Money, Money, Money, It’s a Rich Woman’s World

It is a sad state of affairs that in 2017 the ten richest people on the planet are still all men, despite them making up only 50% of the population.

While there has been progress, the progress is slow and there are still plenty of battles out there for women to get the payment they deserve. Which is at least equal to that of men.

It is not as if women are not entrepreneurial. Women hold some of the most powerful offices in the world (Theresa May), are the biggest stars in the world (Beyonce) and have immense wealth (Oprah). But in a male driven world where the arenas of business where money lies are full of men high on testosterone it is easy to understand why not more women take the hardened route to success. Most of the world’s richest people are in heavy industry or technical areas where men will make it unsuitable for a woman to work.

While we can lament these slow changes and gender inequality there are still those women out there willing to take the flack and men head on to make their way in the world. There are a plethora of women who exceed most men and show that they are just as capable in achieving wealth and success. So here is a selection of the richest women in the world right now and how they made their fortune to give you hope that it is not all doom and gloom in 2017.

10. Massimiliana Landini Aleotti

Aleotti is one of the world’s richest women, with a fortune pegged at $10.1 billion through pharmaceuticals.

9. Iris Fontbona

Chilean mining magnate Andrónico Luksic left the business to Fontbona, who has continued to generate massive amounts of wealth in her own right. She is worth $10.2bn.

8. Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken

I am sure you can guess how Charlene has made the green. Her $12.3 billion is courtesy of her part in the family of famed brewers.

7. Abigail Johnson

Abigail Johnson climbed the ladder at Fidelity Investments, to become president and CEO. Her estimated net worth is more than $13.1 billion.

6. Laurene Powell Jobs

The widow of Apple founder Steve Jobs, Laurene Powell Jobs in no slouch. She is incredibly well educated, having degrees from both the University of Pennsylvania and Stanford University. Jobs is also the largest single shareholder of Disney stock, which has helped boost her net worth considerably.

5. Susanne Klatten

Susanne Klatten is the daughter of another woman Johanna Quandt. She owns almost half of BMW along with her brother and mother. Her net worth is estimated at $18.5 billion.

4. Maria Franca Fissolo

Fissolo is the widow Michele Ferrero, who ran the world’s second-biggest confectionary company, worth $22bn. She is 98 and still in control!

3. Jacqueline Mars

Jacqueline Mars is the daughter and granddaughter of the Mars confectionary company $23.4 billion. Together with her brothers, Mars oversees their candy company’s continued success into the 21st century, which has brought in more than $33 billion in sales.

2. Alice Walton

Alice Walton is one of the heirs to the vast Wal-Mart fortune. Her piece of the pie comes in at $32.3 billion.

1. Liliane Bettencourt

Bettencourt built her $36.1 billion fortune as one of the biggest shareholders in L’Oreal. Her father, who founded the company, did not just hand it to her though and put her to work at the age of 15.