The sign of true-blue winners in the world of entrepreneurs and business leaders is how they fare when the going is tough. By that yardstick, this year’s Forbes Billionaires List, the definitive listing of the world’s richest people, is proof that real business leaders know their way around even in difficult times. Consider that the decline in oil prices and a weak euro would have been tough challenges for many, but this year has actually seen the wealth of the Forbes Billionaires grow—there are 1,826 of them, aggregating a staggering $7.1 trillion in wealth, up from last year’s $6.4 trillion. The top 50 in this list of the planet’s richest are worth an aggregate $1.6 trillion, 8 percent higher than that last year. Not surprising, the newest entrant to this list of 50 is Chinese internet billionaire Jack Ma of Alibaba, whose IPO in 2014 catapulted him to the top layer of the world’s billionaires at rank 33 with $22.7 billion in wealth. The youngest in the top 50 club is another internet phenomenon, Mark Zuckerberg the 30-year-old’s fortune currently stands at $33 billion. A sign of the times, perhaps, that the new economy is creating its own set of billionaires, and fast, as the full list of the world’s richest will also bear out. Videogame billionaire Markus Persson is another example. His amazing story of building a gaming phenomenon and then selling out to Microsoft (for $2.5 billion) is the stuff of legends.
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Youth, in fact, is another theme of this year’s list, with 46 among them under the age of 40, demonstrating that age or the lack of it has little to do with the power of ideas and the wealth it can generate. There are also several ‘rags to riches’ stories in the list, Jan Koum, the creator of WhatsApp among them, which are bound to inspire many around the world.
Looking back home, India figures prominently this year, generating a record 90 billionaires (more than Russia’s 88) as the gradual clearing up of cobwebs in the economy caused the markets to head north, adding to the wealth of the country’s business owners. These 90 billionaires have a combined net worth of a hefty $294 billion, with as many as 28 making their maiden appearance on the list. A significant aspect is also the new number two—Sun Pharma’s Dilip Shanghvi, the biggest Indian gainer, who finishes with a net worth of $20 billion. Banker Uday Kotak figures in the top 10 (among Indians), after the mega acquisition of ING Vysya Bank. Among the newcomers is real estate baron Subhash Runwal. Their stories are no less inspirational than those of their Western counterparts.
