In the ranking of the richest families in the world prepared by Bloomberg, this year the Walton family, owner of the Walmart supermarket chain, regained first place.
More than six decades after Sam Walton opened the first supermarket, his descendants are richer than ever thanks to the spectacular performance of the multinational firm’s shares, whose value increased 80% this year.
One of the keys that the companies that are part of the list have used, says Bloomberg, is that they have remained united in the ownership of assets and, in some cases, have created commercial pacts that guarantee the cohesion of fortune.
The publication, whose complete list includes 25 families, gives as examples of this family and commercial unit the owners of Walmart, the luxury brand Hermès or the pharmaceutical company Roche.
Most of those who make up this year’s ranking, adds Bloomberg, got rich thanks to the huge gains recorded in the stock markets.
Here we present the 10 richest families in the world and where their fortune comes from.
1. The Waltons
Family: Walton
Company: Walmart
Fortune: US$432 billion
Country: United States
Generations: 3
The Waltons own approximately 46% of the supermarket chain, a stake that forms the basis of the largest family fortune in the world.
Its founder, Sam Walton, strategically divided the wealth among his children to maintain family control.
2. The Al Nahyan
Family: Al Nahyan
Sector: industrial
Fortune: US$323 billion
Country: United Arab Emirates
Generations: 3
In the United Arab Emirates, the ruling family, Al Nahyan, has made its fortune from the oil business.
The ruler of Abu Dhabi (one of the seven emirates), Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is also the country’s president.
3. The Al Thani
Family: Al Thani
Sector: industrial
Fortune: US$172 billion
Country: Qatar
Generations: 8
The Al Thani family government in Qatar has businesses in oil and gas.
Family members hold prominent political positions and own large businesses in different industries.
The family is gigantic, although power is concentrated in a few key branches.
4. The Hermès
Family: Hermès
Company: Hermès
Fortune: US$170 billion
Country: France
Generations: 6
The sixth generation of the family, made up of more than 100 members, owns the French luxury fashion company.
Among the family members who hold senior positions in the company is Axel Dumas, executive president.
5. The Kochs
Family: Koch
Company: Koch Inc.
Fortune: US$148 billion
Country: United States
Generations: 3
The brothers Frederick, Charles, David and William Koch inherited the oil company from their father, Fred, but after a dispute only Charles and David were left in the business.
The Koch company has businesses in the oil, chemicals, energy, minerals, cloud computing, finance, commodity trading and investment sectors, among others.
6. The Al Saud
Family: Al Saud
Sector: industrial
Fortune: US$140 billion
Country: Saudi Arabia
Generations: 3
The fortune of the Saudi royal family comes from oil businesses. Bloomberg’s net worth estimate is based on the cumulative payments members of the royal family are estimated to have received over the past 50 years from the Royal Diwan, the king’s executive office.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman personally controls assets worth more than $1 billion.
7. The Mars
Family: Mars
Company: Mars Inc.
Fortune: US$133 billion
Country: United States
Generations: 5
The Mars company is known for its products such as M&M’s, Milky Way and Snickers bars, although pet care products now account for more than half of the company’s revenue.
8. The Ambanis
Family: Ambani
Company: Reliance Industries
Fortune: US$99 billion
Country: India
Generations: 3
Mukesh Ambani is at the helm of the world’s largest oil refining complex. He lives in a 27-story mansion that is considered the most expensive private residence in the world.
He and his brother inherited their father’s wealth.
9. The Wertheimers
Family: Wertheimer
Company: Chanel
Fortune: US$88 billion
Country: France
Generations: 3
Brothers Alain and Gerard Wertheimer inherited the fortune their grandfather made by financing designer Coco Chanel in Paris in the 1920s.
His family owns the fashion house and they also own racehorses and vineyards.
10. The Thomsons
Family: Thomson
Company: Thomson Reuters
Fortune: US$87 billion
Country: Canada
Generations: 3
The family owns a roughly 70% stake in financial services and data provider Thomson Reuters.
The wealth of Canada’s richest family originated in the early 1930s, when Roy Thomson opened a radio station in Ontario.
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