The World's Billionaires 2012
# The World's Billionaires 2012

The World's Billionaires 2012 edition was 26th annual ranking of The World's Billionaires by Forbes magazine. The list estimated the net worth of the world's richest people, excluding royalty and dictators, as of February 14, 2012. It was released online on March 7, 2012.

## Annual list

Telecommunications mogul Carlos Slim topped the 2012 list, marking this third consecutive year at the top. Microsoft founder Bill Gates placed second, but narrowed the gap from 2011 as Slim's fortune fell $5 billion while Gates' rose $5 billion. Investor Warren Buffett remained in third place. Bernard Arnault of France was the top-ranking European on the list, placing fourth. Amancio Ortega moved up a spot to number five, despite stepping down from Zara's top post during the year. Ricardo Salinas Pliego was the greatest gainer in terms of dollars, adding $9.2 billion to his fortune and moving up to number 37 overall. Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg was also among the top gainers, adding $4 billion to his fortune. Dustin Moskovitz, also of Facebook, was the youngest self-made billionaire on the list at age 27. Making her debut on the list at age 41, Spanx founder Sara Blakely became the youngest self-made female billionaire ever. Colombia's Alejandro Santo Domingo was the highest ranked newcomer, inheriting a $9.5 billion stake in Santo Domingo Group from his father. Laurene Powell Jobs, widow of Steve Jobs, was just behind Domingo, inheriting a fortune of $9 billion.

India's Lakshmi Mittal was the largest loser as his fortune dropped from $31.1 billion to $20.7 billion as the price of steel maker ArcelorMittal fell sharply. As a result, he failed to make the top 10 for the first time since 2004 and lost his title of richest Asian. Hong Kong's Li Ka-shing reclaimed that title, despite a slight drop in his own wealth. Harry Potter author JK Rowling and former Research In Motion CEO Jim Balsillie were among whose who fell off the list.

A record total of 1,226 people made the 2012 list, representing 58 different countries. Of those, 126 were newcomers to the list and 104 were women. The United States had the greatest number of billionaires with 425. Russia had 96 people on the list, while China had 95. Three new billionaires from Morocco represented their nation, which did not have any billionaire in 2011. Georgia and Peru also were newly represented. Moscow was the home to the most billionaire with 78, followed by New York City with 58, and London with 39. Falling stock prices in Asia contributed to 117 former billionaires falling from the list worldwide. Twelve others listed in 2011 died.

Combined net worth of the billionaire list rose to a record $4.6 trillion. However, net gainers (460) barely outnumbered net losers (441, including 7 of the top 20). The list average was a net worth of $3.7 billion.

To coincide with the release of the 2012 list, Forbes announced a new "Billionaire Real-Time Ticker" updating the wealth of the world's top fifty billionaires in real time.

## Top 10

| No. | Name | Net worth (USD) | Age | Citizenship | Source(s) Of Wealth |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Carlos Slim & family | $69.0 billion | 72 | Mexico | Telmex, América Móvil, Grupo Carso |
| 2 | Bill Gates | $61.0 billion | 56 | United States | Microsoft |
| 3 | Warren Buffett | $44.0 billion | 81 | United States | Berkshire Hathaway |
| 4 | Bernard Arnault | $41.0 billion | 63 | France | LVMH Moët Hennessy • Louis Vuitton |
| 5 | Amancio Ortega | $37.5 billion | 75 | Spain | Inditex Group |
| 6 | Larry Ellison | $36.0 billion | 67 | United States | Oracle Corporation |
| 7 | Eike Batista | $30.0 billion | 55 | Brazil | EBX Group |
| 8 | Stefan Persson | $26.0 billion | 64 | Sweden | H&M |
| 9 | Li Ka-shing | $25.5 billion | 83 | Hong Kong/Canada | Cheung Kong Holdings |
| 10 | Karl Albrecht | $25.4 billion | 92 | Germany | Aldi |

Legend :

* Description
* Has not changed from the previous year's list
* Has increased from the previous year's list
* Has decreased from the previous year's list

## Top 100

| No. | Name | Net Worth USD billion | Age | Nationality | Source(s) of wealth |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Carlos Slim Helu & family | 69,0 | 72 | Mexico | telecom |
| 2 | Bill Gates | 61,0 | 56 | United States | Microsoft |
| 3 | Warren Buffett | 44,0 | 81 | United States | Berkshire Hathaway |
| 4 | Bernard Arnault | 41,0 | 63 | France | LVMH |
| 5 | Amancio Ortega | 37.5 | 75 | Spain | Zara |
| 6 | Larry Ellison | 36,0 | 67 | United States | Oracle |
| 7 | Eike Batista | 30,0 | 55 | Brazil | mining, oil |
| 8 | Stefan Persson | 26,0 | 64 | Sweden | H&M |
| 9 | Li Ka-shing | 25.5 | 83 | Hong Kong | diversified |
| 10 | Karl Albrecht | 25.4 | 92 | Germany | Aldi |
| 11 | Christy Walton & family | 25.3 | 57 | United States | Wal-Mart |
| 12 | Charles Koch | 25,0 | 76 | United States | diversified |
| 12 | David Koch | 25,0 | 71 | United States | diversified |
| 14 | Sheldon Adelson | 24.9 | 78 | United States | casinos |
| 15 | Liliane Bettencourt | 24,0 | 89 | France | L'Oreal |
| 16 | Jim Walton | 23.7 | 64 | United States | Wal-Mart |
| 17 | Alice Walton | 23.3 | 62 | United States | Wal-Mart |
| 18 | S. Robson Walton | 23.1 | 68 | United States | Wal-Mart |
| 19 | Mukesh Ambani | 22.3 | 54 | India | petrochemicals, oil & gas |
| 20 | Michael Bloomberg | 22,0 | 70 | United States | Bloomberg LP |
| 21 | Lakshmi Mittal | 20.7 | 61 | India | steel |
| 22 | George Soros | 20,0 | 81 | United States | hedge funds |
| 23 | Michele Ferrero & family | 19,0 | 85 | Italy | chocolates |
| 24 | Sergey Brin | 18.7 | 38 | United States | Google |
| 24 | Larry Page | 18.7 | 39 | United States | Google |
| 26 | Jeff Bezos | 18.4 | 48 | United States | Amazon.com |
| 27 | Thomas & Raymond Kwok & family | 18.3 | N/A | Hong Kong | real estate |
| 28 | Alisher Usmanov | 18.1 | 58 | Russia | steel, telecom, investments |
| 29 | Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud | 18,0 | 57 | Saudi Arabia | investments |
| 29 | Lee Shau Kee | 18,0 | 84 | Hong Kong | diversified |
| 29 | Georgina Rinehart | 18,0 | 58 | Australia | Mining |
| 32 | Berthold & Theo Jr. Albrecht | 17.8 | N/A | Germany | Aldi, Trader Joe's |
| 32 | Iris Fontbona & family | 17.8 | 69 | Chile | mining |
| 34 | Michael Otto & family | 17.6 | 68 | Germany | retail, real estate |
| 35 | David Thomson & family | 17.5 | 54 | Canada | media |
| 35 | Mark Zuckerberg | 17.5 | 27 | United States | Facebook |
| 37 | Ricardo Salinas Pliego & family | 17.4 | 56 | Mexico | retail, media |
| 38 | Alberto Bailleres Gonzalez & family | 16.5 | 80 | Mexico | mining |
| 39 | Rinat Akhmetov | 16,0 | 45 | Ukraine | steel, coal |
| 39 | Cheng Yu-tung | 16,0 | 86 | Hong Kong | diversified |
| 41 | Michael Dell | 15.9 | 47 | United States | Dell |
| 41 | Vladimir Lisin | 15.9 | 55 | Russia | steel, transport |
| 41 | Azim Premji | 15.9 | 66 | India | software |
| 44 | Steve Ballmer | 15.7 | 56 | United States | Microsoft |
| 45 | Alexei Mordashov | 15.3 | 46 | Russia | steel, investments |
| 46 | Vladimir Potanin | 14.5 | 51 | Russia | metals |
| 47 | Phil Knight | 14.4 | 74 | United States | Nike |
| 48 | Paul Allen | 14.2 | 59 | United States | Microsoft, investments |
| 48 | German Larrea Mota Velasco & family | 14.2 | 58 | Mexico | mining |
| 50 | Carl Icahn | 14,0 | 76 | United States | leveraged buyouts |
| 50 | Birgit Rausing & family | 14,0 | 88 | Sweden | packaging |
| 52 | Forrest Mars Jr | 13.8 | 80 | United States | candy |
| 52 | Jacqueline Mars | 13.8 | 72 | United States | candy |
| 52 | John Mars | 13.8 | 75 | United States | candy |
| 52 | Joseph Safra | 13.8 | 73 | Brazil | banking |
| 56 | Vagit Alekperov | 13.5 | 61 | Russia | Lukoil |
| 57 | Mikhail Fridman | 13.4 | 47 | Russia | oil, banking, telecom |
| 58 | Mikhail Prokhorov | 13.2 | 46 | Russia | investments |
| 59 | Susanne Klatten | 13,0 | 49 | Germany | BMW, pharmaceuticals |
| 59 | Francois Pinault & family | 13,0 | 75 | France | retail |
| 61 | Mohammed Al Amoudi | 12.5 | 67 | Saudi Arabia | oil, diversified |
| 61 | Anne Cox Chambers | 12.5 | 92 | United States | media |
| 61 | John Paulson | 12.5 | 56 | United States | hedge funds |
| 64 | Robert Kuok | 12.4 | 88 | Malaysia | diversified |
| 64 | Luis Carlos Sarmiento | 12.4 | 79 | Colombia | banking |
| 64 | Viktor Vekselberg | 12.4 | 54 | Russia | oil, metals |
| 67 | Antonio Ermirio de Moraes & family | 12.2 | 83 | Brazil | diversified |
| 68 | Roman Abramovich | 12.1 | 45 | Russia | steel, investments |
| 69 | Donald Bren | 12,0 | 79 | United States | real estate |
| 69 | Jorge Paulo Lemann | 12,0 | 72 | Brazil | beer |
| 69 | Ronald Perelman | 12,0 | 69 | United States | leveraged buyouts |
| 72 | Len Blavatnik | 11.9 | 54 | United States | diversified |
| 72 | Leonid Mikhelson | 11.9 | 56 | Russia | gas, chemicals |
| 74 | Leonardo Del Vecchio | 11.5 | 76 | Italy | eyewear |
| 75 | John Fredriksen | 11.3 | 67 | Cyprus | shipping |
| 76 | Aliko Dangote | 11.2 | 54 | Nigeria | sugar, flour, cement |
| 76 | Stefan Quandt | 11.2 | 45 | Germany | BMW |
| 78 | Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor & family | 11,0 | 60 | United Kingdom | real estate |
| 78 | Harold Hamm | 11,0 | 66 | United States | oil & gas |
| 80 | Savitri Jindal & family | 10.9 | 62 | India | steel |
| 81 | Andrey Melnichenko | 10.8 | 40 | Russia | coal, fertilizers |
| 82 | James Simons | 10.7 | 73 | United States | hedge funds |
| 83 | Ernesto Bertarelli & family | 10.6 | 46 | Switzerland | biotech, investments |
| 84 | Jack Taylor & family | 10.4 | 89 | United States | Enterprise Rent-A-Car |
| 85 | Abigail Johnson | 10.3 | 50 | United States | Fidelity |
| 86 | Robin Li | 10.2 | 43 | China | Technology |
| 86 | Eliodoro, Bernardo & Patricia Matte | 10.2 | N/A | Chile | paper |
| 88 | Ray Dalio | 10,0 | 62 | United States | hedge funds |
| 88 | George Kaiser | 10,0 | 69 | United States | oil & gas, banking |
| 88 | Johanna Quandt | 10,0 | 85 | Germany | BMW |
| 88 | Hans Rausing | 10,0 | 86 | Sweden | packaging |
| 88 | Tadashi Yanai & family | 10,0 | 63 | Japan | retail |
| 93 | Serge Dassault & family | 9.9 | 86 | France | aviation |
| 93 | Ananda Krishnan | 9.9 | 73 | Malaysia | telecoms |
| 95 | Klaus-Michael Kuhne | 9.8 | 74 | Germany | shipping |
| 96 | Pallonji Mistry | 9.7 | 82 | Ireland | construction |
| 97 | Alejandro Santo Domingo Davila | 9.5 | 35 | Colombia | beer |
| 98 | Horst Paulmann & family | 9.3 | 77 | Chile | retail |
| 99 | Gennady Timchenko | 9.1 | 59 | Russia | oil & gas |
| 100 | Laurene Powell Jobs & family | 9,0 | 48 | United States | Apple, Disney |
| 100 | David & Simon Reuben | 9,0 | 69 | United Kingdom | investments, real estate |
| 100 | Dmitry Rybolovlev | 9,0 | 45 | Russia | fertilizer |
| 100 | Harold Simmons | 9,0 | 80 | United States | investments |
