements(Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods). Today Nike commands 36% of the U.S.athletic shoe market. Acquired Converse in 2003, Cole Haan in 1988. Alsoathletic clothes, sports equipment. Expansion plans finding new footing inEurope and Asia.

46 Hans Rausing, 79, $8.2bn, Sweden, Wadhurst (UK)Industry: ManufacturingMarital Status: married , 3 children

Sold his share in packaging giant Tetra Laval to brother Gad for an estimated$7 billion in 1995. Moved to England in early 1980 to avoid punitive Swedishtaxes. Reportedly owns land in New Zealand and a stake in Swedish crystalcompany Orrefors Kosta Boda. Is still backing Ecolean, a not-yet-profitablemaker of biodegradable packaging. Donates to numerous charities including twothat fund the study of disappearing languages and dialects.

49 Serge Dassault & family, 80, $7.8bn, France, Paris (France)Industry: ManufacturingMarital Status: NA

The son of Marcel Dassault, founder of Dassault Aviation, is a billion dollarsricher this year thanks to an uptick in orders for military aircraft. Other Dassaultfamily and group holdings include software, electronics and media divisions. InMarch 2004 he bought Le Figaro, a conservative French daily. Much to the chagrinof the paper’s journalists, outspoken right-wing Dassault is reportedly heavilyinfluencing editorial policy.

49 Carl Icahn, 69, $7.8bn, USA, New York, N.Y. (USA)Industry: InvestmentsMarital Status: married , 2 childrenPrinceton University, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceNew York University, Drop Out

Famed 1980s corporate takeover specialist grew up middle-class in NYC’sQueens; lawyer father, mom taught school. Princeton grad attended medicalschool; dropped out after 2 years. Joined army, then Wall Street. Borrowed to buyNYSE seat 1968; bought firms, forced managers to improve, buy him out or spinoff at profit. Scored big in 1980s with takeovers of Texaco, USX, TWA. Wrestledtelecom XO Communications from Ted Forstmann 2002; still chairman, thoughstock down 42% over past year. Now preparing to bring auto parts supplierFederal-Mogul out of bankruptcy. Bulking up energy portfolio: now owns 7.6% of the Oklahoma City-basedoil and gas producer with Barry Rosenstein, founder of San Francisco hedge-fund firm Jana Partners.

49 Keith Murdoch, 74, $7.8bn, USA, New York, N.Y. (USA)Industry: Media/EntertainmentMarital Status: married , 6 childrenOxford University, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceOxford University, Master of Arts

Liberals decry his Fox News Channel as anything but “fair and balanced,” butviewers love it anyway: cable news channel (home to Forbes on Fox) routinelydraws far more viewers than rival CNN. Acquired 34% stake in and de factocontrol of DirecTV, largest American satellite broadcaster, now at 13 millionhomes and aiming to grow to 20 million subscribers by 2010. Native Australianinherited one Adelaide newspaper at age 23. Turned News Corp. into mediabehemoth through steady diet of acquisitions and new ventures: UK’s Sun, NewYork Post, Fox television network. Some wags see a succession struggleinvolving his 2 sons, Lachlan and James, and daughter Elisabeth, but Lachlan,now Deputy Chief Operating Officer, has the edge.

52 Rudolf August Oetker & family, 88, $7.7bn, Germany, Bielefeld (Germany)Industry: FoodMarital Status: married , 8 children

Known as the pudding king. Grandfather invented ready-to-use baking powder; he himself helped trans-form it into a leading consumer products group. Today the $6.4 billion (sales) group, run by his son August,makes all sorts of baking products as well as frozen pizza, beer and champagne; also owns five five-star hotels,a grocery chain, a publishing company, insurance groups and a maritime freight business.

53 Birgit Rausing & family, 81, $7.6bn, Sweden, Vaud (Switzerland)Industry: ManufacturingMarital Status: widowed , 3 children

With her three children, inherited $11 billion (sales) Tetra Laval, the world’s biggest packaging company, in2000 when her husband Gad Rausing died. Only son Finn lives in Sweden; daughter Kirsten, who raiseshorses, and other son Jörn live in England. Birgit herself prefers tax-friendly Switzerland.

54 Spiro Latsis & family, 58, $7.5bn, Greece, Geneva (Switzerland)Industry: DiversifiedMarital Status: married , 2 childrenLondon School of Economics, Doctorate

Assumed the reins of his family’s vast fortune following the death of his father, John, in 2003. The Latsisportfolio stakes in banking, oil refining, high class air travel and real estate. The family’s largest holding is itsEFG Bank Group, a conglomerate with private banking operations in Monaco, the United Kingdom and Swit-zerland. Publicly traded EFG Eurobank Ergasias has benefitted from the Greek government’s loosening oflending rules, allowing the bank’s loan book to grow at a 29% clip. Latsis’ PrivatAir flies heads of state androck stars around the world in cost-be-damned comfort, while the flagship of his yacht fleet, the Alexander, isthe third largest in the world.

55 Sergey Brin, 31, $7.2bn, USA, San Francisco, Calif. (USA)Industry: TechnologyMarital Status: singleStanford University, Master of Science

With partner Larry Page, founded Google in 1998. A year ago we estimated hisnet worth at $550 million. Whoops. Since taking their Internet search engine publiclast year, the dynamic duo behind Google has seen their combined fortune soar to$14 billion. After starting out at $85, stock up 117%, recently trading at $187. Bothpartners have math teacher parents. Brin emigrated from Russia; Page grew up inMichigan. Met at Stanford while pursuing graduate degrees in computer science.Created Google: Internet gateway uses more than 10,000 networked computers tocomb through 3 billion Web pages. Raised $25 million from starmaker venturecapital firms Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Sequoia Capital. Recruited seasoned tech exec EricSchmidt to run company; Brin serves as president of technology, Page heads products division. Eschewed tra-ditional Wall Street IPO in favor of Dutch auction, then riled SEC after Playboy published interview in themandated “quiet period.” No matter. Google founders still bigger stars than any centerfold.

55 Charles Ergen, 52, $7.2bn, USA, Denver, Colo. (USA)Industry: Media/EntertainmentMarital Status: married , 5 childrenUniversity of Tennessee Knoxville, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceWake Forest University, Master of Business Administration

Former Frito-Lay financial analyst started selling C-band satellite dishes1980, expanded into broadcasting. Today EchoStar’s 9 satellites broadcasthundreds channels to 10 million subscribers. Sales: $5.7 billion. Attempt to buyrival DirecTV stymied by regulators; $1.8 billion bid for bankrupt Loral alsonixed. Flexing muscles anyway: briefly pulled Viacom channels (MTV,Nickelodeon) off the air during recent carriage negotiations. New deal withtelco SBC will bundle satellite service with telephone bill. Avid hiker recentlyled 20 interns on climb up 14,433-foot Mount Elbert, Colorado’s highest peak.

55 Larry Page, 32, $7.2bn, USA, San Francisco, Calif. (USA)Industry: TechnologyMarital Status: singleStanford University, Master of Science

With partner Sergey Brin, founded Google in 1998. A year ago we estimated hisnet worth at $550 million. Whoops. Since taking their Internet search engine public lastyear, the dynamic duo behind Google has seen their combined fortune soar to $14billion. After starting out at $85, stock up 117%, recently trading at $187. Bothpartners have math teacher parents. Brin emigrated from Russia; Page grew up inMichigan. Met at Stanford while pursuing graduate degrees in computer science. Cre-ated Google: Internet gateway uses more than 10,000 networked computers to combthrough 3 billion Web pages. Raised $25 million from starmaker venture capital firmsKleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Sequoia Capital. Recruited seasoned tech execEric Schmidt to run company; Brin serves as president of technology, Page heads products division. Eschewedtraditional Wall Street IPO in favor of Dutch auction, then riled SEC after Playboy published interview in themandated “quiet period.” No matter. Google founders still bigger stars than any centerfold.

55 George Soros, 74, $7.2bn, USA, New York, N.Y. (USA)Industry: FinanceMarital Status: married , 5 childrenLondon School of Economics, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Famed hedge fund manager failed in his crusade to defeat President Bush.Donated more than $20 million to anti-Bush groups like MoveOn.org andAmerica Coming Together. Hungarian-born money manager evaded captureby the Nazis; attended London School of Economics after war. FoundedCuraçao-based Quantum Fund 1969; stellar long-term record. Currencyspeculator “broke” British pound in 1992 with top manager StanleyDruckenmiller; made $1 billion. Lost at least $1 billion during Russianmarket crisis 1998. Closed Quantum 2000, now managing QuantumEndowment macro fund: up 15% in 2003. Committed philanthropist and pro-democracy activist has given away $5 billion over last 25 years throughnetwork of foundations. Author of The Alchemy of Finance (1987) published

more politically driven tome, The Bubble of American Supremacy, last year.55 Reinhold Würth, 69, $7.2bn, Germany, Kuenzelsau (Germany)

Industry: ManufacturingMarital Status: married , 3 childrenDoctorate

Took over his father’s tiny wholesale screw business at age 19; built it intothe $7 billion (sales) Adolf Würth Group, which posted record pretax profitsof $422 million in 2003. Retired, appears to concentrate much of his time onhis vast art collection, which includes works by Picasso, Miro and MaxBeckmann. The collection also includes 70 pieces from the 15th and 16thcenturies from the noble Fürstenberg family collection, which he installed inhis museum in Kunzelsau, Germany. Back at the company, son Markus runsits wood division while daughter Betina sits on the board of directors.

60 Mukesh & Anil Ambani, age N/A, $7.0bn, India, Mumbai (India)Industry: ManufacturingMarital Status: NA

The once-inseparable brothers are locked in a reported battle for control of $22.6 billion (revenues) RelianceGroup, founded by their late father, Dhirubhai Ambani. At stake is family’s 34% holding in flagship RelianceIndustries, their biggest asset, which older brother, Mukesh, runs. Rumor has it that Mukesh was trying totighten his control over the group’s ambitious telecom venture by buying up shares. Mukesh denies the reportsbut a split seems likely.

60 Mikhail Fridman, 40, $7.0bn, Russia, Moscow (Russia)Industry: Oil/GasMarital Status: married , 2 childrenBachelor of Arts / Science

Grew up in the Ukrainian city of Lvov; came to Moscow in the 1980s tostudy at the Institute of Steel & Alloys. Founded Alfa Group in 1988 withcollege friends German Khan and Alexei Kuzmichov; it’s now a diverseconglomerate with oil, retail, telecom and banking interests. Strong Kremlinconnections, including a former subordinate who now serves as a politicaladviser to Putin. In 2003 merged his oil company, TNK, with BP—quite anachievement, considering that six years prior BP was in a bitter fight againstFridman, protesting his unorthodox methods of taking over a partly BP-owned oilfield. But that’s Fridman’s way: aggressive, highly leveragedtakeovers, followed by reorganization and then a sale to a strategic investor. Last summer Fridman faced hisfirst crisis in a while, when customers of Alfa-Bank began withdrawing cash in droves. Fridman blamed Bere-zovsky-owned Kommersant newspaper, which had detailed problems. Fridman successfully sued, winning a$10 million payment from the newspaper.

60 Vladimir Lisin, 48, $7.0bn, Russia, Moscow (Russia)Industry: Mining/LumberMarital Status: married , 3 childrenSiberian Metallurgical Institute, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceRussian Academy of Economics, Doctorate

A proletarian success story. Lisin’s first job was as a mechanic in a coal mine.After college in Siberia he got a job as a steelworker. In 1991, when his boss wasappointed minister of metallurgy, Lisin came with him to Moscow. In 1992 he joinedup with a tough group of traders called Trans-World Group; they came to dominateRussia’s aluminum and steel exports. Lisin managed the factories, and when thepartners went their separate ways in 2000, Lisin got a majority stake in Russia’s giantNovolipetsk steel mill as his share.

60 Donald Newhouse, 75, $7.0bn, USA, Somerset County, N.J. (USA)Industry: Media/EntertainmentMarital Status: married , 3 childrenSyracuse University, Drop Out

With brother Samuel Irving Jr., took over Advance Publications in 1979, newspaper and magazine com-pany started by father, Sam Sr., in 1922. Beat IRS in huge estate tax battle after father’s death in 1979. “Si”oversees the biggest part of Newhouse media empire: Condé Nast (Vogue, Vanity Fair, Glamour), Fairchild(Details, Women’s Wear Daily, W), Bright House (cable system with 2.1 million subscribers), big stake inDiscovery Communications (The Learning Channel). Also CondéNet: operator of Web sites Epicurious (food),Concierge (travel). Don runs newspapers (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Newark’s Star-Ledger). Company soldRandom House book division for $1.4 billion, bought Wired magazine for $80 million at height of tech boom.After successful launch of Lucky, women’s shopping title, rolled out Cargo, a counterpart for men.

60 Samuel Newhouse Jr., 77, $7.0bn, USA, New York, N.Y. (USA)Industry: Media/EntertainmentMarital Status: married , 3 childrenHigh School, Diploma

With brother Donald, took over Advance Publications in 1979, newspaper and magazine company startedby father, Sam Sr., in 1922. Beat IRS in huge estate tax battle after father’s death in 1979. “Si” oversees thebiggest part of Newhouse media empire: Condé Nast (Vogue, Vanity Fair, Glamour), Fairchild (Details,Women’s Wear Daily, W), Bright House (cable system with 2.1 million subscribers), big stake in DiscoveryCommunications (The Learning Channel). Also CondéNet: operator of Web sites Epicurious (food), Concierge(travel). Don runs newspapers (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Newark’s Star-Ledger). Company sold Random Housebook division for $1.4 billion, bought Wired magazine for $80 million at height of tech boom. After successfullaunch of Lucky, women’s shopping title, rolled out Cargo, a counterpart for men.

65 Adolf Merckle, 70, $6.9bn, Germany, Manheim (Germany)Industry: PharmaceuticalsMarital Status: married , 4 childrenBachelor of Arts / ScienceDoctor of Jurisprudence

Owns 57% of Germany’s largest pharmaceutical wholesaler, $21 billion(revenues) Phoenix Pharmahandel, which also happens to be Europe’s second-largest wholesaler. Also owns private label drugmaker Merckle GmbH andleading generic drug producer Ratiopharm. Nonpharma interests include stakes incompanies that make all-terrain vehicles, software systems and textiles. Time off:skiing and mountain climbing.

66 Stefan Quandt, 39, $6.7bn, Germany, Bad Homburg (Germany)Industry: ManufacturingMarital Status: singleTechnical University of Karlsruhe, Associate in Arts / Science

This very eligible bachelor holds a 17% stake in luxury automaker BMW, the com-pany his father, Herbert Quandt, rescued from bankruptcy. A trained engineer, he alsoowns and manages Delton AG, a $2.8 billion (sales) holding company whosesubsidiaries include a logistics company, a supplier of electricity and a maker ofhomeopathic drugs. Other holdings include 77% of CEAG, a publicly traded powersupply equipment maker; shares in logistics company Thiel; and a stake in Data CardCorp., makers of smart cards. Low-key and apparently allergic to the media, revealsvery little about his personal life.

67 Micky Arison, 55, $6.5bn, USA, Bal Harbour, Fla. (USA)Industry: ServiceMarital Status: married , 2 childrenUniversity of Miami, Drop Out

Carnival Corp., world’s largest cruise operator after acquiring P&OPrincess Cruises last year, was recently buoyed by recovering travelindustry. Profits up 60% in the latest quarter. Now looking for biggerrebound courtside. Owner of Miami Heat basketball team, which, in its 16-year history, has yet to reach the NBA finals, made blockbuster trade lastyear for Shaquille O’Neal. The cruise ship heir celebrated the announcementwith champagne in Cannes, France.

68 Philip & Cristina Green, age N/A, $6.3bn, UK, MonacoIndustry: RetailingMarital Status: married , 2 children

Came almost out of nowhere to buy British Home Stores (now BHS), the U.K.’sfifth-largest retail chain, in May 2000. Two years later bought the country’s second-largest clothing retailer, Arcadia Group Ltd. Together, the companies boast 42,000employees, 2,500 outlets and $4.8 billion in revenues. Green boosted profits threeyears in a row despite flat sales. When will sales ever increase? “I’m working on it,”says Green. Transferred Arcadia to one of his investment vehicle’s arms and paidhimself a handsome $950 million in dividends. Wife Cristina, who lives in tax havenMonaco, is investment vehicle’s ultimate controlling authority.

68 Maria-Elisabeth & Georg Schaeffler, age N/A, $6.3bn, Germany, Herzogenaurach (Germany)Industry: ManufacturingMarital Status: NA

Mother and son jointly own INA Waelzlager Schaeffler KG, one of theworld’s largest producers of roller bearings. Maria Elizabeth has run the $2.2billion (sales) private company since her husband’s death in 1996. A well-knownfigure in Bavaria where she lives, she holds a position in the Nuremberg chamberof commerce and has been awarded the Bavarian Order of Merit for herachievements and commitment to social issues. Son Georg prefers to practiceinternational law at Haynes & Boone in Dallas.

68 August von Finck, 74, $6.3bn, Germany, Thurgau (Switzerland)Industry: InvestmentsMarital Status: married , 4 childrenBachelor of Arts / Science

Sold his insurance company Allianz and private bank Merck, Finck to Barclay’s Bank in 1990. The Swissresident has invested the proceeds in a number of groups including real estate companies, an Austrian chemicalmanufacturer, breweries, a producer of champagne, hotels, restaurants and insurance.

71 Eli Broad, 71, $6.1bn, USA, Los Angeles, Calif. (USA)Industry: ManufacturingMarital Status: married , 2 childrenMichigan State University, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Son of Lithuanian immigrants bought first piece of real estate at age 20. Co-founded Kaufman & Broad with $25,000. Became one of nation’s biggest homebuilders supplying parents of baby boomers with affordable housing. Bought SunLife Insurance 1971; renamed SunAmerica, focused on retirement market. Sold toAmerican International Group in 1998 for $18 billion. Last year led push to saveWalt Disney Concert Hall. Big arts collector, benefactor: recently gave $60 million tothe Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

72 Curt Engelhorn, 78, $6.0bn, Germany, Gstaad (Switzerland)Industry: PharmaceuticalsMarital Status: married , 5 childrenUniversity of Texas Austin, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Great-grandson of BASF founder Friedrich Engelhorn. Studied chemical engineering in Texas after WorldWar II. Engineered the sale of pharmaceutical companies Boehringer Mannheim and DePuy Inc. to Roche fora cool $11 billion and took himself and his 40% share ($4.4 billion) of the sale of the company to Switzerlandwhere he lives with fourth wife, Heidemarie.

72 Friedrich Flick Jr., 78, $6.0bn, Germany, Vienna (Austria)Industry: InvestmentsMarital Status: married , 4 childrenBachelor of Arts / Science

Cashed out in 1986. Sold Friedrich Flick KGaA the industrial empire built up by his father that includedstakes in Daimler-Benz and W.R. Grace, for $3 billion. Now retired, lives in Austria with his third wife, Ingrid,and their 6-year-old twins. A passionate hunter, owns 12,000 hectares of land reserved for hunting in Austria,near the Hungarian border.

72 Edward Johnson III, 74, $6.0bn, USA, Boston, Mass. (USA)Industry: FinanceMarital Status: married , 3 childrenHarvard University, Bachelor of Arts / Science

With daughter Abigail, controls Fidelity Investments, nation’s largest mutual fund company with $1.1 tril-lion under management. Father, Edward II, acquired FMR 1946; phenomenal stock picker: “The market is likea beautiful woman—always fascinating, always mystifying.” Ned became president 1972; master marketercreated a mutual fund for a wide range of investment strategies. Reduced ownership for estate planning 1995.Primary recipients: employees, daughter Abby—now FMR’s largest shareholder. Ned still owns 12%.

72 Nicky Oppenheimer & family, 59, $6.0bn, South Africa, Johannesburg (South Africa)Industry: Mining/LumberMarital Status: married , 1 childChrist Church, Oxford U, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceChrist Church, Oxford U, Master of Arts

The richest man in Africa derives most of his wealth from diamond empireDe Beers. Third generation to run the company, becoming chairman in 1998 andtaking the group private in 2001. Long-standing U.S. antitrust case against DeBeers was finally settled last summer, but group is still subject to two civil suits.Big year ahead: De Beers South African subsidiary, run by son Jonathan, isexpected to select a black empowerment partner and LVMH De Beers is set toopen its first New York store. American daughter-in-law Jennifer was recently

put in charge of De Beers Fund, the company’s philanthropic initiatives. Company is pushing into new marketslike China, where De Beers is thriving. Besides diamonds, passions include conservation (owns Tswalu Kala-hari Reserve), helicopters (flies his own) and cricket (notepads in his office read: “Things I must do beforecricket”).

76 Francois Pinault, 68, $5.9bn, France, Paris (France)Industry: DiversifiedMarital Status: married , 4 childrenHigh School, Drop Out

Majority shareholder of the famed luxury goods purveyor PPR (formerly Pinault-Printemps-Redoute), whose famous brand portfolio includes Gucci and BottegaVeneta. Pinault was able to breathe easier after settling for $185 million with the stateof California for his role in the Executive Life Insurance scandal. Still, a pendingcivil suit regarding the Nineties-era purchase of the insurance company’s junk bondspopped up, and raises the possibility of more fines in Pinault’s future. In a bold steptoward solidifying his control over the retail empire, Pinault removed the well-regarded Serge Weinberg from his chairman post, installing son François-Henri in hisplace. Pinault began work last year on a 352,000-square-foot museum in the formerRenault factory in western Paris, designed by Tadao Ando, tohouse his massive art collection.

77 Philip Anschutz, 65, $5.8bn, USA, Denver, Colo. (USA)Industry: InvestmentsMarital Status: married , 3 childrenUniversity of Kansas, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Former oilman now runs wide-ranging empire in telecom, sports and entertainment.Two biggest holdings: fiber-optic company Qwest, theater chain Regal Cinemas. OwnsLA’s Staples Center and London’s Millennium Dome as well as Major League Soccerteams and stakes in NBA Lakers and NHL Kings. Also recently purchased troubledSan Francisco Examiner for estimated $20 million. Promoter of family-values agendathrough motion picture projects. Philanthropist also sponsors nationwide billboardcampaign featuring celebrities and altruistic “Pass It On” slogan.

77 Ernesto Bertarelli, 39, $5.8bn, Switzerland, Geneva (Switzerland)Industry: PharmaceuticalsMarital Status: marriedBabson College, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceHarvard University, Master of Business Administration

Biotech billionaire is navigating choppy seas. Serono, the biotech companyhe inherited from his father, has no new products scheduled to come to marketfor two years and a former U.S. regional sales director pled guilty to offeringkickbacks to three New York City doctors. Pressure has eased now thatSerono’s biggest product Rebif has one less competitor; in February, Biogenand Elan pulled their jointly developed drug, Tysabri, after a patient died. Theyachtsman who won an America’s Cup in 2003 has now been dragged intocourt by his winning team’s former skipper, who accuses Bertarelli of unjustlyfiring him. At least the movie-star-handsome tycoon can find solace at home

with his wife, a former beauty queen, and their two children.77 Nobutada Saji & family, 59, $5.8bn, Japan, Hyogo (Japan)

Industry: BeveragesMarital Status: marriedUniversity of California at Los Angeles, Master of Business Administration

While Suntory sales fell nearly 5% last year, profits rose 13% to $219 million thanksto more effective supply-chain management. From a spiffy new $190 million newheadquarters in Tokyo’s bay area the company is aggressively pushing its products inChina, mainly Shanghai. Though it specializes in liquid and food, Suntory—against allodds—engineered the world’s first blue rose, which it plans to introduce to the market ina few years.

80 Sulaiman Bin Abdul Al Rajhi, 85, $5.6bn, Saudi Arabia, Jeddah (Saudi Arabia)Industry: FinanceMarital Status: married , 23 childrenKing Abdulaziz University, Bachelor of Arts / Science

One of four brothers, Sulaiman owns the largest stake in the family’s Al Rajhi Banking and & InvestmentCorp., which operates under Islamic principles, paying no interest on deposits. As the bank’s chairman andmanaging director, he’s also the most active in the operations. Saudi Arabia’s oil boom has helped boost profitsrecently, and the bank was just awarded title of “Best Islamic Banking in the World” by the International Con-vention of Islamic Banks. His holding company, Al-Watania, also owns the largest chicken processor in theMiddle East as well as other industrial and real estate properties.

80 Yoshitaka Fukuda & family, 57, $5.6bn, Japan, Kyoto (Japan)Industry: FinanceMarital Status: married , 3 childrenHigh School, Drop Out

His Aiful took the lead as Japan’s largest consumer finance company interms of sales, thanks to the stumble of scandal-tainted rival Takefuji. Last yearprofits rose 4% to $4.5 billion. A Chihuahua featured in Aiful commercialsbecame an overnight sensation, and Chihuahuas selling for $1,500 a popreplaced dachshunds as pet store favorites. But all was not rosy. In AugustFukuda was found guilty of failing to declare $647,000 in income between 2000and 2001. Fukuda ias an avid fisherman, focusing on sweetfish in particular.

80 Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor & family, 53, $5.6bn, UK, Chester (UK)Industry: Real EstateMarital Status: married , 4 childrenHarrow College of Higher Education

The sixth Duke of Westminister is one of the largest landowners in London’s tony Mayfair and Belgravia.Also owns 100,000-plus acres in the English and Scottish countryside and has properties in the U.S. and Asia.In 2004 became head of the U.K.’s 254,800 member U.K.’s Territorial Army and has since traveled to Iraqfour times to visit British reservists stationed there.

80 Reinhard Mohn & family, 83, $5.6bn, Germany, Guetersloh (Germany)Industry: Media/EntertainmentMarital Status: married , 6 children

Owns 17% of media conglomerate Bertelsmann AG, whose assets include RTL,Europe’s number one TV and radio group; Random House, the world’s largest book-publishing group; Gruner + Jahr, Europe’s biggest magazine publisher. Also has jointventure with Sony Co. that includes such record labels as Arista (Whitney Houston,Santana), Columbia Records (Aerosmith, Tony Bennett, Bob Dylan, Dixie Chicks), andEpic Records (Jennifer Lopez). Reinhard’s wife, Liz Mohn, works on behalf of strokevictims.

84 Shari Arison, 47, $5.5bn, Israel, Tel Aviv (Israel)Industry: Gambling /Leisure Marital Status: married , 4 childrenBachelor of Arts / Science

Another eventful year for Israel’s richest resident, who derives most of herfortune from cruise line Carnival Corp. Left Israel in 2003 with her youngest sonin tow, prompting charges of kidnapping from her Israel-based ex-husband.Federal court in Miami dismissed the case, and Arison recently returned to Israel.Her current husband faces sexual harassment allegations in Israel, including onefrom a nurse who tended to Arison after she underwent plastic surgery. Carnival,managed by brother Micky Arison, has fared well since its successful megamergerwith P&O Princess Cruises. Other holdings include a controlling stake in Israel’sBank Hapoalim, Housing & Construction and Eurocom, Israel’s exclusive Nokiadistributor.

84 Oleg Deripaska, 36, $5.5bn, Russia, Moscow (Russia)Industry: ManufacturingMarital Status: married

Former metals trader survived the gangster wars in the aluminum industry.In 2000, at age 31, assumed control of Russian Aluminum, the country’sdominant producer. His holding company, Basic Element, now owns RussianAluminum, automobile manufacturer GAZ, aircraft manufacturer Aviacor andinsurance company Ingosstrakh. Deripaska feels secure about his property inRussia; instead of liquidating assets, like Abramovich, he is investing heavily inexpanding his Russian business empire. Married into family of former PresidentYeltsin.

84 Yasuo Takei & family, 75, $5.5bn, Japan, Tokyo (Japan)

Industry: FinanceMarital Status: married , 3 children

Two years ago Takei, founder of consumer loan giant Takefuji, was arrested onwire-tapping charges stemming from allegations that he compelled employees to tap thephones of journalists critical of his company. He was found guilty in November andsentenced to a four-year probation of sorts. Should he violate the terms of thatagreement, he will face a prison sentence of at least three years. The results of his badbehavior haven’t been good for Takefuji, which saw rivals like Acom and Promiseencroach on its turf. Last year (year ending March 2004) Takefuji’s net profit fell 21%

to $708 million on diminished sales.87 Jean-Claude Decaux & family, 67, $5.4bn, France, Paris (France)

Industry: Media/EntertainmentMarital Status: married , 3 children

Decaux saw his fortunes rise $2 billion this year, thanks to the advertisingbounce-back in Europe. His eponymous company is responsible for the outdoorads splashed across bus shelters, airports, billboards and subway stations in some3,500 cities in 43 countries worldwide. In partnership with NBC Universal,Decaux is currently vying for a $1 billion, twenty-year outdoor advertisingcontract with New York City. Founder Decaux keeps the business in the family.His sons Jean-Francois and Jean-Charles share the top spot.

87 Antonia Johnson, 61, $5.4bn, Sweden, Stockholm (Sweden)Industry: DiversifiedMarital Status: married , 4 children

Heads privately held $9.4 billion (sales) A. Johnson & Co., a trading company founded by her great-grandfather in 1873. Took over in 1982. The diversified company has interests in energy, real estate, telecomand food retailing. Antonia, who rides and raises horses, spent a year at Radcliffe College in Cambridge Mass.as a foreign exchange student. She is a member of the board of the City Mission of Stockholm, an organizationto help the homeless, and the World Childhood Foundation.

87 Johanna Quandt, 77, $5.4bn, Germany, Bad Homburg (Germany)Industry: ManufacturingMarital Status: widowed , 2 children

Third wife and widow of Herbert Quandt, the man credited with rescuing BMWfrom bankruptcy. Owns 17% share in BMW, one of the last remaining independentluxury carmakers (Porsche is the other). Lives in the spa town of Bad Homburg nearFrankfurt.

90 Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller, 91, $5.3bn, Denmark, Copenhagen(Denmark)

Industry: Shipping/Trucking/TransportMarital Status: married , 3 children

Shipping magnate donated $440 million to create Copenhagen’s new opera house but came under fire fromarchitect for his insistence on placing steel beams over the building’s glass front, reportedly so people on theoutside could not look in. Those beams were firmly in place at opera house’s opening performance of Aida inJanuary. In 2003 retired as chairman of family’s shipping company A.P. Moller-Maersk Group, founded by hisfather and grandfather in 1904. Today the Moller-Maersk empire has the world’s largest fleet of containerships, some of which were used to transport supplies to Asia during the tsunami relief effort.

91 Joseph & Moise Safra, age N/A, $5.2bn, Brazil, Sao Paulo (Brazil)Industry: FinanceMarital Status: NA

Following in the footsteps of generations of Safra bankers in the Middle East and later Brazil, these broth-ers have built Banco Safra into Brazil’s eighth-largest bank. Last year Banco J. Safra, founded in 1998 to man-age Joseph’s personal fortune, began operating as a commercial bank—competing with Banco Safra. Joseph’ssecond son, Alberto Joseph, runs that outfit, while elder son, Jacob Joseph, runs Safra National Bank of NewYork. (A third son attends college.) Other investments include a stake in Brazilian pulp and paper maker Ara-cruz and Israeli mobile phone company Cellcom. Deceased brother Edmond Safra had a separate billion-dollarbanking fortune.

91 Onsi Sawiris & family, 75, $5.2bn, Egypt, Cairo (Egypt)Industry: ManufacturingMarital Status: married , 3 children

Founder of the Orascom conglomerate, whose construction, telecommunications and tourism divisions arerun by his three sons. Part of the fortune rests in a joint venture with Swiss cement giant Holderbank. The re-sult: Orascom Construction controls over 25% of Egypt’s cement market. Orascom Telecom is the leadingmobile phone operator throughout Africa, the Middle East and Pakistan, with 11 million subscribers. Relaxesat one of the Orascom Hotel Development resorts on the Red Sea or the Sinai Peninsula.

93 Dan Duncan, 72, $5.1bn, USA, Houston, Texas (USA)Industry: Oil/GasMarital Status: married , 4 children

Cofounder, chairman and majority shareholder of Enterprise Products Partners,massive natural gas liquids pipeline and storage company. Native of small-townCenter, Tex. was raised by grandmother from age 7 after mother and only siblingdied. Cites grandmother’s motto, “Do the best you can every day,” as foundation forhis business philosophy. Roughneck after high school; Army stint. Studied at MasseyBusiness College and South Texas College before starting Enterprise Products with 2partners, 1 truck and $10,000 in 1969. Bought out last partner 1989, went public1998 as master limited partnership; still owns 53% of company. Avid hunter hasstalked big game on 6 continents. Low media profile, but gives heavily to Republicanpoliticians around the country.

94 Michael Bloomberg, 62, $5.0bn, USA, New York, N.Y. (USA)Industry: Media/EntertainmentMarital Status: divorced , 2 childrenJohns Hopkins University, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceHarvard University, Master of Business Administration

How’m I doing? New York City’s Mayor Mike didn’t coin the question, but the an-swer is “Just fine.” Bloomberg L.P.’s growth stalled with the markets, but with stocksback in go-go mode, demand for his eponymous company’s data terminals is up. Mostcreative use of market forces by a politician: gambit to keep city calm duringRepublican convention was to offer protesters discounts at NYC shopping, diningestablishments in exchange for not rioting.

94 Gustavo Cisneros & family, 59, $5.0bn, Venezuela, Caracas (Venezuela)Industry: Media/EntertainmentMarital Status: married , 3 childrenBabson College, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Media baron whose Cisneros Group includes 14% stake in Spanish-language TVnetwork Univision, AOL Latin America and a score of other media companies; 80% ofholdings outside Venezuela. Outspoken critic of Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez, heuses his private TV station to denounce the politician. A socialite, hobnobs with U.S.friends such as Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush. He and his wife, Patricia, are alsomajor collectors of Latin American art.

94 Rafael del Pino, 84, $5.0bn, Spain, Madrid (Spain)Industry: Engineering/ConstructionMarital Status: married , 5 childrenETSIC of Madrid

Founded construction company Ferrovial in 1952. The $7.7 billion (2003 sales) group is now one ofSpain’s largest builders. Company also has interests in real estate; services such as waste disposal; and airportsin the U.K., Chile and Australia. Also manages toll roads in Spain, Portugal, Canada, Chile and Ireland. Nowretired, has been awarded Spain’s Royal Academy of History’s gold medal for his promotion of cultural andhistorical understanding via the Rafael del Pino Foundation. Son Rafael Jr. heads the business.

94 Robert Kuok, 81, $5.0bn, Malaysia, Hong KongIndustry: AgricultureMarital Status: married , 8 childrenRaffles College, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Southeast Asia’s richest man. Has holdings throughout Asia, including theShangri-La hotel chain, Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post newspaperand Kerry Beverages, one of the biggest Coca-Cola bottlers in China. Alsohas vast holdings in shipping, sugar trading and other commodities as well assubstantial investments in China beyond the bottling operations. Got his startin the sugar business back in the late 1950s.

94 Kerry Packer, 67, $5.0bn, Australia, Sydney (Australia)Industry: Media/EntertainmentMarital Status: married , 2 children

Major shareholder of Australian media empire Publishing & Broadcasting Ltd ishimself a regular in the Aussie press. In 2003 settled a 1997 defamation suit against aTV program that accused him of wrongdoing. Only two months earlier lost a suitaccusing the Sydney Morning Herald of publishing a fictional quip that portrayed himas a greedy megalomaniac. The renowned gambler is increasing his casino holdings:through PBL paid $670 million to take over Burswood International Resort Casino inAugust and is teaming up with Macau gaming mogul, billionaire Stanley Ho to build ahotel-casino. PBL has enjoyed 8% average annual growth (operating revenue) since2002, and the stock rose 40% last year alone.

94 Hasso Plattner, 61, $5.0bn, Germany, Heidelberg (Germany)Industry: SoftwareMarital Status: married , 2 childrenUniversity of KarlsruheUniversity of Karlsruhe, Master of Science

Cofounded SAP, German software giant, with four IBM colleagues. Now retired, hehas many activities to keep him busy. A sports enthusiast, he skis, snowboards, plays golfand tennis, and sails (has raced in the America’s Cup). Also gives lectures in computersciences as honorary professor at the University of Potsdam. His nonprofit foundation, theHasso Plattner Förderstiftung, supports AIDS prevention in South Africa and scholarshipsat several universities. His pet project is the H.P. Institute for Software SystemsEngineering, established in 1999 to train IT engineers.

94 Jeffrey Skoll, 40, $5.0bn, Canada, San Jose, Calif. (USA)Industry: TechnologyMarital Status: singleUniversity of Toronto, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceStanford University, Master of Business Administration

Ebay’s first president and full-time employee, Skoll is no longer involved in day-to-day but remains its second-largest shareholder. Ebay stock on a rollercoaster ride:Shares were up 69% over last nine months of 2004, but have fallen 28% since thebeginning of January. Skoll has endowed his Skoll Foundation with at least $300million, which gives away millions in grants and loans to “social entrepreneurs”around the globe. Also an investor in Ovation Entertainment, a southern Californiafilm production outfit whose purpose is to make movies about social issues andpeople doing good. Pumped gas in North York, Ont. before getting an M.B.A. fromStanford in 1995.

94 Viktor Vekselberg, 47, $5.0bn, Russia, Moscow (Russia)Industry: Oil/GasMarital Status: married , 2 childrenMoscow State University of Railway Transport, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Ukrainian-born oil baron and deal junkie studied at Moscow State Uni-versity of Railroad Engineering in 1970s. Through his managementcompany, Renova, orchestrated Russia’s first successful hostile takeover, ofthe Vladimir Tractor Factory, in 1994. Later bought medium-size aluminumsmelters and bauxite mines and in 1996 united them into Sual Holding,Russia’s second-largest aluminum company. Vekselberg made the bulk ofhis fortune when he and Mikhail Fridman’s Alfa Group took over TNK,which merged with BP in 2003; it is now Russia’s second-largest private oilcompany. Last year bought the Forbes Fabergé collection for an undisclosedsum, promising to return it to Russia, where it is now touring. Now laying low to avoid Kremlin scrutiny.

94 H. Ty Warner, 61, $5.0bn, USA, Chicago, Ill. (USA)Industry: ManufacturingMarital Status: singleKalamazoo College, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Kalamazoo College dropout took job selling stuffed toys. Quit to bum around Italy. Returned home, begandesigning own line of stuffed Himalayan cats, other animals before creating Beanie Babies: understuffed toyanimals affordably priced for the allowance set. Limited production runs spawned frenzied buying by adultswho drove prices up to $12,000. Mania finally subsiding: toymaker’s sales off sharply from their high, but TyInc. still immensely profitable. Reinvesting in real estate. Four Seasons hotels in New York City, Santa Bar-bara; Kona Village resort in Hawaii.

103 Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken, 50, $4.9bn, Netherlands, London (UK)Industry: BeveragesMarital Status: married , 5 childrenRijnlands Lyceum Wassenaar, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceUniversity of Leiden, Doctor of Jurisprudence

Inherited a 25% stake in Dutch brewer Heineken upon her father’s death three years ago. Recent consoli-dation in the suds business—SABMiller and InBev are the new industry behemoths—has knocked Heinekenfrom to fourth in terms of global volume. Heineken’s own efforts at swallowing smaller regional brewerieshave generally fallen flat. De Carvalho-Heineken, mother of five and wife of investment banker Michel deCarvalho, enjoys photography, music and architecture. She is also a member of St. Moritz’s elite Corviglia SkiClub.

103 Eitaro Itoyama, 62, $4.9bn, Japan, Tokyo (Japan)Industry: Real EstateMarital Status: married , 2 childrenNippon University, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Owns vast, privately held real estate portfolio. Itoyama, a former politician, isa large shareholder of Mitsubishi Heavy Industry and JAL. A vocal shareholder,he publicly criticizes Mitsubishi in his sporadically maintained online journal.One of his entries includes a vociferous gripe against Mitsubishi Motors CEOTakashi Nishioka, for throwing money into rebuilding Mitsubishi Motors. “If hewas really that capable, he would have been able to inflate the stock price muchhigher,” he said. “What in the world kind of math did he come up with?”

103 Rahmi Koc & family, 74, $4.9bn, Turkey, Istanbul (Turkey)Industry: DiversifiedMarital Status: married , 3 childrenJohns Hopkins University, Bachelor of Arts / Science

With passing of fellow industrialist Sakip Sabanci last year, Rahmi Koc remains as the last of Turkey’sgreat corporate chiefs. Koc ran the famed Koc Group from 1984 until 2003, then handed stewardship to sonMustafa. The elder Koc and relatives sold $100 million worth of Koc Holding early last year, but company isanything but a sleeper. It recently announced plans to pay $1.6 billion for 57% of debt-laden Yapi Credi Bank,in a joint venture with UniCredito of Italy. Then Wal-Mart kicked the tires of the Koc family-controlled su-permarket chain, Migros, though no deal yet. The family patriarch might not be the one crunching numbers—the active 73-year-old, an avid sailor, reportedly keeps busy funding archaeological digs.

103 Ronald Perelman, 62, $4.9bn, USA, New York, N.Y. (USA)Industry: InvestmentsMarital Status: married , 6 childrenUniversity of Pennsylvania, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceUniversity of Pennsylvania Wharton School, Master of Business Administratio

Leveraged-buyout king applying extreme makeover to Revlon. Announced massive stock-for-bonds swaplast year, reduced company’s debt burden by $900 million. Wharton grad got start helping father run family’sPhiladelphia metal-fabricating business. Bought $1.9 million stake in a jewelry distributor 1978; built intoconglomerate MacAndrews & Forbes using high-yield debt from Drexel Burnham. Created moneymaking ma-chine: buy undervalued assets with leverage, divest all but cash cows, use money to bag bigger companies.Most lucrative deal: selling Golden State Bancorp to Citigroup in 2002 for $6 billion; stake now worth $1.7billion. Other investments: Scientific Games, Panavision. Married to actress Ellen Barkin, good friends withrocker Jon Bon Jovi. Onetime cigar enthusiast rarely seen without a stogie in tow gave up smoking in 2002.

107 Karl-Heinz Kipp, 81, $4.8bn, Germany, Arosa (Switzerland)Industry: RetailingMarital Status: married , 2 children

Opened his first department store in 1948. Sold his Massa chain in 1985 but held onto the real estate, whichhe now rents out to giant retailer Metro. Owns seven prime properties in New York City, including threebuildings on Fifth Avenue and one on Madison. Lives at the Hotel Tschuggen in Arosa, one of four luxury ho-tels he owns in Switzerland.

107 Alexei Mordashov, 39, $4.8bn, Russia, Moscow (Russia)Industry: ManufacturingMarital Status: married , 3 childrenBachelor of Arts / ScienceUniversity of Northumbria, Master of Business Administration

Boss of Severstal, Russia’s second-largest steel company. Son ofmillworker parents, in the mid-1980s studied economics in Leningrad. Laterwas named finance director of a steel mill. When the plant’s elderly generaldirector instructed him to buy up shares of the company so it would not fallinto the hands of an outsider, Mordashov bought most of the shares himself.Became general director and built it into a conglomerate, acquiringautomakers, coal companies, transportation companies and port facilities. In

2003 he outbid U.S. Steel to buy bankrupt Rouge Industries of the U.S. for$285 million. A leading proponent of Western-style management training,Mordashov is advocating for Russia’s entry into the WTO.

107 Jim Pattison, 76, $4.8bn, Canada, Vancouver (Canada)Industry: DiversifiedMarital Status: married , 3 childrenUniversity of British Columbia

Master conglomerator got his start flipping used cars to his collegeclassmates. Branched out from car dealerships into fishing, media,packaging and supermarkets. Currently focusing on growing Ripley’sBelieve it or Not, the touristy museum chain. Recent project: Bringing aneight-legged bison to the Niagara Falls museum.

107 Alain & Gerard Wertheimer, age N/A, $4.8bn, France, Paris (France)Industry: ApparelMarital Status: NA

Luxe titan Chanel is tightly controlled by brothers Alain and GerardWertheimer. Last year Chanel’s most popular designer, Karl Lagerfeld, shookthe fashion world with his line for discount clothier H&M, but analysts warnthat it may be risky for the exclusive brand to dabble in mass luxury. Last yearalso marked Chanel’s mega-advertising push, as the brand ponied up areported $5 million on production of an ad starring Nicole Kidman as the newspokesperson for No. 5. The brothers Wertheimer own French vineyards likeRauzan-Segla in Margaux and Chateau Canon in Saint-Emilion, both of whichhave won rave reviews from oenophiles.

111 Kunio Busujima & family, 79, $4.7bn, Japan, Kiryu (Japan)Industry: Gambling /LeisureMarital Status: married , 4 childrenKiryu Commerce & Technical School, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Busujima used to work for rival pachinko machine manufacturer Heiwa before he founded Sankyo in 1966.One of the few listed companies in Japan’s pachinko gambling industry, Sankyo is the second-largest maker ofpinball machines, with a 16% market share. In part thanks to the introduction of high-tech, digitalized pinballmachines using LCD screens, Sankyo saw profits climb 47% to an all-time high of $260 million in the yearending March 2004.

111 Michael Kadoorie & family, 64, $4.7bn, Hong Kong, Hong KongIndustry: DiversifiedMarital Status: married

Brothers Elly and Ellis Kadoorie, émigrés from Baghdad, founded hotels inShanghai and Hong Kong nearly 100 years ago. Michael, grandson to Elly, nowoversees the family’s interests, which include power supplier CLP Holdings andhotels. While the Peninsula in Hong Kong remains their jewel hotel, family is return-ing to its Shanghai roots, opening a Peninsula hotel there.

111 Kyosuke Kinoshita & family, 64, $4.7bn, Japan, Tokyo (Japan)Industry: FinanceMarital Status: married , 3 childrenRitsumeikan University, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Kinoshita’s Acom is Japan’s largest consumer finance company specializing in consumer-oriented collat-eral-free loans. Fewer customers are turning to consumer loans and Acom profits fell 6% to $670 million lastyear (fiscal year ending March 2004). Though low-wage earners represent Acom’s traditional customer base,the company nonetheless formed an alliance last year with Japan’s megabank Tokyo-Mitsubishi in an attemptto tap more affluent customers the bank holds. In his spare time Kinoshita enjoys Japanese traditional Nohplays.

111 Ferit Sahenk & family, 41, $4.7bn, Turkey, Istanbul (Turkey)Industry: FinanceMarital Status: married , 1 childBoston College, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Turkey’s youngest billionaire runs powerful Dogus Holding conglomerate, which boasts a vast portfolio ofbanking, media and construction holdings. Not wanting to relinquish too much control, Ferit shelved a buyoutoffer from Italy’s UniCredito for his Garanti Bank, whose publicly held shares analysts consider overvalued.Apparently snooping for deals in Turkey’s national lottery privatization program. He’s also increasing thevalue of his Tansas supermarket chain, which has finished a massive debt restructuring. The subject of a Har-vard Business School case study, Sahenk is an enthusiastic Leica camera snapper whose black-and-white pho-tos he shares with few.

115 Robert Bosch Jr. & family, 77, $4.6bn, Germany, Stuttgart (Germany)Industry: ManufacturingMarital Status: married , 6 childrenBachelor of Arts / ScienceDoctorate

With sister, Eva, owns 8% of $45 billion (sales) engineering giant Robert Bosch GmbH, maker of autoparts, automation equipment, central-heating boilers and power tools. Family foundation holds the remaining92%. A trained psychologist, Bosch also has his own foundation that focuses on education and helps the handi-capped.

116 Giorgio Armani, 70, $4.5bn, Italy, Milan (Italy)Industry: ApparelMarital Status: NAUniversity of Bologna

Much-celebrated fashion designer is these days contemplating the futureof his $2 billion (2003 sales) private company, which boasts 5,000 employees,13 factories and more than 300 retail stores in 37 countries. Announced latelast year that he will likely sell the company when he retires, rather than takeit public or appoint someone else to run it. Armani has diversified far beyondclothing into perfumes, home decor, cosmetics, cafes—even flowers andchocolates—and is now getting into the hotel business. Armani also owns hisown restaurant, part of the famed Nobu sushi franchise, as well as a night clubin Milan. Spent two years in medical school before dropping out in 1957 toaccept a job as a department store buyer. Armani is Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Com-mission for Refugees.

117 David Geffen, 62, $4.4bn, USA, Malibu, Calif. (USA)Industry: Media/EntertainmentMarital Status: singleUniversity of Texas Austin, Drop Out

Last fall the music impresario took public the animation unit ofDreamWorks SKG, the boutique film studio he cofounded with StevenSpielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg. His timing couldn’t have been better:company’s Shrek 2 was last summer’s blockbuster, making $860 million at thebox office. How to spend the proceeds? Geffen says he will hand over all of hisDreamWorks profits to charity. Contemporary art collector (Jackson Pollock,Jasper Johns, Willem de Kooning) lately slowing down: “What good is art ifyou don’t have the walls to hang it on?”

117 James, Arthur & John Irving, age N/A, $4.4bn, Canada, St. John (Canada)Industry: Oil/GasMarital Status: NA

Founded by father K.C. Irving, the Irving conglomerate operates dozens of companies that together domi-nate the economy of New Brunswick and Maritime Canada. The highly private brothers manage a labyrinthinecollection of assets, including Canada’s biggest oil refinery, 1.6 million acres of Maine timberland and 600filing stations and truck stops. Much of the family’s trust rumored to be held in tax-haven Bermuda. Minor

2003 scandal still in the Canadian papers: prominent Canadian politicians were resoundingly criticized fortaking free flights on Irving’s private jet and vacationing at their massive New Brunswick estate. Family laterdonated $2 million to fund journalism programs at two New Brunswick universities.

117 Fukuzo Iwasaki, 80, $4.4bn, Japan, Kagoshima (Japan)Industry: Real EstateMarital Status: married , 3 childrenRikkyo University, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Iwasaki lords over a diverse conglomerate, headquartered in Japan’s conservative southern island of Kyu-shu, that includes transportation, tourism and hotel assets. The company, which enjoys a monopoly in the Kyu-shu area, doesn’t disclose profits on its $760 million in sales. But gloomy signs abound: In the past few yearsIwasaki has shuttered several of its resorts and theme parks, remnants of Japan’s bubble economy. Iwasaki’sson, daughter and brother sit on his board of directors.

117 Vladimir Potanin, 44, $4.4bn, Russia, Moscow (Russia)Industry: Mining/LumberMarital Status: married , 3 childrenBachelor of Arts / Science

With Mikhail Prokhorov, built large holding company Interros by winningover the corporate customers of two huge Soviet-era banks in 1992. He andProkhorov later got control of metals giant Norilsk Nickel and oil companySidanco in controversial “loans-for-shares” auctions. Has variously served asa deputy prime minister of the economy; partner to George Soros in telecommonopoly Svyazinvest; and even as a member of the board of theGuggenheim Museum, which he joined in 2002. His Interros holdingcompany remains broadly diversified, with interests in metals, insurance,media, agriculture and engineering. Last year he bought the last remainingU.S. platinum and palladium producer, Stillwater Mining, for $255 million.He spent much of last year trying to reach an agreement with Siemens about a takeover of one of his holdings,Power Machines. The Russian government is currently reviewing the proposed deal.

117 Mikhail Prokhorov, 39, $4.4bn, Russia, Moscow (Russia)Industry: Mining/LumberMarital Status: singleBachelor of Arts / Science

With Vladimir Potanin, built large holding company Interros by winningover the corporate customers of two huge Soviet-era banks in 1992. The groupnow has interests in metals, engineering, agriculture and media. Since 2001Prokhorov has been chairman of its most valuable holding, metals conglomerateNorilsk Nickel; he has a slightly larger stake than Potanin. A bachelor,Prokhorov is often featured in the gossip pages for his blowout parties on theFrench Riviera. But then it’s back to work at his metals plant in the Arctic cir-cle.

122 Vagit Alekperov, 54, $4.3bn, Russia, Moscow (Russia)Industry: Oil/GasMarital Status: married , 1 childAzerbaijan Institute of Oil and Chemistry, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Heads Russia’s largest oil company, Lukoil. As deputy minister of fuel and en-ergy in 1991, the last year of Soviet rule, he cobbled together oil giant Lukoil out ofsome of the best Russian oil properties. He then muscled in on a big deal in theCaspian Sea, bought refineries in eastern Europe and the Getty gas station chain inthe U.S. After a few difficult years in which Lukoil underperformed its Russianrivals, the company is growing again. Alekperov is in good standing with PresidentVladimir Putin. He also got permission to develop an oilfield in Saudi Arabia and ismoving ahead with plans to export Russian oil directly to the U.S. Last year, 10%of the company was sold to ConocoPhillips.

122 Donald Bren, 72, $4.3bn, USA, Newport Beach, Calif. (USA)Industry: Real EstateMarital Status: married , 6 childrenUniversity of Washington, Bachelor of Arts / Science

After Marines, built first house on $10,000 loan 1958. Started home-buildingcompany, sold to International Paper for $34 million in 1970. Became majorityowner of Irvine Co., including Irvine Ranch south of Los Angeles. Now sellsfinished plots on the 93,000-acre tract for more than $1 million an acre. Also 400 of-fice buildings, 35 shopping centers, 80 apartment complexes, 2 luxe hotels. Bigsupporter of educational, conservational causes, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s political career.

122 Walter Haefner, 94, $4.3bn, Switzerland, Zurich (Switzerland)Industry: TechnologyMarital Status: married , 2 childrenUniversity of Lyon, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceUniversity of Zurich, Master of Business Administration

The loyalist. Computer Associates’ biggest individual shareholder with a 21.4% stake still holding onto hisshares despite the software company’s recent problems, which led to the chief executive’s departure last year.Also owns shares in troubled airline Swiss International. Better luck for him at the horse track: owns Ireland’sMoyglare Stud Farm, which has bred recent winners Simple Exchange and Media Puzzle.

122 Erivan Haub & family, 72, $4.3bn, Germany, Mülheim an der Ruhr (Germany)Industry: RetailingMarital Status: married , 3 childrenUniversity of Hamburg, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Owns the Tengelmann Group, one of Germany’s largest food retailers. Alsocontrols 57% of A&P, the struggling supermarket chain. Haub has retired,leaving sons Karl-Erivan, Georg and Christian to run the show. The Haubs arestaunch friends of the U.S. and are well-known in Tacoma, Wash., where theyown extensive real estate and where the Haub “boys” were born. They also own aranch in Wyoming and a first-class resort, Sun Valley Mountain Lodge, in theCascades.

122 Kun-Hee Lee & family, 63, $4.3bn, South Korea, Seoul (S. Korea)Industry: TechnologyMarital Status: married , 4 childrenWaseda UniversityGeorge Washington University, Master of Business Administration

Oversees one of the largest chaebol—conglomerates—owned by a single family in South Korea. Its flag-ship, 35-year-old Samsung Electronics, had a banner year, posting $55 billion in sales, up 32% over the previ-ous year, with profits up 90% over the same period. He is an avid skiier and as an art lover art; founded an artmuseum that opened last October in Seoul.

122 Gordon Moore, 76, $4.3bn, USA, Woodside, Calif. (USA)Industry: TechnologyMarital Status: married , 2 childrenUniversity of California Berkeley, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceCalifornia Institute of Technology, Doctorate

Caltech grad took job researching weapons propulsion at Johns Hopkins; stumbledupon the integrated circuit and became known for Moore’s Law (by which the number oftransistors on a microchip doubles every 18 months). Founded Intel in 1968 with RobertNoyce (d. 1990) and $2.5 million investment led by venture capitalist Arthur Rock. Intelhad meteoric growth until tech slump; thriving again in servers, wireless equipment.Moore would be worth twice as much, but in 2000 he donated half his Intel stake to charity-environmentalcauses and education, including $300 million to his alma mater.

122 Henry Ross Perot & family, 74, $4.3bn, USA, Dallas, Texas (USA)Industry: InvestmentsMarital Status: married , 5 childrenUS Naval Academy, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Former IBM salesman founded Electronic Data Systems 1962, sold to GeneralMotors for $2.5 billion in 1984. Parted ways with GM, founded information servicesfirm Perot Systems 1988. Stepped down to concentrate on politics in 1992; made 2unsuccessful bids for presidency with dire warning that free-trade agreements wouldcreate “giant sucking sound” as jobs moved abroad. Own company joining the chorus,adding low-level tech jobs at subsidiary in India. Son Ross Jr. took over company in2000, emphasized consulting practice; also controls family’s considerable real estate holdings.

122 David Sainsbury & family, 64, $4.3bn, UK, London (UK)Industry: RetailingMarital Status: married , 3 childrenUniversity of Cambridge, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceColumbia University, Master of Business Administration

Tony Blair’s Science Minister owes his wealth to his family’s iconic Sainsbury grocery business, which re-ported its first-ever loss last year. Intensifying competition, notably from discount heavies Tesco and Wal-Mart, has eaten away at the business, prompting new Chief Justin King to launch a $1 billion restructuringdrive. All of Lord Sainsbury’s wealth is held in a blind trust for the duration of his term as MINISTER FORSCIENCE AND INNOVATION, a tenure marked by doubling the science budget and focusing on the under-representation of women in science. He received the Andrew Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy in 2003 for hisgenerous giving to causes like mental health and African aid.

122 Masayoshi Son, 47, $4.3bn, Japan, Tokyo (Japan)Industry: SoftwareMarital Status: married , 2 childrenUniversity of California Berkeley, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Two conspicuous purchases Softbank made last year: $3.2 billion JapanTelecom from Ripplewood and a $190 million baseball team. While those flashytopics made newspaper headlines, the company continues to suffer from losses:$1 billion last year, largely due to customer-acquisition costs for theirrevolutionary ADSL/IP phone service. Japanese government recently rejectedSon’s request to obtain a 800MHZ wave band for his mobile phone business.

122 William Wrigley Jr., 41, $4.3bn, USA, Lake Forest, Ill. (USA)Industry: FoodMarital Status: married , 3 childrenDuke University, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Great-grandfather peddled baking powder, used chewing gum as incentive. Found gum more popular. Nowthe world’s number one chewing gum manufacturer. Fourth-generation Wrigley hungry for acquisitions:bought Spanish confections producer Joyco Group for $260 million.

132 John Abele, 68, $4.2bn, USA, Boston, Mass. (USA)Industry: Health CareMarital Status: married , 3 childrenAmherst College, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Scientist met businessman Peter Nicholas at kids’ soccer game, cofounded biotech firm Boston Scientific in1979. Maintained healthy business making medical devices for minimally invasive surgery; received bigbooster shot last year after FDA approved Taxus, drug-coated stent for clogged arteries. Today Boston Scien-tific dominates the stent market, but lately under pressure amid patent infringement lawsuit from rival Johnson& Johnson, FDA recall of malfunctioning stents.

132 Cheng Yu-tung, 79, $4.2bn, Hong Kong, Hong KongIndustry: Real EstateMarital Status: married , 2 children

Heads New World Development, one of Hong Kong’s leading conglomerates, with $14.3 billion in assets.Despite a 22% increase in revenues to $3.3 billion, group reported another loss of $125 million last year.

Meanwhile, Cheng’s private holding Chow Tai Fook Enterprises, whose holdings include a $50 million stakein China Life Insurance and jewelry, appears to be doing well.

132 George Kaiser, 62, $4.2bn, USA, Tulsa, Okla. (USA)Industry: Oil/GasMarital Status: widowed , 3 childrenHarvard University, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceHarvard University, Master of Business Administration

Took over family’s Kaiser-Francis Oil in 1969, built empire into energy investments, banking, real estate.Prescient bets on rising oil and gas prices paying off: “We saw an imbalance in supply and demand that in theshort term can only be rectified through pricing.” Longer term, placing bets on liquefied natural gas. Investingin “energy bridge” technology: unloads liquefied gas from tankers via submerged buoys, pipes ashore via un-dersea pipelines.

132 Andronico Luksic & family, 78, $4.2bn, Chile, Antofagasta (Chile)Industry: Mining/LumberMarital Status: married , 5 childrenUniversity of Chile, Drop Out

Chile’s wealthiest man started with a single Ford dealership in 1950. Gradually acquired mining concernsto form copper giant Antofagasta. Ceded control to son Jean Paul last year, though he remains chairman.Tapped his Croatian roots in 2000 by purchasing Plava Laguna resort chain on the Adriatic.

136 Jeffrey Bezos, 41, $4.1bn, USA, Seattle, Wash. (USA)Industry: TechnologyMarital Status: married , 3 childrenPrinceton University, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Raised in Texas and Florida, computer science degree from Princeton. Workedback-office job at hedge fund operator; quit to sell books over the Internet from hisSeattle garage. Took Amazon.com public in 1997. Survived the dot-com bust byoffering discount pricing and free shipping, expanding business overseas. Amazonnow the world’s biggest virtual mall: $6.9 billion (sales) in books, cookware,music, clothes. Now he wants to go from cyberspace to outer space: founded BlueOrigin to develop technology for commercial space travel.

136 Lorenzo Mendoza & family, 39, $4.1bn, Venezuela, Caracas (Venezuela)Industry: BeveragesMarital Status: married , 4 childrenFordham University, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceMassachusetts Institute of Technology, Master of Business Administration

Oversees $1.8 billion (sales) Empresas Polar, one of Venezuela’s largest privatecompanies. Founded by his grandfather as a beer company in 1941, it is still well-knownfor its Polar Beer, the world’s tenth-bestselling brew. Also makes everything from flourand condiments to tuna fish and wine. With his family supports one of Venezuela’s largestcharities, Fundacisn Polar.

138 Charles Koch, 68, $4.0bn, USA, Wichita, Kan. (USA)Industry: Oil/GasMarital Status: married , 2 childrenMassachusetts Institute of Technology, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceMassachusetts Institute of Technology, Doctorate

Son of Fred C. Koch, MIT grad who invented method of turning heavy oil into gasoline. Took technologyto Soviet Union, became disillusioned with Stalin, returned to the U.S., joined John Birch Society. Sons Fre-derick, Charles, David and William inherited Koch Industries after father’s death. Charles became chairman,expanded into chemicals, pipelines, asphalt, commodities trading. Fraternal rift after Charles and David boughtout William and Fred in 1983 for $1.1 billion; settled 2001. On the move: more than $7 billion in recent acqui-sitions, including DuPont’s synthetic-fiber business, pulp and paper business from Georgia-Pacific. Charles afounder of conservative think tank Cato Institute.

138 David Koch, 63, $4.0bn, USA, Wichita, Kan. (USA)Industry: Oil/GasMarital Status: married , 2 childrenMassachusetts Institute of Technology, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceMassachusetts Institute of Technology, Master of Science

Son of Fred C. Koch, MIT grad who invented method of turning heavy oil into gasoline. Took technologyto Soviet Union, became disillusioned with Stalin, returned to the U.S., joined John Birch Society. Sons Fre-derick, Charles, David and William inherited Koch Industries after father’s death. Charles became chairman,expanded into chemicals, pipelines, asphalt, commodities trading. Fraternal rift after Charles and David boughtout William and Fred in 1983 for $1.1 billion; settled 2001. On the move: more than $7 billion in recent acqui-sitions, including DuPont’s synthetic-fiber business, pulp and paper business from Georgia-Pacific. Charles afounder of conservative think tank Cato Institute.

138 Ananda Krishnan, 66, $4.0bn, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)Industry: CommunicationsMarital Status: married , 3 childrenMelbourne University, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceHarvard University, Master of Business Administration

The fortunes of this Harvard Business School graduate are soaring: His Malaysian-based satellite TV serviceprovider orchestrated a successful initial public offering in October 2003, adding another $1 billion to his networth. His mobile phone service provider Maxis Communications continues to perform well, much to the de-light of investors. Also controls racetrack betting and lottery systems in Malaysia via Tanjong Public Ltd.

138 Kwek Leng Beng & family, 64, $4.0bn, Singapore, SingaporeIndustry: Real EstateMarital Status: married , 2 childrenUniversity of London England, LLB

Making headlines in his native Singapore with some high-profile projects, such as a “six-star” St. Regishotel project costing a reported $550 million and the Sail@Marina, the tallest residential development in Sin-gapore. He also recently treated himself to a new top-of-the line Mercedes Maybach to add to his stable ofsports cars that includes a Ferrari. It’s quite a step up from the $90-a-month salary he got paid when first start-ing at his family’s Hong Leong conglomerate at age 17. Recently quipped to a local newspaper of his FORBESrankings: “I never know how they can estimate these things. I don’t even know how much I’m worth.”

138 James Sorenson, 83, $4.0bn, USA, Salt Lake City, Utah (USA)Industry: Health CareMarital Status: married , 8 childrenHigh School, Diploma

Soft-spoken entrepreneur grew up dirt-poor in Yuba City, Calif., father dug sewer trenches. Started assalesman for Upjohn. Tinkered with, eventually patented medical devices: plastic catheter, disposable surgicalmask. Sold Sorenson Research medical business to Abbott Labs 1980; stake now worth $2.4 billion. “I’vemade a life out of putting a business aspect to my innovative mind.” Also real estate: 520,000 acres, includingundeveloped mountain across from posh Park City, Utah ski resort; cattle ranch in central Utah serves as windfarm. Dabbles in video compression, genomics.

143 Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair & family, 51, $3.9bn, United Arab Emirates, Dubai (UAE)Industry: FinanceMarital Status: married , 5 childrenCalifornia State Polytechnical University

California-educated Al Ghurair runs Mashreqbank, traded on Dubai exchange; his family’s stake increasedto almost $3 billion thanks to surge in Middle Eastern stock markets. Borrowing a page from Jerry Lewis,funded a telethon on Dubai television in September which aimed to raise enough funds to send 5 million Iraqichildren back to school. His soft-spoken brother Essa, college-educated in San Diego, operates the second-largest flour-milling company in the Mideast; the food division chief also backs a group that monitors the coralaround the coast of the UAE and studies the turtle populations that inhabit the local waters. Uncle Saif’smegamalls make him almost a billionaire in his own right. Grandparents made a bundle during pearl-divingheyday, later diversified into banking, food production and real estate.

144 Lester Crown & family, 79, $3.8bn, USA, Wilmette, Ill. (USA)Industry: InvestmentsMarital Status: married , 7 childrenNorthwestern University, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceHarvard University, Master of Business Administration

Son of Chicago financier Henry Crown (d. 1990), who created Material Service with 2 brothers in 1919,merged with General Dynamics 1959. Still holds big stake in GD, stock in Maytag, Hilton Hotels, Alltel.Dedicates time to solving global problems: chairs the Chicago Foreign Relations Council, sits on board oftrustees of Aspen Institute.

144 John Menard Jr., 65, $3.8bn, USA, Eau Claire, Wis. (USA)Industry: RetailingMarital Status: divorced , 6 childrenUniversity of Wisconsin Madison, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Sole owner of home improvement chain with more than 170 stores, taking in $5 billion a year, constantlyfighting Lowe’s and Home Depot for market share. Also counts IRS among principal foes: taxman claims CEOMenard’s profit-based bonuses are really nondeductible dividends. Menard fighting all the way. Press-shyhardware man also famous for micromanagement style, passion for auto racing.

144 Thomas Schmidheiny, 59, $3.8bn, Switzerland, Balgach (Switzerland)Industry: Engineering/ConstructionMarital Status: married , 4 childrenZurich Polytechnic-ETHZ, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceTufts University, Doctorate

Fourth generation of a Swiss-German industrial fortune. Holds 23.6% stake incementmaker Holcim and has a seat on the board. Holcim is aggressivelyexpanding, adding to its holdings in Mexico, the U.K. and India. Also manages hispersonal wine holdings, including the Cuvaison and Chapel Hill labels and therevamped Weingut Schmidheiny, a vineyard in Balgach, Switzerland, where he wasborn.

144 Andreas Strüngmann, 55, $3.8bn, Germany, Tegernsee (Germany)Industry: PharmaceuticalsMarital Status: married , 2 childrenBachelor of Arts / ScienceMedical Doctor

With twin brother Thomas, founded generic drug maker Hexal AG in 1986. Together they built it intoGermany’s second-largest generic drug producer, with $1.6 billion sales last year. In February the twins soldHexal and their 67.7% of U.S. Eon Labs to Novartis for $7.5 billion. No plans yet to retire: accepted an execu-tive post with Sandoz, a generic division of Novartis, and will sit on Sandoz’s executive committee.

144 Thomas Strüngmann, 55, $3.8bn, Germany, Tegernsee (Germany)Industry: PharmaceuticalsMarital Status: marriedBachelor of Arts / Science

With twin brother Andreas, founded generic drug maker Hexal AG in 1986. Together they built it intoGermany’s second-largest generic drug producer, with $1.6 billion sales last year. In February the twins soldHexal and their 67.7% of U.S. Eon Labs to Novartis for $7.5 billion. No plans yet to retire: like his brother, hasaccepted an executive post with Sandoz, a generic division of Novartis, and will sit on Sandoz’s executivecommittee.

149 Kumar Birla, 37, $3.7bn, India, Mumbai (India)Industry: DiversifiedMarital Status: married , 2 childrenUniversity of Bombay, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceLondon Business School, Master of Business Administration

Runs $7.5 billion (sales) commodities conglomerate Aditya Birla Group, India’slargest producer of copper and aluminium. Group derives 30% of its revenuesoverseas—copper mining in Australia, pulp mill in Canada, and carbon black factoryin China. Plans to invest $4.6 billion over next four years in new infrastructure. Wasconferred honorary doctorate by the Banaras Hindu University. Works out regularlyand spends Sundays with wife and two children.

149 Yoshiaki Tsutsumi, 70, $3.7bn, Japan, Tokyo (Japan)Industry: Real EstateMarital Status: marriedWaseda University, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Tsutsumi was arrested in early March on suspicion of falsifying financial statementsand insider trading. Kokudo reportedly conducted massive sales of Seibu Railway shares inas short as ten days, just in time for the scandal disclosure last October. The charismaticbusiness leader Tsutsumi was widely known as Forbes world’s richest man in 1987. Hewas the former chairman to Seibu Railway in Japan and had controlled most of the SeibuGroup and Prince Hotels.

151 Jeronimo Arango, 79, $3.6bn, Mexico, MexicoIndustry: RetailingMarital Status: NA

College dropout who earned billions by charming Sam Walton into expanding south of the border. His Ci-fra retail chain partnered with Wal-Mart in the early Nineties and was later bought out and renamed Wal-Mex.(Walmart now holds a 64% stake in Wal-Mex.) Spanish-born Arango, who briefly sat on the Wal-Mart boardin the late Nineties, is no longer active in either company.

151 Bernard Ecclestone & family, 74, $3.6bn, UK, London (UK)Industry: Gambling /LeisureMarital Status: married , 2 childrenUniversity of Greenwich

Owns 25% of Formula One. The banks that own the other 75% tookBernie to court last year to wrest more voting control away from him, buteventually admitted that Ecclestone knows how to run the company betterthan anyone. Ferrari has agreed to stay with Formula One until 2012, but thepressure of a renegade racing league being set up by restless manufacturershas not waned.

151 Stanley Ho, 83, $3.6bn, Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Industry: Gambling /LeisureMarital Status: married , 17 childrenUniversity of Hong Kong, Drop Out

The money keeps flowing for Stanley Ho, whose gaming operations include casinos,greyhound racing, lotteries and horse betting in Macau. Increased competition fromAmerican casino moguls Sheldon Adelson and Steve Wynn not a big deal yet: Ho’sSociedade de Jogos de Macau still controls 15 of the 17 casinos in the exotic Chineseplayland; posted $3.5 billion in casino revenues in 2003. His Lisboa casino is the theworld’s highest grossing casino. Even if the Americans succeed in Macau, Stanley won’tnecessarily lose out: He operates ferry and helicopter services that transport eager gamersto Macau. The 83-year-old mogul has 17 children.

151 Frank Lowy & family, 74, $3.6bn, Australia, Sydney (Australia)Industry: Real EstateMarital Status: married , 3 children(none)

The former deli-owner turned shopping mall Midas oversees a $40 billion (assets undermanagement) portfolio of 126 centers on three continents. In July restructured to betterposition for growth; the three Westfield entities—Westfield Holdings, Westfield Trust andWestfield America Trust—merged to form Westfield Group, an internally-managed realestate group that is 11%-owned by Lowy & family. In December 2003 he extricated himself from the nettle-some insurance and redevelopment battles surrounding the World Trade Center by selling his 99-year lease onthe WTC’s subterranean shopping plaza to the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey for $140 million.(His Westfield Holdings lost an employee at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11.) At the behest of the Aussiegovernment is helping to revive the country’s languishing soccer league.

151 Victor Rashnikov, 56, $3.6bn, Russia, Magnitogorsk (Russia)Industry: Mining/LumberMarital Status: married , 2 children

Director and owner of Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works, started there in 1967and worked his way up. In 1998 fended off takeover attempts from associates offellow steel magnate Iskander Makhmudov. Unlike the directors of other steelmills, Rashnikov has refrained from buying coalfields or foreign factories. Insteadhe accumulated cash and used it to buy out the government’s 23.8% stake inDecember 2004. Also managed to persuade the shareholders of Mechel steelgroup (run by fellow billionaires Igor Zyuzin and Vladimir Iorikh) to sell himtheir 15.4% stake in “Magnitka,” likely making him the controlling stakeholder.

156 Jorgen Clausen & family, 56, $3.5bn, Denmark, Nordborg (Denmark)Industry: ManufacturingMarital Status: married , 2 childrenBachelor of Arts / ScienceUniversity of Wisconsin Madison, Master of Business Administration

Low-key, second-generation chief executive of Danfoss, the $2.8 billion (sales)family heating and refrigeration company. Trying to become the “CEO of a trulyglobal company” by expanding in China and North America. Still, sales were only up5% last year and he put the brakes on an acquisition splurge that helped goose numbersin previous years. In May he’ll open Danfoss Universe, a theme park built over theformer site of his father’s backyard workshop, where the company was founded afterWorld War II. Flies himself to meetings and vacations, especially when he goes biggame hunting. Mixed politics and profits last year when he pushed his native countryof Denmark to earmark more money for child care. Politicians even evoked his name and the issue during de-bates.

156 Willi & Isolde Liebherr & family, age N/A, $3.5bn, Switzerland, Bulle (Switzerland)Industry: Engineering/ConstructionMarital Status: NA

Brother, Willi, and sister, Isolde, have run the diversified family business since their father died in 1993.Liebherr’s core construction crane unit continues to expand globally with forays into Eastern Europe and Chinathis year. Growing business supplying large antifriction bearings and drive systems to wind power companies.

156 Peter Nicholas, 63, $3.5bn, USA, Boston, Mass. (USA)Industry: Health CareMarital Status: married , 3 childrenDuke University, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceUniversity of Pennsylvania Wharton School, Master of Science

Businessman met scientist John Abele at kids’ soccer game, cofounded biotech firm Boston Scientific in1979. Maintained healthy business making medical devices for minimally invasive surgery; received big

booster shot last year after FDA approved Taxus, drug-coated stent for clogged arteries. Today Boston Scien-tific dominates the stent market, but lately under pressure amid patent infringement lawsuit from rival Johnson& Johnson, FDA recall of malfunctioning stents.

156 Julio Mario Santo Domingo, 81, $3.5bn, Colombia, Bogota (Colombia)Industry: BeveragesMarital Status: married , 3 childrenUniversity of Virginia

Jet-setting Colombian billionaire is shopping for a buyer for his Bavaria brewery, Latin America’s second-largest. Also controls interests in media, oil and staffing outfits. Last year sold off Avianca Airlines, a peren-nial moneyloser. (In 1989 a terrorist reportedly blew up one of the airline’s flights after buying a ticket underSanto Domingo’s name.) Keeps homes in New York, Paris and Baru, his private island. Once served as Co-lombia’s ambassador to China.

160 David & Frederick Barclay, age N/A, $3.4bn, UK, Island of Brecquou (UK)Industry: RetailingMarital Status: NA

Reclusive twins no more, thanks to their bid for some of the mediaassets of Conrad Black’s troubled Hollinger International. Despite a long,drawn out trial, at which Frederick testified, brothers successfully acquiredthe Telegraph Group for $1.2 billion. In past three years have also ac-quired U.K. retailer Littlewoods and mail-order operations of the GUSgroup (a major shareholder of Burberry). They manage these businessesalong with their extensive real estate portfolio from the island tax haven ofJersey.

160 Otto Beisheim, 81, $3.4bn, Germany, Zoug (Switzerland)Industry: RetailingMarital Status: widowed

Founded Metro Cash & Carry in 1964, which eventually developed intoMetro AG, now the world’s fifth-largest retailer. Still owns almost 19% of thegroup. Now retired, runs an Internet and technology company, BeisheimHolding Schweiz AG, and has built a 172,000-square-foot luxury developmentcomplete with hotels, apartments, office space, restaurants and shops near thePotsdamer Platz in central Berlin. The complex is likely to become embroiled inwar restitution claim as a Jewish family has alleged that the land on which itstands was illegally sold to Beisheim. An avid sports fan (golf, tennis), hasthree foundations that fund athletic programs.

160 John Fredriksen, 60, $3.4bn, Norway, Oslo (Norway)Industry: Shipping/Trucking/TransportMarital Status: married , 2 children

Son of a Norwegian welder turned a ship-brokering job as a teenager into control of the world’s largestfleet of oil tankers, through flagship Frontline Ltd. Benefiting from surging demand from China and India.Made big investment in liquefied natural gas tankers, betting that LNG would become the next crude oil; wa-ger has yet to pay off. In the meantime he is awash in cash from spinoffs of Frontline subsidiaries and invest-ments in overseas shipping companies like General Maritime. Collects classic Norwegian art. Reportedlyturned down an offer of $190 million from fellow billionaire Roman Abramovich for his London home lastyear.

160 Preston Tisch, 78, $3.4bn, USA, New York, N.Y. (USA)Industry: InvestmentsMarital Status: married , 3 childrenUniversity of Michigan, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Surviving brother of famed investor Laurence Tisch (d. 2003). Brothers got start with New Jersey hotel in1946; later owned the Drake, Belmont Plaza, Regency. Took control of Loews Theatres 1959, diversified in-terests now include insurance (CNA Financial), watches (Bulova), oil drilling (Diamond Offshore Drilling),tobacco (Lorillard). Larry long known for bearish pessimism; Preston’s son Jonathan now at helm, seesbrighter future. Preston co-owner New York Giants pro football franchise. Family philanthropy: donations toNYU alone exceed $50 million.

164 Robert Bass, 57, $3.3bn, USA, Fort Worth, Texas (USA)Industry: Oil/GasMarital Status: married , 2 childrenYale University, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceStanford University, Master of Business Administration

Third son of Texas oilman Perry Bass. Graduated from Yale, Stanford Business School. Father handedfamily business to eldest son, Sid; Robert, feeling overshadowed, broke out on his own 1983; moved one floordown in Bass-financed Fort Worth office tower. Arguably the better investor: diversified holdings includedWometco, Continental Broadcasting, Lone Star Technologies, San Juan Basin Royalty Trust. Sold Plaza Hotelto Donald Trump. His Oak Hill Capital Partners specializes in leveraged buyouts. Recent deal: buying DuaneReade drugstore for $700 million.

164 Paul Desmarais, 78, $3.3bn, Canada, Montreal (Canada)Industry: DiversifiedMarital Status: married , 4 childrenBachelor of Arts / Science

Bought his father’s one-route Ontario bus company for a dollar in 1951;eventually built into Power Corp., a $13 billion (sales) financial services andcommunications giant. Power Corp. consortium bought an indirect 25% stake inmedia giant Bertelsmann in early 2001. Also owns Investors Group, Canada’s largestmutual fund group, and has holdings in specialty mineral companies and wasteservices. The stock, which split in 2004, is up 25% in the past year. While sonsAndre and Paul Jr. run the company, Paul Sr. collects Canadian art and hunts birds athis private estate in Quebec.

164 Charles Johnson, 72, $3.3bn, USA, San Mateo, Calif. (USA)Industry: FinanceMarital Status: married , 6 childrenYale University, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Father, Rupert Sr., founded early mutual fund shop Franklin Distributors 1947. Half-brothers took over1969, expanded Franklin Resources by adding Templeton Funds 1992, Fiduciary Trust 2001. Also boughtHeine Securities from value investor Michael Price for $610 million in 1996. Today firm manages more than$350 billion. FKR named after Ben Franklin for his common sense, frugality. Yale grad and former Armylieutenant serves as chairman; son Charles’ son, Gregory, assists as co-CEO.

164 Sunil Mittal, 47, $3.3bn, India, Delhi (India)Industry: TechnologyMarital Status: married , 3 childrenPunjab University, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Self-made telecom entrepreneur. Runs India’s largest GSM-based cellular serviceprovider, Bharti Tele-Ventures, whose stock is up 24% since January. Added 4 millionsubscribers in the past year, taking total to more than 10 million. Started venture toexport fruits and vegetables with the Rothschild family. Spending $4.5 million toprovide mobile services in tsunami-hit Andaman & Nicobar islands.

164 Robert Rowling, 51, $3.3bn, USA, Dallas, Texas (USA)Industry: ServiceMarital Status: married , 2 childrenUniversity of Texas Austin, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceSouthern Methodist University, Doctor of Jurisprudence

Corporate lawyer joined dad’s Tana Oil & Gas in 1980; sold production units to Texaco in 1989, explora-tion division to Unocal. Bought luxury hospitality chain Omni Hotels 1996; now 40 hotels throughout North

America. New Tana incarnation now producing gas in the Gulf. Branching out: last year bought legendaryGold’s Gym for $158 million and grabbed a stake in fast-growing Mexican dollar-store chain Waldo’s.

164 Rainer & Michael Schmidt-Ruthenbeck, age N/A, $3.3bn, Germany, Duisburg (Germany)Industry: RetailingMarital Status: NA

Secretive brothers own 19% of retailer Metro. Also control the Travel Charm chain of luxury hotels andspas located along Germany’s Baltic coast. In operation since 2000, the chain plans to open its first Austrianhotel later this year.

170 Saleh Bin Abdul Aziz Al Rajhi, 93, $3.2bn, Saudi Arabia, Jeddah (Saudia Arabia)Industry: InvestmentsMarital Status: married , 60 children

Eldest member of the powerful Al Rajhi clan, he boasts the second-largest shareholding in the family’s AlRajhi Banking & Investment Corp. (second to brother Sulaiman). The family made its first fortune as moneychangers, wisely investing overseas, during the oil boom of the late Seventies. Reportedly has 60 children.

170 Richard Branson, 54, $3.2bn, UK, London (UK)Industry: Shipping/Trucking/TransportMarital Status: married , 2 childrenHigh School, Drop Out

Though his reality TV show was trumped by the Apprentice master,Branson cashed in on several ventures. Virgin Mobile U.K. went public lastyear and his Australian airline Virgin Blue went public in December 2003;Virgin Mobile U.S. will likely follow later this year. He’ll need the extrabucks to fund his megavisions: his Airbus’ A380 plane, scheduled fortakeoff in the spring of 2008, will provide such amenities as a gym, casinoand salon, while his Virgin Galactic will reportedly offer customers trips toouter space in as soon as three years. In the near term trying to fight offhostile takeover bid for Virgin Blue.

170 William Cook, 73, $3.2bn, USA, Bloomington, Ind. (USA)Industry: Health CareMarital Status: married , 1 childNorthwestern University, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Army surgical technician became hypodermic-needle salesman, started own medical device company in1963 from Bloomington apartment. Made wire guides for angioplasty, catheters, stents. Today Cook Group:manufacturer of 30,000 medical devices, estimated $600 million sales. Planned to sell it all to rival Guidant for$3 billion, but deal derailed after disappointing clinical tests of innovative stent. Cook Group moving on: con-verted old Bloomington RCA television factory into biotech lab. Early-bird worker still arrives every day at 5a.m., but son, Carl, being groomed to take over company.

170 Aloysio de Andrade Faria, 84, $3.2bn, Brazil, Sao Paulo (Brazil)Industry: FinanceMarital Status: married , 5 childrenUniversity of Minas Gerais, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceNorthwestern University, Master of Science

Sold most of Banco Real to ABN Amro in 1998 for $2.1 billion. He named the unsold portion Banco Alfa,which has since grown to Brazil’s 16th-largest bank, with $2.7 billion in assets. Also owns the leading homeimprovement chain in Brazil, Casa e Construcao, in addition to a large palm oil producer, hotels, radio stationsand 12,000 acres of farmland.

170 Rolf Gerling, 50, $3.2bn, Germany, Zurich (Germany)Industry: InsuranceMarital Status: married , 1 childUniversity of Zurich, Bachelor of Arts / Science

After a few rocky years Gerling Konzern, one of the world’s largest reinsurers, returned to profitability in2003 just in time for its 100th birthday celebration last May. Small thanks to owner Rolf Gerling, who despitehis 94% stake and his training as an economist, pays little attention to the business, preferring to devote all his

time to his Gerling Academy for Risk Research, a think tank that studies the industrial world’s impact on theenvironment.

170 James Goodnight, 62, $3.2bn, USA, Cary, N.C. (USA)Industry: TechnologyMarital Status: married , 3 childrenNorth Carolina State University, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceNorth Carolina State University, Doctorate

With partner John Sall owners of SAS Institute, world’s largest privately held software company. Designsadvanced statistical-modeling software for pharmaceutical giants such as Merck and Eli Lilly, now trying toattract banks and financial institutions with data-crunching and anti-money-laundering software. Techie em-ployees kept happy with lucrative perks like child-care centers, Olympic-size swimming pool, 35-hour work-week, free soda and candy.

170 Terry Gou, 54, $3.2bn, Taiwan, Taipei (Taiwan)Industry: TechnologyMarital Status: married , 2 childrenBachelor of Arts / Science

Head of Taiwan’s Hon Hai Precision, which manufactures personal com-puters and PC servers. Spun off its handsetmaking unit Foxconn InternationalHoldings in an offering in February. Foxconn, which now has a marketcapitalization of approximately $3 billion, plans to spend at least 60% of theproceeds building three new plants in China and expanding others in Mexicoand Hungary.

170 Maurice Greenberg, 79, $3.2bn, USA, New York, N.Y. (USA)Industry: Health CareMarital Status: married , 4 childrenUniversity of Miami, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceNew York Law School, Doctor of Jurisprudence

Testy chief of insurance giant AIG enjoying healthy profits, buoyant stock price. Also generous pay pack-age. WWII vet now leading fight against trial lawyers, corporate regulators: “A bubble economy translated intoa bubble on awards.” Raised on upstate New York farm, “Hank” now well into 4th decade at helm, but succes-sion plans still a mystery.

170 Klaus-Michael Kühne, 67, $3.2bn, Germany, Schindellegi (Germany)Industry: Shipping/Trucking/TransportMarital Status: married

Grandson of August Kühne, one of the founders of publicly traded transport and logistics group Kühne &Nagel. Has run the company since 1965; holds 56% of the shares. His extravagant house in landlocked Swit-zerland is said to look like the main command deck of an ocean liner.

170 Leonard Lauder, 72, $3.2bn, USA, New York, N.Y. (USA)Industry: ApparelMarital Status: married , 2 childrenUniversity of Pennsylvania, Bachelor of Arts / Science

With younger brother Ronald, Sons of cosmetics doyenne Estée Lauder, who died in April at age 97.Mother founded company with husband, Joseph, 1946, pushing face cream made by chemist uncle in kitchen;now controls nearly half the premium cosmetics market in U.S. Family sold 13 million shares of stock to meetlarge estate tax bill after matriarch’s death; Lauders still retain 46% stake in the company, majority of votingshares. Leonard: chairman of company since 1995. Son William, 44, took over CEO spot last July. Ronald:international investor with television properties in eastern Europe, Israel. Served as deputy assistant secretaryof defense and ambassador to Austria under President Reagan. Eponymous foundation provides Jewish educa-tion throughout eastern and central Europe.

170 Gérard Louis-Dreyfus & family, 72, $3.2bn, France, New York, N.Y. (USA)Industry: Oil/GasMarital Status: married , 3 childrenDuke UniversityDuke University, Doctor of Jurisprudence

From offices in New York and Paris, runs the family’s Louis-Dreyfus Group,a diversified commodities, energy, shipping, real estate, manufacturing andcommunications conglomerate. Energy division acquired a natural gas pipeline inWest Texas from Exxon Mobil subsidiaries last April. Property group sold its100,000 square foot office building Sutton Park in upstate New York to DiamondProperties in June. Also reorganized French telecom LDCom to unite its variousactivities under the Neuf Telecom brand. Educated in the U.S., withundergraduate and law degrees from Duke University, Louis-Dreyfus has spent agood portion of his life outside France. A very private man with a passion forpoetry, Louis-Dreyfus is perhaps best known in the U.S. as father of actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who por-trayed Elaine on Seinfeld.

170 Pallonji Mistry, 75, $3.2bn, India, Mumbai (India)Industry: Engineering/ConstructionMarital Status: married , 4 children

Construction baron. Inherited from his father but built his own legacy by taking on construction contractsabroad starting with Oman, where he built the sultan’s palace. Now building Mumbai’s tallest buildings, two60-story apartment towers. But his most valuable asset these days is his 18.4% stake in Tata Sons; its softwarearm Tata Consultancy Services listed last year and now has a market cap of approximately $15 billion.

170 Akira Mori, 67, $3.2bn, Japan, Tokyo (Japan)Industry: Real EstateMarital Status: married , 3 children

Real estate mogul owns and operates 17.9 million square feet of floor space mainly in Tokyo’s choicestdistricts. Mori Trust posted a record high $1.2 billion in sales and $150 million in profits for last year (endedMar. 31). That should give him confidence as he has announced plans to list Mori Trust on the Tokyo stockexchange. Akira’s ongoing sibling rivalry with older brother Minoru is often the subject of media ribbing.Press accounts refer to Mori as “a flinty businessman.”

170 Madeleine Schickedanz, 61, $3.2bn, Germany, Grisous (Switzerland)Industry: RetailingMarital Status: married , 4 children

Daughter of Gustav and Grete Schickedanz, founders of catalog retailer QuelleVersand, which later merged with Karstadt to form one of Europe’s largest com-panies. Now holds 42% of the $20 billion (sales) KarstadtQuelle, which has beenundergoing a massive restructuring to bolster its sagging performance. Lives in St.Moritz with third husband Leo Herl; supports an eponymous foundation dedicated tofighting childhood cancers.

170 Charles Schwab, 67, $3.2bn, USA, Atherton, Calif. (USA)

Industry: ServiceMarital Status: married , 5 childrenStanford University, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceStanford University, Master of Business Administration

Opened stock market to the masses with eponymous discount brokerage founded in1971. Tapped into 1990s online trading boom, only to see much of business dry upwith the market. Handed over CEO duties in 2003, took them back last year aftercompany posted sagging profits; stock rallied 7% day after announcement. Dyslexic,established Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation to help children with learning dis-abilities.

170 Jack Taylor, 82, $3.2bn, USA, St. Louis, Mo. (USA)Industry: ServiceMarital Status: married , 2 childrenWashington University, Drop Out

Left Washington University and landed in Navy, became fighter pilot on U.S.S. Enterprise during WorldWar II. Sold cars after war, became regional Cadillac distributor. Took 50% pay cut to start own car-leasingbusiness with boss; offered rentals as temporary replacements for stolen, wrecked cars. Business boomed in1970s after courts made insurance companies pay for replacement rentals. Emphasizes training, motivation ofemployees. Son Andrew began working for father “as soon as I could drive”; now president of car rental giant.

170 Klaus Tschira, 64, $3.2bn, Germany, Heidelberg (Germany)Industry: SoftwareMarital Status: married , 2 childrenUniversity of Karlsruhe, Master of Science

A former physicist, cofounded German software firm SAP with four former IBM colleagues. In 1995 setaside 7% of his SAP shares (now worth more than $3 billion) for a foundation now housed in the Villa Bosch,former home of German Nobel Prize-winning chemist, Carl Bosch. Amateur astronomer, has a small planetbetween Mars and Jupiter named after him.

170 Tadashi Yanai, 56, $3.2bn, Japan, Yamaguchi (Japan)Industry: RetailingMarital Status: married , 2 childrenWaseda University, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Chief of Fast Retailing, which owns the Uniqlo casual clothing chain, Japan’sversion of the Gap. For fiscal 2004, ended August 31, profits jumped 54% to$611 million with a women’s clothing line luring back customers. Last yearUniqlo opened 78 new outlets, and its U.K. store posted its first profit sinceopening in 2001. The company plans to open its first store in South Korea thisfall. That business will be run in conjunction with Lotte Shopping, a subsidiary ofKorean billionaire Shin Kyuk-Ho.

188 David Filo, 38, $3.1bn, USA, Mountain View, Calif. (USA)Industry: TechnologyMarital Status: singleTulane University, Bachelor of Arts / ScienceStanford University, Drop Out

With partner Jerry Yang, erstwhile Internet darlings must feel a bit nostalgic,watching all the hoopla over Google’s young Turks. Thirtysomethings met as gradstudents at Stanford in 1989, developed Internet search portal. Became Internetbillionaires taking Yahoo public in 1996. Survivor of the dot-com meltdown nowprofitable, but may well regret making a $10 million investment in rival Google 5years ago, despite the spectacular 5,000% return. Yahoo stopped using Googletechnology to run searches in February 2004, now feverishly developing competingengine of its own. Partners retain Chief Yahoo title, but this business now run byformer Warner Bros. chief Terry Semel.

188 Heidi Horten, 64, $3.1bn, Austria, Vienna (Austria)Industry: RetailingMarital Status: widowed

Hers is a modern-day fairy tale: Heidi Jelinek, then about 19, met Helmut Horten, founder of the epony-mous German department store chain, in 1959 in a hotel bar. Despite a 30-year age difference they marriedseven years later. When he died in 1987, he left her a $1 billion fortune. The merry widow now divides hertime between a penthouse in Vienna, a home in Lyford Cay and houses in the Tessin and by the Wörthersee inAustria. Owns one of the world’s largest yachts, the 315-foot Carinthia VII.

188 Sami & Yuli Ofer, age N/A, $3.1bn, Israel, Tel Aviv (Israel)Industry: DiversifiedMarital Status: NA

The ultraprivate Israeli brothers boast a vast portfolio of shipping and real estate assets. (Monaco-basedSammy handles the shipping, while the real estate is tended to by Yuli from Tel Aviv.) Last year media criti-cized Sammy’s sale of 12 container ships to Zim Navigation, a company he controls, for $820 million. In part-nership with Chicago’s Pritzker family, the Ofer brothers also control a $1.5 billion stake in cruise giant RoyalCaribbean. As part of their planning for the next generation, the brothers announced last year that they wouldformally split their holdings, and would ultimately be succeeded by their children. Sammy, an avid art collec-tor, boasts one of the world’s largest collections of original Marc Chagall paintings.

188 Nina Wang, age N/A, $3.1bn, Hong Kong, Hong KongIndustry: Real EstateMarital Status: widowed

Widow of Teddy Wang is mired in litigation over control of ChinachemGroup, the company she founded with her husband and headed after hiskidnapping in 1990. Husband was never heard from again and was declareddead in 1999. Elderly father-in-law says that a 1968 will makes him the solebeneficiary of son’s estate. Nina argues a later one makes her beneficiary.The Hong Kong courts have twice ruled in the father’s favor and declaredNina’s will a forgery. Last bail she made was for $7 million, largest in HongKong history. Her fate now rests on a final appeal to be decided this comingsummer.

188 YC Wang, 88, $3.1bn, Taiwan, Taipei (Taiwan)Industry: ChemicalsMarital Status: NA , 10 children

Industrial tycoon, whose Formosa Plastics Group is Taiwan’s second-largest gasoline supplier, also hasplans to set up power plants on the mainland. He remains a vocal defender of opening Taiwan to MainlandChina even if it means locking horns with the island’s governing politicians. His attempt at producing a localcar with General Motors foundered when they reportedly failed to agree on the car’s brand name. Made hisoriginal fortune in plastics.

188 Leslie Wexner, 69, $3.1bn, USA, Columbus, Ohio (USA)Industry: ApparelMarital Status: married , 4 childrenOhio State University, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Ohio State law school dropout borrowed $5,000 from aunt to set up first shop specializing in women’ssportswear in 1963. Took company public 1969. Expanded Limited Brands into 3,800 stores and 7 retailbrands, including Victoria’s Secret, Express, Henri Bendel. Also Bath & Body Works, White Barn Candle Co.Established the Wexner Foundation in 1984 to support Jewish studies.

194 Richard DeVos, 79, $3.0bn, USA, Ada, Mich. (USA)Industry: ServiceMarital Status: married , 4 children

With late partner Jay Van Andel, high school friends started out in 1950s selling nutritional supplements,turned Amway into direct-selling empire with more than 3 million people worldwide pushing personal- careand home products. Reorganized under Alticor banner; second generation now at the helm. Annual sales ap-proach $5 billion, much of it from overseas operations. Families remain close, both major civic donors inGrand Rapids, Mich. DeVos owns pro basketball’s Orlando Magic, recently donated $1 million to hurricanerelief.

194 Henry Fok, 81, $3.0bn, Hong Kong, Hong KongIndustry: Gambling /LeisureMarital Status: married

Real estate developer who helped finance Stanley Ho’s bid for a gaming license in Macau. Today his stakein Ho’s Sociedade de Jogos de Macau has vaulted him into the billionaire ranks; despite competition fromAmerican moguls Sheldon Adelson and Steve Wynn, company still controls 15 of 17 casinos in the exoticChinese playground. But Fok’s interests don’t lie in gaming. In 1993 he initiated an effort to create a 21st-century city in southern China, turning the once-desolate island of Nansha into an up-and-coming industrialcenter between Guangzhou and Hong Kong.

194 Steven Jobs, 50, $3.0bn, USA, Palo Alto, Calif. (USA)Industry: TechnologyMarital Status: married , 4 childrenReed College, Drop Out

Gates is far richer, but Jobs is way cooler with the kids. For that he can thank twodecades of innovative design and catchy marketing. And now iPod, portable musicplayer (more than 3 million units sold since 2001), helped make Apple’s iTunesMusic Store the dominant site for downloading music: over 125 million downloads,accounting for 70% of all (legal) Internet music sales. Result: Apple stock up morethan 200% in the past year. Personal wealth lies elsewhere, in digital animation shopPixar (Toy Story, Finding Nemo). The hot studio still hasn’t found a new home aftersevering its relationship with Disney last year, culminating a feud between Jobs andalpha-mouse Michael Eisner.

194 Ann Walton Kroenke, 55, $3.0bn, USA, Columbia, Mo. (USA)Industry: RetailingMarital Status: married , 2 childrenLincoln University, Registered Nurse

Ann inherited big Wal-Mart stake from father, James (Bud) Walton (d. 1995), who cofounded retail chainwith brother Sam. Husband, E. Stanley Kroenke, a real estate developer, including shopping centers anchoredby Wal-Mart stores. Also owns more than 1 million acres of ranch land. Sports nut Stan owns stake in profootball’s St. Louis Rams, basketball’s Denver Nuggets and hockey’s Colorado Avalanche.

194 George Lucas, 60, $3.0bn, USA, Marin County, Calif. (USA)Industry: Media/EntertainmentMarital Status: divorced , 3 childrenUniversity of Southern Calif, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Star Wars mastermind putting finishing touches on the final installment of his 6-partspace epic—Episode III: The Revenge of the Sith, set for release in May. Also runsspecial-effects shop Industrial Light & Magic (Harry Potter movies, Master andCommander). Possible future projects: sequels to Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones.

194 Sergio Mantegazza, 77, $3.0bn, Switzerland, Lugano (Switzerland)Industry: Gambling /LeisureMarital Status: married , 1 child

His $3 billion (sales) tour outfit Globus & Cosmos was founded in 1928 by father, Antonio, with a singleboat that ferried tourists around Lake Lugano. President Sergio has been with the company for 50 years. Lovesexpensive toys: has a helicopter and a yacht (Lady Marina) and a $600,000 Mercedes Maybach. Son Fabio isCEO of Monarch Travel, the family’s no-frills airline. Son Paolo, who was CEO of Globus’ American arm,Group Voyagers, committed suicide last year at age 34.

194 Miuccia Prada & family, 55, $3.0bn, Italy, Rome (Italy)Industry: ApparelMarital Status: marriedDoctorate

Granddaughter of company founder Mario Prada runs the $1.7 billion (2003sales) luxury-goods maker with husband, Patrizio Bertelli. She is leaddesigner; he is chief executive. Openly admits to combative professional-personal marriage. Struggles lie ahead: how to proceed with the Prada-ownedHelmut Lang and Jil Sander brands now that both designers resigned amidstsquabbles over creative and financial direction. Plans to go public have beenpostponed three times and are now on hold until, possibly, 2006. Today Pradaboasts 210 stores worldwide, including 10 new ones in China. Holds a Ph.D.in political science and was, for a time, a mime artist, feminist andcommunist. For the past decade the couple has been hosting shows of internationally recognized contemporaryartists through their foundation; it brought the Tribeca Film Festival to Milan in 2004.