Top Ten Richest Women In The World

In 2014, it should so still be a man’s world. However, the progress of girls like those listed on this survey shows that girls still create vital inroads into the business world. whereas several might have hereditary the wealth, they need all been actively concerned in running their family’s business by sitting on the board of administrators or operating in government positions.

Some say we live in a man’s world. That may or may not be true, but over 10 percent of the world’s billionaires are women with a total of 172. That figure is up from 138 in 2013. The year’s richest women come a wide array of heiresses, entrepreneurs and spouses who participate in the running of the family business. There were a total of 42 new women to join the ranks of billionaire. Here is a look at the Ten richest women in the world for 2014.

Top Ten Richest Women In The World

1. Christy Walton – $36.7 billion

Born: 1955, Jackson, Wyoming, United States

Spouse: John T. Walton (m. ?–2005)

Children: Lukas Walton

As sister-in-law to Alice Walton, she inherited her share of the Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. fortune when her husband, John Walton, passed away in 2005. She reclaimed her spot as the richest woman in the world when her stake in the solar company First Solar rose 47% for the year. Walton spends a great deal of her time on philanthropic endeavors such as the The San Diego Natural History Museum and other educational related charities. Mrs. Walton is the mother of one child.

2. Liliane Bettencourt – $34.5 billion

Born: October 21, 1922 (age 91), Paris, France

Nationality: French

Spouse: André Bettencourt (m. 1950–2007)

Children: Françoise Bettencourt Meyers

Parents: Eugène Schueller, Louise Madeleine Berthe

After being listed as the wealthiest woman in 2013, Bettencourt slips to number two this year. The 91-year-old French born heiress became the principle stakeholder in the French cosmetics giant L’Oréal in 1957 when her father passed away. She would later sell a substantial portion of her stake in exchange for a three percent stake in Nestle, the chocolate maker. She retired from her position on the board of L’Oréal in 2012. She is a widow and mother of one child.

3. Alice Walton – $34.3 billion

Born: October 7, 1949 (age 64), Newport, Arkansas, United States

Education: Trinity University

Parents: Helen Walton, Sam Walton

Siblings: Jim C. Walton, S. Robson Walton, John T. Walton

The 64-year-old heiress in one of two family member to make the top 10 richest women in the world. She inherited her wealth from her father, Sam Walton, the founder of America’s largest retailer Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Alice received her business degrees in finance and spent many years involved with companies in the banking industry including Llama Company, an investment banking firm she founded. She is involved in the political arena as a substantial donor and heavily involved in philanthropy. Ms. Walton has never been married and has no children.

4. Jacqueline Badger Mars – $20 billion

Born : October 10, 1939 (age 74)

Residence : The Plains, Virginia (formerly Bedminster, NJ)

Children : Alexandra Badger,Stephen Mills Badger,Christa Badger

Parents : Forrest Mars, Sr. (1904–1999),Audrey Mars (1910–1989)

Spouse(s) : David H. Badger (m. 1961–84),Hank Vogel (m. 1986–94)

She is a 74-year-old heiress to the largest candy maker in the world, Mars, Incorporated. As one of many candies produced at Mars, M&Ms ranks as one of the most popular candies in the world with over 400 million pieces being produced each day. The company was founded by her father Forrest Mars, Sr., and grandfather Frank C. Mars. She inherited the company with her two brothers when their father passed away in 1999. Ms. Mars is currently divorced with three children.

5. Gina Rinehart – $17.7 billion

Born: February 9, 1954 (age 60), Perth, Australia

Parents: Hope Margaret Nicholas, Lang Hancock

Children: Ginia Rinehart, Hope Rinehart Welker, John Langley Hancock, Bianca Hope Hayward

Spouse: Frank Rinehart (m. 1983–1990), Greg Hayward (m. 1973–1981)

Education: University of Sydney, St Hilda's Anglican School for Girls

This 60-year-old heiress in the wealthiest individual in Australia. A majority of her wealth was inherited from her father, Lang Hancock, who made his fortune in the iron ore and coal industry in Australia. In recent years, Rinehart has been making substantial investments in the media industry with a 10 percent stake in Ten Network Holdings and a 12 percent stake in Fairfax Media. Rinehard is currently divorced with four children.

6. Susanne Klatten – $17.4 billion

Born: April 28, 1962 (age 51), Bad Homburg vor der Höhe, Germany

Spouse: Jan Klatten (m. 1990)

Parents: Johanna Quandt, Herbert Quandt

Siblings: Stefan

Awards: Bavarian Order of Merit

Education: University of Buckingham, International Institute for Management Development

Klatten is the 51-year-old daughter of Johanna Quandt, #10 on the list of the world’s richest women. Aside from her 12.5% stake in BMW, her father also left her a 50.1% stake in pharmaceutical and chemicals manufacturer Altana. Under her guidance, Altana became part of the German DAX list of 30 top companies. In recent years, Klatten has bought back almost all outstanding shares of the company. She was married in 1990 and has three children.

7. Abigail Johnson – $17.3 billion

Born: December 19, 1961 (age 52), Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Nationality: American

Spouse: Christopher J. McKown (m. 1988)

Parents: Edward Johnson, III

Education: Harvard Business School (1988), Hobart and William Smith Colleges (1984), Buckingham Browne & Nichols, Harvard University

The American born Johnson is the President of the investment firm Fidelity Financial Services. The firm was founded by her grandfather, Edward C. Johnson II, while her father, Edward C. (Ned) Johnson III, is the company’s CEO. The company manages an investment portfolio with $1.67 trillion in assets. Abigail graduated with an MBA from Harvard in 1988. She was also married in 1988 and has two children.

8. Anne Cox Chambers – $15.5 billion

Born: December 1, 1919 (age 94), Dayton, Ohio, United States

Spouse: Robert William Chambers (m. 1955)

Education: Finch College

Parents: James M. Cox, Margaretta P. Blair

Siblings: Barbara Cox Anthony, James M. Cox Jr., John W. Cox

Children: Katharine Anne Johnson, James Cox Chambers, Margaretta Johnson Taylor

The 94-year-old business operator was born in 1919 to James M. Cox and Margaretta Parker Blair. James built the media empire known as Cox Enterprises. The company is involved in newspapers, television, radio and cable television. Chambers and her sister, Barbara Cox Anthony, took over the family business in 1980 and when her sister passed away in 2007, she became the sole owner of the privately held company. Chambers served as United States Ambassador to Belgium from 1977-1981 under Jimmy Carter.

9. Laurene Powell Jobs – $14 billion

Born: November 6, 1963 (age 50), New Jersey, United States

Spouse: Steve Jobs (m. 1991–2011)

Education: Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University, Stanford Graduate School of Business, University of Pennsylvania

Children: Reed Jobs, Erin Siena Jobs, Eve Jobs

As a successful business woman in her own right, Jobs was the founder of several advocate organizations involved in education for disadvantaged students and immigration reform. She is also 50-year-old widow of Steven Jobs , co-founder of Apple Inc. Upon her husband’s death in 2011, she took over control of the Steven P. Jobs Trust, since renamed the Laurene Powell Jobs Trust. The trust currently holds a 7%-8% stake in The Walt Disney Company.

10. Johanna Quandt – $12.8 billion

Born: June 21, 1926 (age 87), Germany

Children: Susanne Klatten

In 1960, the German born Mrs. Quandt married Herbert Quandt, the man who was credited with saving BMW from bankruptcy. The two met when she accepted a position with the company as a secretary and personal assistant. Herbert died in 1982 and left his approximated 51% ownership in BMW to his wife and two sons. For many years, Johanna was actively involved in the business before she retired in 1997. She currently owns a 16.7% stake in the German automaker.