Exclusive: Ghana's John Mahama on his planned presidential comeback
Exclusive: Ghana's John Mahama on his planned presidential comeback
Exclusive: Ghana's John Mahama on his planned presidential comeback
Exclusive: Ghana's John Mahama on his planned presidential comeback
Exclusive: Ghana's John Mahama on his planned presidential comeback
Exclusive: Ghana's John Mahama on his planned presidential comeback
Asia's wealthiest billionaires continue to shape the global economy and occupy quite influential positions in global ranks.
With a diversified fortune interest, these people are playing various key roles in revving up the economies of their respective countries, in the areas of tech, energy, infrastructure, and natural resources, amongst others.
Despite market fluctuations, huge losses and sometimes gains, these influential figures remain at the forefront of the region's economic growth, establishing and marking their niche among the world's financial elite.
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, which provides a daily ranking of the world’s richest individuals, these are the top ten richest people in Asia.
Net worth: $113 billion
Country: India
Leading the list is Mukesh Ambani from India, with a total net worth of $113 billion. Although his wealth recently declined by $850 million, Ambani has experienced a year-to-date increase of $16.2 billion, driven by his vast energy empire. Aside from being the owner of the Mumbai cricket team, Ambani also owns Reliance Industries, which owns the world's largest oil refining complex. The conglomerate also operates in polymer and chemical manufacturing, generating over $100 billion in revenue in the year ending March 2024. He is ranked number 11 on the Bloomberg Billionaire Index.
Net worth: $103 billion
Country: India
Close behind is Indian industrialist Gautam Adani, who has a net worth of $103 billion. Despite a recent dip of $412 million, Adani has seen a substantial gain of $18.4 billion this year. Adani is the chairman of the Adani Group, a conglomerate headquartered in Ahmedabad, with diverse business interests including ports, airports, power generation and transmission, green energy, and oils, amongst others. His group owns the country's largest private port and ranks among the world's biggest coal traders. Adani Enterprises, the group's flagship company, reported revenue of $11.6 billion for the year ending March 31, 2024. Adani is ranked 15th on the Bloomberg Billionaire Index.
Net worth: $49.5 billion
Country: China
In China, Zhong Shanshan is a businessman known for his diversified ventures, and has a net worth of $49.5 billion, despite experiencing a significant year-to-date loss of $18.2 billion. He is the founder and chairman of Nongfu Spring, a bottled water company that went public on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in September 2020. Zong is ranked 25th on the Bloomberg index.
Net worth: $49.0 billion
Country: Japan
Japan's Tadashi Yanai, a prominent figure in the retail sector, has a net worth of $49.0 billion and has seen a considerable rise of $10.6 billion this year. Tadashi Yanai is the founder and president of Fast Retailing, the parent company of Uniqlo, a leading global fashion retailer. With his innovative approach to business and a focus on quality and affordability, Yanai has grown Uniqlo into one of the world's most successful clothing brands. Yanai is ranked 26th.
Net worth: $44.1 billion
Country: China
Ma Huateng, a leading technology entrepreneur in China, has a net worth of $44.1 billion, reflecting a year-to-date increase of $9.43 billion despite a recent minor decrease. Huateng also doubles as an investor and a co-founder and CEO of Tencent, one of China's largest and most influential technology companies. Tencent is a leader in various sectors, including social media, gaming, fintech, and artificial intelligence. Huateng ranks 32nd on the Bloomberg index.
Net worth: $42.6 billion
Country: India
Indian industrialist Shapoor Mistry's wealth totals $42.6 billion, with a positive year-to-date change of $7.33 billion. Mistry is the chairman of the Shapoorji Pallonji Group, an engineering and construction conglomerate with a legacy spanning over 150 years. The group is renowned for its contributions to infrastructure and real estate projects both in India and globally. Under his leadership, the company has continued to expand and diversify its operations. Shapoor ranks 33rd on the index.
Net worth: $42.2 billion
Country: China
Zhang Yiming, another tech giant from China, is the founder of Chinese tech giant ByteDance. One of ByteDance’s apps is TikTok. He ranks 34th on the Bloomberg list. He maintains a net worth of $42.2 billion, although he has seen a slight decrease of $90 million this year.
Net worth: $39.6 billion
Country: India
Shiv Nadar, a technology pioneer in India, holds a net worth of $39.6 billion, experiencing a year-to-date rise of $5.77 billion despite a recent $166 million drop. Shiv Nadar is the founder of HCL Technologies, one of India's leading IT services companies. He is also a prominent philanthropist, focusing on education through the Shiv Nadar Foundation, which has established several institutions aimed at improving access to quality education in India. Nadar ranks 37th.
Net worth: $34.9 billion
Country: India
Savitri Jindal, representing the commodities sector in India, has a net worth of $34.9 billion and has gained $10.2 billion this year. Jindal is famously known as the “Iron Lady of Industry.” Aside from her political career, she controls OP Jindal Group which deals in steel, power, cement and infrastructure. Savitri ranks 44th on the global index.
Net worth: $33.6 billion
Country: Indonesia
Pangestu, with a net worth of $33.6 billion, has seen an increase of $222 million, up by $2.57 billion. He is based in Indonesia and is involved in the energy sector. Pangestu is the founder and chairman of Barito Pacific, Indonesia's largest petrochemical company
