Bettencourt Meyers is the richest woman among Forbes 2024 billionaires; see the list | Economy

French businesswoman Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, heiress of L’Oréal, is the richest woman in the world in 2024, according to Forbes magazine’s annual list of billionaires released this Tuesday (2). It is in 15th place overall, with US$99.5 billion.

To calculate billionaires’ net worth, Forbes uses stock prices and exchange rates as of March 8, 2024.

According to Forbes, there are now more billionaires than ever: there are 2,781 in total, and 141 more than last year. This is a new record, surpassing the highest number in the historical series in 2021 by 26.

“They are richer than ever, worth US$14.2 trillion in total, an increase of US$2 trillion compared to 2023 and US$1.1 trillion above the previous record, also set in 2021”, says the Forbes.

See the top 10 among the richest women in the world:

1. Francoise Bettencourt Meyersheiress of L’Oréal, with US$99.5 billion (15th place overall)
2. Alice Waltonheir to Walmart, with US$72.3 billion (21st place overall)
3. Julia Kochheiress of Koch Industries, with US$64.3 billion (23rd place overall)
4. Jacqueline Marsheir to Mars, with US$38.5 billion (35th place overall)
5. MacKenzie Scottshareholder of Amazon, with US$35.6 billion (43rd place overall)
6. Savitri Jindalheiress of the Jindal Group, with US$33.5 billion (46th place overall)
7. Rafaela Aponte-Diamantpartner of MSC, with US$33.1 billion (48th place overall)
8. Miriam Adelsonheiress of Las Vegas Sand, with US$32 billion (53rd place overall)
9. Gina Rinehartmining businesswoman, with US$30.8 billion (56th place overall)
10. Abigail Johnsonheiress of Fidelity Investments, with US$29 billion (58th place overall)

Françoise is heiress to L’Oréal, the largest cosmetics and beauty company in the world, operating in 130 countries. The company’s main markets are the United States, France, China, Germany and Brazil, where the market arrived in 1939.

Currently, Françoise is president of the family holding company and represents the 33% stake that the Bettencourt Meyers family has in the company’s shares. The executive also presides over the family’s philanthropic foundation, which encourages and participates in science and art projects in France.

The richest woman in the world is the only daughter and heiress of Liliane Bettencourt, as well as the granddaughter of chemist Eugène Paul Louis Schueller, who founded L’Oréal in 1909. The company has more than 35 cosmetics and skin care brands.

Françoise has been a member of the company’s board since 1997, of which her two sons, Jean-Victor Meyers and Nicolas Meyers, are also members. The first time she appeared on the list of the richest people on the planet was in 2018, a year after her mother’s death.

Françoise and Liliane fought for almost two years in French courts over a complaint filed by the current richest woman in the world against a celebrity photographer who allegedly received around 1 billion euros in gifts from her mother over 20 years.

The case involving the L’Oréal heiress became a national scandal in France. In 2010, Liliane reconciled with her daughter, ending a series of legal proceedings, according to a lawyer.

See who are the billionaires who became richest in 2023