Who is the richest person in the world?

Most people are aware of the wealthiest individuals on the planet – figures such as Jeff Bezos, the mastermind behind Amazon whose net worth runs into billions.

Another luminary in this arena is Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, who has dedicated his wealth to global health and education initiatives. 

The rich list includes personalities such as Warren Buffett, Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, whose wealth accumulation has been nothing short of phenomenal. The magnitude of these men’s fortunes is jaw-dropping.

But who is the richest person in the world today, and how do they rank on the list of the world's wealthy? 

The richest person in the world 

At the top of the list is Bernard Arnault. A French billionaire businessman and the chairman and chief executive of LVMH, the world's largest luxury-goods company, Arnault has a fortune of $211bn, according to Forbes. 

Born on 5 March 1949, in Roubaix, a city in northern France, Arnault was raised in a wealthy family that owned a construction company. He graduated from the École Polytechnique in Paris in 1971 and later earned a degree in engineering from the École des Mines de Paris.

In 1984, Arnault bought Christian Dior, which was struggling at the time, and turned it into a major luxury brand. He then acquired several other luxury brands, including Louis Vuitton, Givenchy and Fendi. Today, LVMH is a conglomerate that owns over 70 luxury brands. 

Arnault is known for his business acumen and his ability to turn struggling brands into profitable ones. He is also known for his philanthropy, having donated millions of dollars to various charities and causes over the years.

Despite his immense wealth, Arnault is known for his modesty and his dedication to his work. He is also known for his love of art, having amassed one of the largest private art collections in the world. Overall, Bernard Arnault is a true titan of the business world, and his impact on the luxury industry will be felt for generations.

Elon Musk net worth 

Next on the list is Elon Musk with a fortune of $180bn, according to Forbes. 

Elon Musk is a well-known entrepreneur whose wealth is mainly derived from his various companies, including Tesla, SpaceX and The Boring Company.

Tesla, which was founded in 2003, is an electric vehicle and clean energy company that has revolutionised the automotive industry. Musk's vision for Tesla was to create a sustainable energy future by producing electric vehicles that are both environmentally friendly and practical. Today, Tesla is one of the most valuable car companies in the world.

SpaceX, which was founded in 2002, is a space exploration company that has been making headlines for its achievements in rocket technology. The company's goal is to make space travel affordable and accessible to everyone. Today, SpaceX is valued at around $100bn, making it one of the most valuable private companies in the world.

Jeff Bezos net worth

The world's third-richest person is Jeff Bezos, with a fortune of $114bn, according to Forbes. 

Jeff Bezos made his fortune by founding Amazon in 1994. At the time, he was working on Wall Street and saw the potential for selling products online. 

He started out selling books and quickly expanded into other categories, including music, electronics and household goods. Bezos focused on customer service and low prices, which drew in millions of customers. 

Over time, Amazon grew to become the largest online retailer in the world, with a market capitalization of over $1tn. Bezos also invested in other ventures, such as Blue Origin and The Washington Post.

Larry Ellison net worth 

Larry Ellison has a net worth of $107bn, according to Forbes, making him the fourth-richest person in the world. 

Larry Ellison is a self-made billionaire who co-founded Oracle Corporation in 1977. 

He dropped out of college twice before moving to California in the 1960s and working odd jobs in the technology industry. In the mid-1970s, Ellison worked on a project for the CIA that involved creating a database. That experience inspired him to start his own company, which eventually became Oracle. 

Over the years, Ellison has made strategic acquisitions and expanded Oracle's products to include hardware, cloud computing and enterprise software. 

Warren Buffett net worth

Warren Buffett is one of the world's most successful investors, and today he's one of the richest people in the world, with a total fortune of $106bn. 

Buffett's investing style is centred around finding undervalued companies with strong fundamentals and holding them for the long term. He famously looks for companies with a competitive advantage, or ‘moat’, that makes it difficult for competitors to enter the market. By investing in these types of companies, Buffett has been able to generate substantial returns for his investors.

One of Buffett's most successful investments was in the company Berkshire Hathaway. In 1962, Buffett began buying shares of the textile manufacturer and eventually took control of the company. Over the years, he transformed Berkshire Hathaway into a conglomerate with holdings in a wide range of industries, including insurance, utilities and retail.

His other well-known and highly successful investments include Coca-Cola, American Express and Wells Fargo. He has been able to capitalise on his vast knowledge of the market and his ability to identify undervalued companies to generate impressive returns.