For the fourth consecutive year, Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, heiress to the L’Oréal fortune, holds the title of the world’s richest woman in 2024.
Meyers experienced a significant increase in her fortune over the past 12 months, with her net worth climbing to $99.5 billion, marking the largest gain among women on the 2024 list. However, she falls short of joining the esteemed $100 billion club.
This year’s Forbes’ World Billionaires list shows that women are richer than ever before, with their representation increasing gradually as 369 out of 2,781 world billionaires, accounting for 13.3%, are women.
This marks an increase from 337 in 2023 when women comprised 12.8% of the list. These women possess a net worth of nearly $1.8 trillion, representing a growth of approximately $240 billion compared to the previous year.
Women occupy a small but growing slice of Forbes’ World Billionaires list. This year 369 out of 2,781 billionaires or 13.3% are women, up from 337 in 2023, when women accounted for 12.8% of the list. Together they are worth nearly $1.8 trillion, about $240 billion more than last year.
The world’s richest woman for the fourth consecutive year is L’Oréal heiress Françoise Bettencourt Meyers. Her fortune jumped $19 billion in the past 12 months, putting her net worth at $99.5 billion, the biggest gain of any woman on the 2024 list, but just short for her to become the first woman to crack the swelling ranks of the $100 billion club.
For more than two decades, either a Bettencourt or a Walton heiress has ranked No. 1 among all women. Bettencourt Meyers first took the top spot in 2019, two years after the death of her mother Liliane Bettencourt, who had held the title for six of the years from 2006 to 2017. Walmart founder Sam Walton’s only daughter, art devotee Alice Walton, the second richest woman in the world, was the richest woman in 2018 and 2020. Her sister-in-law Christy Walton ranked above her for seven years after the death of her husband John Walton in a helicopter crash; her fortune was later split up between her and her son Lukas.
Nine of the 10 richest women inherited their fortunes, either from fathers, husbands or in one case, mother. MacKenzie Scott is the only one in the top 10 to get her fortune via divorce. The ex-wife of Jeff Bezos, Scott, who is worth $35.6 billion, is up $11.2 billion from last year despite working at a whirlwind pace to give it away. The billionaire philanthropist recently donated $640 million to over 300 nonprofits, bringing her total lifetime philanthropic giving to $17.3 billion. Had she not been so generous, she would be worth $69 billion and rank as the third richest woman on the list, not fifth as she is now.
Abigail Johnson, the richest woman who inherited and is growing her company, is the tenth richest woman in the world this year, up from 11th richest last year. The Fidelity Investments CEO took over for her father in 2014 and helped boost revenue to a record $28.2 billion in 2023.
There are 46 new women who earned a spot on the 2024 list, some on account of stock rallies and others through inheritance. The richest new women are two sisters, Märta Schörling Andreen and Sofia Högberg Schörling of Sweden. Their father, billionaire investor Melker Schörling, died in December 2023 and he left his fortune to his daughters, age 39 and 45. Each is worth $5.6 billion.
Two other newcomers are from the tech sector: Michelle Zatlyn, cofounder of cybersecurity company Cloudflare, and Lisa Su, who heads semiconductor firm Advanced Micro Devices; both women benefited from surging shares at their respective companies in the past year.
The most notable newcomer of all is pop star Taylor Swift, whose Eras Tour earned her an estimated $190 million after tax, helping make her the first billionaire musician bankrolled solely by performances, recordings and a lucrative half-billion dollar music catalog. She debuted as a billionaire in October.
Here are the top 10 richest women in the world.
NET WORTHS ARE AS OF MARCH 8, 2024.
© 2017 BLOOMBERG FINANCE LP
10. Abigail Johnson
Net Worth: $29 Billion | Age: 62 | Source of Wealth: Fidelity Investments | Citizenship: U.S.
The chief of mutual fund giant Fidelity rebounded from 11th place to rejoin the top 10 richest women this year. Johnson has been CEO of Fidelity Investments since 2014 after taking over for her father, Edward “Ned” Johnson III (d. 2022). She owns an estimated 28.5% stake in the firm, which has $4.9 trillion in managed assets and was founded by her grandfather in 1946.
9. Gina Rinehart
Net Worth: $30.8 Billion | Age: 70 | Source of Wealth: Mining | Citizenship: Australia
The Australian magnate chairs mining and agriculture company Hancock Prospecting Group. She inherited the business from her father Lang Hancock (d. 1992). Her fortune is up 14% since March 2023, and she remains the wealthiest person in Australia.
8. Miriam Adelson & family
Net Worth: $32 Billion | Age: 78 | Source of Wealth: Casinos | Citizenship: U.S.
Adelson and her family own more than half of Las Vegas Sands, one of the world’s largest casino operators. She inherited the stake after her husband, longtime Republican Party kingmaker Sheldon Adelson died in 2021.A physician, she has given over $1 billion over her lifetime to fund medical research and drug discovery, according to Forbes estimates.
7. Rafaela Aponte-Diamant
Net Worth: $33.1 Billion | Age: 79 | Source of Wealth: Shipping | Citizenship: Switzerland and Italy
Aponte-Diamant and her husband Gianluigi Aponte, cofounders of MSC, each own a 50% stake in the company they started in 1970, which has since become the world’s largest shipping line. She is responsible for decorating the ships for the company’s MSC Cruises. She and her husband entered the industry using a $200,000 loan to buy a ship.
HINDUSTAN TIMES VIA GETTY IMAGES
6. Savitri Jindal & family
Net worth: $33.5 Billion | Age: 74 | Source of Wealth: Steel | Citizenship: India
The chair of Jindal Group and widow of the founder, Om Prakash Jindal (d. 2005), is the richest woman in India. Jindal Group is active in steel, power, cement and infrastructure. Following O.P. Jindal’s death in a helicopter crash, the group’s companies were divided among his four sons, who now run them independently. Jindal was the 12th richest woman in 2023; rising share prices lifted her fortune.
5. MacKenzie Scott
Net Worth: $35.6 Billion | Age: 53 | Source of Wealth: Amazon | Citizenship: U.S.
The billionaire philanthropist got 4% of Amazon following her 2019 divorce from Jeff Bezos and she pledged to give away most of her wealth soon afterward. In March, Scott awarded $640 million to 361 organizations that had applied in a competition for funding. Her lifetime giving has climbed to a total of $17.3 billion, made up of a collection of smaller, no-strings-attached donations that often come as a surprise to recipients.
4. Jacqueline Mars
Net Worth: $38.5 Billion | Age: 84 | Source of Wealth: Candy, pet food | Citizenship: U.S.
The Mars Inc. heir owns the candy and pet food giant along with her brother, John Mars, and her late brother Forrest Jr.’s four daughters. The company owns iconic brands, including M&Ms, Snickers, Ben’s Original and Pedigree dog food. It was founded by her grandfather, Frank C. Mars, who began selling buttercream candy from his kitchen in 1911. Her son, Stephen Badger, sits on Mars’ board.
3. Julia Koch & family
Net Worth: $64.3 Billion | Age: 61 | Source of Wealth: Koch Industries | Citizenship: U.S.
The widow of David Koch (d. 2019) slipped from second to third richest woman this year. She and her three children inherited a 42% stake of Koch Industries, which has businesses ranging from oil refining and medical technology to paper towels. She is a trustee of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
PHOTOGRAPH BY TIM PANNELL/THE FORBES COLLECTION;
2. Alice Walton
Net Worth: $72.3 Billion | Age: 74 | Source of Wealth: Walmart | Citizenship: U.S.
The richest woman in America is $15.6 billion wealthier this year, due to a 34% jump in Walmart’s share price in the last 12 months. The heiress is the only daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton (d. 1992). Unlike her brothers, she never sat on the retailer’s board; instead she focused on art. She’s known for opening the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in her hometown of Bentonville, Arkansas, featuring works from Andy Warhol, Norman Rockwell and Mark Rothko.
1. Françoise Bettencourt Meyers & family
Net Worth: $99.5 Billion | Age: 70 | Source of Wealth: L’Oréal | Citizenship: France
The granddaughter of the L’Oréal founder and heir to the family fortune is the world’s richest woman for the fourth consecutive year. The majority of her wealth is tied to her nearly 35% stake in cosmetics giant L’Oréal Group, which has $45 billion in revenue and marquee brands like Maybelline, Kiehl’s and Lancôme. Bettencourt Meyers, who inherited her fortune from her mother, Liliane Bettencourt (d. 2017) first appeared on Forbes’ billionaires list in 2018 worth $42.2 billion.
