As we move into 2024, we can expect another year dominated by the tech oligarchy who now make up the most influential people on the planet.
Elon Musk’s every move and utterance makes headline news, while his continuing rivalry with Meta owner Mark Zuckerberg adds a personal dimension to social media pronouncements - and to rich lists. The American website Forbes tracks the value of the ultra-wealthy - and here’s their running order on the first day of January 2024.
Forbes says: “Billionaires at the top of the Forbes list had a pretty good December - at least in terms of their stockholdings. As of January 1, 2024, seven of the world’s top 10 richest people are wealthier than they were a month ago. Together the world’s 10 richest people, according to Forbes, are worth $1.47 trillion as of the strike of midnight on January 1 - up from $1.44 trillion a month ago. The two biggest gainers in the past month (in dollar terms) were Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault; each is up $9.4bn compared with December 1 due to increases in the share price of their respective companies.”
Arnault was the world’s richest person at the start of last year, but was overtaken by Musk in June.
5. Larry Ellison
Larry Ellison, who cofounded software firm Oracle in 1977, is the fourth richest man in the world with a $135.3bn net worth. The 79-year-old is still chairman and chief technology officer of the company. In 2012, Ellison bought the Hawaiian island of Lanai for $300 million and moved there, although still has homes in California. | Chris Ison (PA) Photo: Chris Ison (PA)
6. Mark Zuckerburg
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is worth $125.3bn. He founded what was first called The Facebook while at Harvard University, and it is now the biggest special media platform in the world with 3.88bn users. Now 39, Zuckerberg has renamed Facebook’s parent company Meta and it also owns WhatsApp and Instagram. Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan have pledged to help others cure, manage or prevent all disease by the end of this century. Photo: via WikiCommons
7. Bill Gates
Bill Gates, whose current net worth stands at $119.6 billion, was the richest man in the world from 1995 to 2017 after founding and growing Microsoft. The 68-year-old is still involved in Microsoft but to a lesser degree, and concentrates his efforts more on philanthropy and an investing in other companies Photo: Commonwealth Secretariat
8. Warren Buffett
Investor Warren Buffett comes in seventh on the list with a £118.6bn net worth. Now 93, he is one of the most successful investors ever. | AFP via Getty Images Photo: AFP via Getty Images