The richest billionaires in the UK and around the world right now

Who's top of the pile?

Courtesy BlueCrest Capital Management

The planet's mega-moneyed are scattered far and wide, with 78 nations and territories across four continents all boasting at least one billionaire.

That said, the richest individual's net worth varies wildly from country to country. The wealthiest residents of Portugal and Poland, for example, own nearly 50 times less wealth than that of the global number one.

Read on to find out who rules the roost in the world's biggest economies based on the latest data from Forbes as of 4 June 2024, except where otherwise stated.

All dollar amounts in US dollars.

Vietnam – Pham Nhat Vuong: $4.3 billion (£3.4bn)

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Pham Nhat Vuong is the richest man in Vietnam with a fortune of $4.3 billion (£3.4bn). The businessman got his start when he created a popular instant noodle business while studying in Russia in the 1990s.

Today he's the chairman of Vingroup, Vietnam's largest conglomerate, which has holdings in real estate, retail and healthcare.

Portugal – Maria Fernanda Amorim and family: $6.4 billion (£5.1bn)

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The only billionaire in Portugal is Maria Fernanda Amorim, the widow of Americo Amorim (the couple are pictured here). She and their three daughters inherited his fortune when he passed away in 2017. 

Americo oversaw his family's cork business, Corticeira Amorim, which dates back to 1870 and has dominated the industry. He also invested in banks in several countries and held an estimated 18% stake in Portuguese oil and gas company Galp Energia, currently chaired by his eldest daughter, Paula Amorim.

Poland – Michał Sołowow: $6.9 billion (£5.4bn)

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Poland is home to nine billionaires, and Michał Sołowow is the official top dog with a net worth of $6.9 billion (£5.4bn).

The savvy investor started his career at construction firm Mitex in the late 1980s before selling the company in 2002. He channelled the proceeds from the sale into the Polish stock market, mopping up huge stakes in successful companies such as chemicals giant Synthos and biotech firm OncoaArendi.

Norway – Ivar Tollefsen: $8.2 billion (£6.5bn)

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Ivar Tollefsen, the richest of Norway's 12 billionaires with a $8.2 billion (£6.5bn) net worth, started his DJ and events company at the age of 14.

He used the profits from his first venture to build a real estate empire called Fredensborg AS, which currently owns 100,000 apartments across Europe. The self-made billionaire is also something of an adventurer. In 2016 he set a new world record for the fastest crossing of Greenland on skis, and in 2009 he competed in the Dakar rally.

Belgium – Éric Wittouck: $8.5 billion (£6.8bn)

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The richest person in Belgium is old-money sugar baron Éric Wittouck, whose grandfather Paul and great-uncle Frantz (pictured) established the Tiense Suicker company at the end of the 19th century.

Publicity-shy Wittouck has massively expanded his fortune with the help of US private equity firm Invus, which has made several lucrative investments on his behalf in companies such as WW International (formerly known as Weight Watchers) and Blue Buffalo Pet Products.

Ireland – Shapoor Mistry: $8.9 billion (£7bn)

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Since the deaths of his father and brother in 2022, Shapoor Mistry has controlled the 157-year-old Indian engineering and construction company Shapoorji Pallonji Group.

Of Ireland's 11 billionaires, Mistry comes out on top with a $8.9 billion (£7bn) fortune.

New Zealand – Graeme Hart: $10.2 billion (£8bn)

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While New Zealand is fast becoming a magnet for super-rich doomsday preppers, the country is home to just four people with a net worth in excess of 10 figures: Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson, investor Richard Chandler, tech whizz Charles Gibbon, and packaging tycoon Graeme Hart.

With a fortune of $10.2 billion (£8bn), Auckland resident Hart is the wealthiest of the trio by a long stretch. He's not afraid to splash the cash either, and in 2023 he reportedly took delivery of a swish new superyacht featuring a helipad and incredible glass stairways.

South Korea – Jay Y Lee: $10.2 billion (£8bn)

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South Korea's wealthiest individual leads its biggest and most successful conglomerate.

Despite serving time in prison for bribery and embezzlement, Samsung Electronics vice chairman Jay Y Lee remains at the top of the globally renowned business and has held on to his substantial $10.2 billion (£8bn) fortune in the process.

Philippines – Manuel Villar: $11.4 billion (£9.1bn)

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Manuel Villar's self-made fortune of $11.4 billion (£9.1bn) puts him ahead of the 12 other billionaires in the Philippines, and his wealth comes from a diverse range of companies. These include property development firm Vista Land & Lifescapes, run by his son Manuel Paolo, which includes a portfolio of 10 shopping malls and two office towers.

Villar's wife and other children hold public office, and he too has been actively involved in politics, even running for president in 2010. In recent years he's been busy launching his own TV network.

South Africa – Johann Rupert and family: $11.8 billion (£9.3bn)

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The richest of South Africa's six billionaires is Johann Rupert. He's the chairman of Swiss luxury goods firm Compagnie Financiere Richemont, a holding company that counts Cartier and Montblanc among its portfolio.

Rupert – who's loudly opposed fracking plans in the Karoo region of South Africa – also chairs and owns 7% of the investment fund Remgro, a company originally founded by his father Anton as Rembrandt Group Ltd in the 1940s.

Malaysia – Robert Kuok: $12 billion (£9.6bn)

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Robert Kuok (pictured centre) is the richest person in Malaysia with a $12 billion (£9.6bn) fortune.

His wealth is diversified across several industries. As owner of the Kuok Group he has stakes in interests ranging from commodities to real estate and hotels, specifically the chain of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts. The successful and long-established business magnate celebrated his 100th birthday in October 2023.

Denmark – Anders Holch Povlsen: $12.5 billion (£9.8bn)

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Denmark also boasts nine billionaires with Anders Holch Povlsen, CEO of retailer Bestseller, taking the top spot.

Povlsen's parents started the family business in 1975, and its subsidiaries include the clothing brands Jack&Jones, Only, and Vero Moda. Taking over the company at  28, the businessman has gone on to invest in online retailer ASOS, grocer Nemlig, and payments firm Klarna.

Thailand – Dhanin Chearavanont: $13.3 billion (£10.5bn)

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Thailand's richest billionaire is Dhanin Chearavanont, chairman of the Charoen Pokphand Group, one of the world's largest producers of animal feed and livestock.

The Charoen Pokphand Group has lucrative stakes in Chinese insurer Ping An, Hong Kong conglomerate CITIC, and telecom company True Corp. It also controls UK supermarket Tesco's operations in Thailand and Malaysia. Chearavanont is one of 27 Thais featured on Forbes' global billionaires list.

Netherlands – Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken and family: $14.2 billion (£11.4bn)

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Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken is the wealthiest person in the Netherlands by far and one of the richest women in the world.

The heiress's staggering wealth is derived from her 23% stake in Heineken. The Amsterdam-based multinational brewing company was launched by her great-grandfather, Gerard Adriaan Heineken, in 1864. Her husband Michel de Carvalho, sons Charles and Alexander de Carvalho and daughter Louisa Brassey all occupy seats on Heineken boards.

Saudi Arabia – Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud: $14.8 billion (£11.8bn)

ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP via Getty 2.7bn)

Forbes opted to leave Saudi Arabia's mega-rich off its 2018 list of global billionaires following a corruption crackdown in the kingdom and continues to omit the country's elite due to a lack of clarity over net worth figures.

However, Bloomberg has provided estimates. It ranks Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Al Saud, who has interests in everything from real estate to oil, as the nation's number one thanks to his rumoured $14.8 billion (£11.8bn) fortune.

Singapore – Li Xiting: $15.3 billion (£12.1bn)

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Li Xiting is the wealthiest man in Singapore with a $15.3 billion (£12.1bn) fortune.

Though he holds Singaporean citizenship, he lives in Shenzen, China, where he founded his medical device company, Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics, in 1991.

UAE – Pavel Durov: $15.5 billion (£12.4bn)

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Once called the "Zuckerberg of Russia", Pavel Durov is the founder and owner of messaging app Telegram.

Now living in Dubai and holding UAE citizenship, his net worth of $15.5 billion (£12.4bn) makes him the wealthiest of the country's four billionaires. Recent reports suggest Telegram will hit the significant milestone of one billion users within a year.

Czech Republic – Renata Kellnerova and family: $17.9 billion (£14.1bn)

Courtesy PPF Group

Renata Kellnerova is the widow of Petr Kellner, the former richest person in the Czech Republic, who died in a helicopter crash in Alaska in March 2021. She has a net worth of $17.9 billion (£14.1bn).

Along with her children, Kellnerova has a majority stake in PPF Group, a business conglomerate with holdings in a variety of areas including financial services, telecommunications, and real estate.

UK – Michael Platt: $18 billion (£14.4bn)

Courtesy BlueCrest Capital Management

The UK boasts some world-famous billionaires, including Sir Richard Branson and Sir James Dyson.

However, the richest citizen is Michael Platt, cofounder and CEO of BlueCrest Capital Management, one of the world's largest hedge fund firms. Platt recently edged out Sir James Ratcliffe to take the top spot among the UK's 55 billionaires and has largely flown under the radar. He maintains a low profile with one newspaper report claiming that many of his employees don't even know who he is.

Sweden – Stefan Persson: $18.8 billion (£14.8bn)

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Former H&M chairman Stefan Persson is the wealthiest person in Sweden thanks to his 36% stake in the fast-fashion business. He's pictured here with his second wife, Carolyn Denise Persson.

H&M was founded by Persson's father Erling in 1947. When Stefan Persson stepped down from his role as chairman in 2020 it was his son, Karl-Johan, who succeeded him. Several other members of the Persson family are among Sweden's 41 billionaires.

Israel – Eyal Ofer: $24.8 billion (£19.5bn)

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Eyal Ofer is the most monyed person in Israel. The son of shipping magnate Sammy Ofer, who was the country's richest person until his death in 2011, Ofer inherited part of his father's business empire that very same year.

He has since expanded into other money-making areas, including real estate. He counts New York's 15 Central Park West, 1250 Broadway, and 50 United Nations Plaza among the prestigious properties he owns.

Brazil – Eduardo Saverin: $26.4 billion (£20.8bn)

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With over 50 billionaires – more than any other Latin American country – Brazil is awash with ultra-rich residents. Eduardo Saverin is the richest, with a net worth of $26.4 billion (£20.8bn).

Saverin cofounded Meta Platforms, formerly Facebook, with his Harvard classmate Mark Zuckerberg in 2004. He's now a venture capitalist, but the bulk of his wealth comes from his small but extremely lucrative stake in Meta.

Russia – Vagit Alekperov: $28.6 billion (£22.8bn)

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Russian President Vladimir Putin is believed to possess a fortune in the region of $200 billion (£157bn). However, the richest Russian, according to Forbes, is Vagit Alekperov.

Alekperov owns 30% of Lukoil, one of the world's largest energy companies. The former oil rig worker stepped down as chairman of Lukoil in 2022 after sanctions were imposed on him by the UK and Australia.

Australia – Gina Rinehart: $30.9 billion (£24.3bn)

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Mining magnate Gina Rinehart is the richest person in Australia with a fortune of $30.9 billion (£24.3bn). Rinehart has transformed her late father's floundering iron ore company, Hancock Prospecting, into a flourishing business, raking in billions in the process.

In recent years she's made big investments in the rare earth minerals sector. Rinehart is also Australia's leading landowner and one of its premier cattle producers.

Switzerland – Gianluigi and Rafaela Aponte: $36.2 billion (£28.5bn)

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Swiss shipping magnate Rafaela Aponte and her Italian businessman husband Gianluigi (pictured) each have a net worth of $36.2 billion (£28.5bn).

This makes them the richest of Switzerland's many billionaires by some distance. The couple entered the shipping industry in 1970 when they purchased their first ship with a loan of $200,000. Today, they each own a 50% stake in MSC, the world's largest shipping line.

Japan – Tadashi Yanai and family: $37.4 billion (£29.4bn)

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The richest person in Japan is Tadashi Yanai, the founder of Fast Retailing, the parent company of global fast-fashion chain Uniqlo.

Bolstering the business further, Fast Retailing has snapped up a raft of top brands over the years, ranging from Helmut Lang and Theory to J Brand and Comptoir des Cotonniers.

Austria – Mark Mateschitz: $39.3 billion (£31bn)

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At 32, Austria's youngest billionaire is also the country's wealthiest.

Mark Mateschitz inherited his father's 49% stake in energy drink company Red Bull when CEO Dietrich Mateschitz passed away in 2022.

Germany – Klaus-Michael Kuehne: $42 billion (£33.1bn)

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Klaus-Michael Kuehne is the wealthiest person in Germany, with a juicy $42 billion (£33.1bn) fortune. He joined the company founded by his grandfather, Kuehne + Nagel International AG, in 1958, eventually becoming CEO in 1966.

The 86-year-old owns approximately 30% of the shipping and logistics company Hapag-Lloyd and, in recent years, has become German airline Lufthansa's single biggest investor.

Italy – Giovanni Ferrero: $43.4 billion (£34.2bn)

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Who knew Nutella and Kinder Eggs could make someone so deliciously rich?

The executive chairman of his family's eponymous confectionery company, Giovanni Ferrero is the wealthiest of Italy's billionaires by some stretch. In 2023, the business recorded sales of $18 billion (£14.4bn). Ferrero's net worth currently stands at $43.4 billion (£34.2bn).

Indonesia – Prajogo Pangestu: $58.4 million (£46bn)

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Prajogo Pangestu is the richest person in Indonesia by some margin. The son of a rubber trader, Pangestu started out in the timber industry in the 1970s.

As the founder of the Barito Pacific Group, a diversified conglomerate with interests in various sectors including petrochemicals, forestry, property, and agriculture, he boasts a mammoth $58.4 million (£46bn) fortune.

China – Zhong Shanshan: $61.8 billion (£48.7bn)

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Zhong Shanshan is currently the richest person in China. Before starting his own business he had jobs as a construction worker and drinks sales agent.

Nicknamed the "lone wolf" due to his tendency to stay out of the spotlight, Shanshan is the founder and chairman of the bottled water company Nongfu Spring. He also controls Beijing Wantai Biological Pharmacy, which produces COVID-19 vaccines and test kits.

Canada – David Thomson and family: $71.5 billion (£56.3bn)

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With around 60 billionaire citizens, Canada has far fewer ultra-high-net-worth individuals than its North American neighbour.

The wealthiest Canadian is media mogul David Thomson who, together with his family, controls conglomerate Thomson Reuters and partly owns The Globe and Mail newspaper. He also counts a stake in Bell Canada, the country's largest telecom firm, within his portfolio.

Mexico – Carlos Slim Helú and family: $93.9 billion (£73.9bn)

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Carlos Slim Helú reigned supreme as the world's richest person between 2010 and 2013 but still holds the title of richest person in Mexico.

The telecoms tycoon controls Latin America's largest wireless company and also has hefty stakes in The New York Times, construction, and real estate firms.

Spain – Amancio Ortega: $108.8 billion (£85.7bn)

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Amancio Ortega, the founder and former chairman of Inditex, holds the title as Spain's richest person.

Inditex is the parent company of the Zara fashion chain, as well as brands including Massimo Dutti, Bershka, and Pull&Bear. According to Forbes, Ortega earns around $400 million (£315m) in dividends each year, which he invests in real estate around the world.

India – Mukesh Ambani: $110.4 billion (£86.9bn)

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With an eye-watering fortune of $110.4 billion (£86.9bn), Mukesh Ambani is the richest man in India by a long shot. Ambani runs Reliance Industries, a business founded by his yarn trader father, Dhirubhai Ambani, in 1966. Today, the business has interests in petrochemicals, oil and gas, telecoms, and retail.

The company is expanding into green energy, with plans to invest $80 billion (£63bn) in renewables over the next 10-15 years. Mukesh Ambani's three children, Akash, Isha, and Anant, joined the board of Reliance in 2023. Known for their lavish spending, their extravagant family weddings regularly make headlines around the world.

France – Bernard Arnault and family: $202.9 billion (£160bn)

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Bernard Arnault helms LVMH, which he formed in 1987. With a staggering $202.9 billion (£160bn) fortune, he's not only the richest person in France but also regularly occupies the world's wealthiest person top spot. But not this month.

One of Europe's most valuable businesses, the luxury goods juggernaut boasts scores of distinguished high-end brands, from Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior to Moët & Chandon and Tiffany & Co.

The latter brand was acquired by LVMH in 2021 in a deal worth a sparkling $15.8 billion (£12.6bn).

USA – Elon Musk: $209.3 billion (£165bn)

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When it comes to billionaires, America leads the way with a staggering 813, according to Forbes. The richest of the lot is Tesla, SpaceX, and X supremo Elon Musk, who, at the time of writing, is worth $209.3 billion (£165bn).

However, just last month Musk was the third-richest person on the planet, beaten by Jeff Bezos in the US and blocked from the top spot by France's Bernard Arnault. Given the fluctuating fortunes of the world's wealthiest people, there's every chance it could all change at the top again in July.

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