Top 10 Richest Businesswomen

The business world often seems to be dominated by men. However, these women have made a name for themselves as some of the richest businesswomen in the world. From Australian mining heiress to India Steel baron, women across the globe have dominated their respective industries and have made it to this list of top 10 richest businesswomen in the world.

10. Abigail Johnson - $30.4 Billion

Chair, CEO, and President of Fidelity Investments, Abigail Johnson has a net worth of $30.4 billion as of 2024. Joining Fidelity Investments in 1988 after receiving an MBA from Harvard, Johnson owns presently around 28.5% stake in Fidelity, with the company being the second-largest mutual fund company in the United States with assets worth $5.5 trillion. In addition to her role at Fidelity Investments, Abigail Johnson serves as chairwoman of Fidelity International, where she holds a 10.9% stake. As of June 2024, Fidelity International managed $862 billion in fund assets. As per Bloomberg, she also owns a stake in Impresa Management, estimated at $2.86 billion.

9. Gina Rinehart - $30.8 Billion

The richest person from Australia, Gina Rinehart is a mining heiress with a net worth of $30.8 billion as of 2024. Gina is the daughter of the iron ore explorer Lang Hancock, from whom she inherited Hancock Prospecting, the family's holding company. She holds a 76.6% stake in this main holding company, which in turn owns significant interests in various mining operations. Through Hancock Prospecting, the company has a 50% stake in the Hope Downs mine, 18% of Lakes Oil, and 8.26% Ten Network Holdings. However, Rinehart's biggest source of wealth comes from the Roy Hill mining project, a $10 billion venture that is Australia's largest single iron ore mine, which she successfully guided through financing and startup. Rinehart is also Australia's second-largest cattle producer. She has grown her agricultural business while reducing her media investments, stepping down from the board of Ten Network Holdings in 2014 and selling a 15% stake in Fairfax Media. In December 2016, she bought S Kidman & Co, the largest agricultural property in Australia, for $290 million, which included land leases in several states.

8. MacKenzie Scott - $33.1 Billion

Mackenzie Scott is an American novelist and philanthropist with a net worth of $33.1 billion as of October 2024. Ex-wife to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Scott’s majority of wealth comes from her divorce settlement with the Amazon founder. After divorcing in 2019, MacKezine got around 20 million shares in Amazon which represents around a 4% stake in the online retailer. Amazon's stock soared during the COVID-19 pandemic, hitting $3,440 in mid-2020. MacKenzie Scott's wealth, mostly from her Amazon shares, rose with it. At the stock's peak, her net worth reached $67 billion, briefly making her the richest woman in the world. Scott’s philanthropic endeavors on the other hand have led to her slipping up and down on the list since she has pledged to donate most of her wealth to multiple charities. So far, MacKenzie has donated more than $17.3 billion.

7. Miriam Adelson - $34 Billion

Miriam Adelson, an Israeli American physician and casino heiress, has a net worth of approximately $34 billion, largely inherited from her late husband, Sheldon Adelson, who passed away in January 2021. At that time, his wealth was estimated at $40 billion. Miriam owns 47% of Las Vegas Sands, the casino empire generating over $4 billion annually. The Adelsons received around $10 billion in dividends over three decades. Before selling $2 billion in shares in late 2023 to help purchase the Dallas Mavericks, she owned 57% of the company. Over the years, the Adelsons received approximately $10 billion in dividends which significantly enhanced her financial portfolio. Miriam's wealth also includes a lavish mansion in Las Vegas, built for $4.1 million and spanning 43,500 square feet, as well as multiple oceanfront properties in Malibu. 

6. Rafaela Aponte-Diamant - $34.7 Billion

Rafaela Aponte-Diamant is a Swiss entrepreneur with a net worth of $34.7 billion as of 2024. Rafaela’s massive wealth comes from her entrepreneurial endeavors with her husband Gianluigi Aponte in the shipping industry. Together, they established the Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A., where they each own a 50% stake. As of 2024, the company is valued at around $94.4 billion. The couple started their journey by purchasing their first boat with a $200,000 loan when Gianluigi was a ferry ship captain. The company happens to be the second-largest container shipping line and also has a cruise ship arm, called MSC Cruisers. In December 2022, MSC Group completed the acquisition of Bolloré Africa Logistics for $6.1 million further adding to the portfolio. 

5. Savitri Jindal and Family - $40.4 Billion

The richest woman in India, Savitri Jindal is an Indian businesswoman and politician worth $40.4 billion as of 2024. Savitri Jindal’s source of wealth comes from inheriting her husband’s stake in the O.P. Jindal Group, which operates in various industries including steel, power, cement, and infrastructure. Since her husband, O.P. Jindal, who passed away in 2005, has been at the helm of the company, with shares held by her sons and other family members credited to her. The O.P. Jindal Group is valued at $12 billion as of 2024 and includes major companies such as JSW Infrastructure, which owns 83% of the ports, shipyards, and ship repair facilities, and the closely held JSW Cement, valued using metrics from peer companies like Shree Cement, Ultratech Cement, and ACC Ltd.

4. Jacqueline Mars - $47.6 Billion

Jacqueline Mars is an American billionaire with a net worth of $47.6 billion as of October 2024. Daughter to Forrest Edward Mars, Sr., and granddaughter of Frank C. Mars, Jacqueline Mars belongs to the family that founded the American candy company Mars, Incorporated. The company which generated a total revenue of more than $50 billion a year has ownership divided between Jacqueline, her brother, and four nieces. As for Jaqueline, she owns one-third of Mars Inc. and was part of the company from 1982 until her retirement in 2001. In recent years, Mars Inc. has expanded with notable acquisitions. In November 2020, it bought Kind North America for $5 billion. In December 2022, it acquired Trü Frü, and in November 2023, it purchased Hotel Chocolat for $670 million.

3. Julia Koch - $74.2 Billion

American businesswoman and philanthropist, Julia Koch has a net worth of $74.2 billion as of 2024. Julia Koch She was married to David Koch and inherited 42% of Koch Industries when he passed away in August 2019, which was worth around $50 billion at the time. Koch Industries is one of the largest and most valuable private companies in the world, with annual revenues exceeding $120 billion, driven by significant holdings in various companies. This includes Flint Hills Resources, which reported revenues of about $38 billion in 2023. Additionally, based on court filings, Georgia-Pacific, a paper and pulp producer, had earnings of $3.5 billion. She also has stakes in Invista and Molex, both of which are owned by Koch Industries. Invista reported earnings of $1.5 billion, and Molex generated $7.1 billion in revenue. Julia Koch also owns an impressive real estate portfolio worth over $350 million which includes two Upper East Side apartments valued at $101 million, a Meadow Lane mansion in Southampton, originally bought for $7.5 million and now worth $40-50 million, and an oceanfront estate in Southampton valued at $70 million.

2. Francoise Bettencourt Meyers & Family - $87.3 Billion

Françoise Bettencourt-Meyers is a French businesswoman with a net worth of $87.3 billion as of 2024. She is the first woman to cross $100 billion of net worth in 2023 as per the Bloomberg. Francoise’s massive wealth comes from her mother Liliane Bettencourt, from whom she inherited the fortune. The family owns a 34.7% stake in L’Oreal which is currently valued at around $223 billion with Francoise serving on the board since 1997. Francoise also serves as the chairwoman of the family holding company and became France's reigning L'Oreal heiress in 2017 when her mother Liliane Bettencourt passed away at the age of 94.

1. Alice Walton - $90.9 billion

Belonging to one of the wealthiest families in the world, Alice Walton has a net worth of $90.9 billion as of October 2024, making her the richest woman on Earth. The only daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton, Alice's primary source of wealth comes from her stake in Walmart. Alice currently owns a 13% stake in Walmart, an American multinational retail corporation with a valuation of 646 Billion as of 2024, through Walton Family Holdings Trust and Walton Enterprises. She co-manages Walton Enterprises alongside her siblings. Alice Walton has valuable art and real estate investments. She bought several pieces at Sotheby's in 2004, including "Kindred Spirits" for $35 million and Georgia O'Keeffe's "Flower No. 1" for $44.4 million in 2014. In 2014, she also purchased a Manhattan duplex for $25 million. In 2015, she listed two Texas ranches for nearly $50 million, covering over 5,872 acres with potential oil interest.