Gates returns to top of the tree
The 57-year-old co-founder of Microsoft has recaptured the title from Mexican telecoms tycoon Carlos Slim, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
It is the first time Gates has held the mantle since 2007, with his fortune valued at $US72.7 billion, up 16 per cent on the latest year as Microsoft shares have surged to a five-year high.
Shares in Slim's America Movil, the largest mobile-phone operator in the Americas, have dropped 14 per cent this year after Mexico's Congress passed a bill that could quash the billionaire's market dominance. That helped erase more than $US3 billion from the 73-year-old tycoon's net worth.
Most of Gates' fortune is held in Cascade Investment, a holding entity through which he owns stakes in more than a dozen publicly traded companies. Less than a quarter of Gates' fortune is held in Microsoft. He's donated $US28 billion to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Since Gates' retirement in 2008 he has focused on philanthropy work through the foundation.
Berkshire Hathaway chairman Warren Buffett is the world's third-richest person with $US59.7 billion, according to the Bloomberg ranking. He is $US3.7 billion ahead of Spain's Amancio Ortega, Europe's wealthiest person, whose Inditex fashion group owns the Zara chain of clothing and accessories shops.
Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin have seen their fortunes rise more than 22 per cent as shares of the world's most popular search provider have surged.
They rank No. 18 and No. 19 respectively.
- Bill Gates will take part in a special version of the ABC's Q&A program during a visit to Australia this month. Gates will front a debate about global health and development at the invitation-only event, moderated by host Tony Jones, on May 28 at the University of NSW.
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index cited in the article, Bill Gates has reclaimed the title of the world's richest person. His fortune was valued at US$72.7 billion — up 16% over the latest year — mainly because Microsoft shares surged to a five‑year high, allowing him to overtake Carlos Slim.
The article notes Microsoft shares surged to a five‑year high, which contributed to a 16% rise in Gates' net worth. However, less than a quarter of his fortune is actually held in Microsoft, so his net worth gain also reflects holdings managed through his Cascade Investment vehicle and other positions.
Cascade Investment is the holding entity through which Bill Gates owns stakes in more than a dozen publicly traded companies. The article says most of Gates' fortune is held in Cascade, with under one quarter directly in Microsoft.
Shares in Carlos Slim's America Movil fell about 14% this year after Mexico's Congress passed a bill that could weaken the company's market dominance. That share decline helped erase more than US$3 billion from Slim's net worth, according to the article.
The article reports that Larry Page and Sergey Brin saw their fortunes rise by more than 22% as shares of Google (the world's most popular search provider) surged. They were ranked No. 18 and No. 19 respectively on the Bloomberg list mentioned.
Warren Buffett was listed as the world's third‑richest person with US$59.7 billion. He was about US$3.7 billion ahead of Spain's Amancio Ortega, Europe's wealthiest person, whose Inditex fashion group owns the Zara chain — all figures are from the Bloomberg ranking cited in the article.
The article states Bill Gates has donated US$28 billion to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Since retiring from Microsoft in 2008, he has concentrated on philanthropic work through the foundation.
Yes. The article says Gates will take part in a special version of the ABC's Q&A program during a visit to Australia. He will front a debate about global health and development at an invitation‑only event on May 28 at the University of NSW, moderated by Tony Jones.
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