Record Number of Billionaires Witnessed Substantial Wealth Growth in 2023
Forbes magazine recently unveiled its annual roster of the world’s billionaires, spotlighting Greek tycoons, investors, and maritime magnates. The list saw four fresh entries, solidifying the top echelons of Greek billionaire ranks.
Joining the Greek billionaire fray in 2024 are George Prokopiou, Konstantinos Martinos, Andreas Martinos, and Athanasios Martinos.
The Greek Billionaires
Maria Angelikousi tops the Greek billionaire chart with a staggering $6.4 billion fortune, advancing to No. 432 overall in the Forbes rankings (up from No. 455 in 2023).
Aristotelis Mystakidis follows closely with $3.3 billion, a marginal increase from his 2023 wealth of $3.2 billion.
Philip Niarchos secures the third spot among Greek billionaires with a net worth of $2.8 billion.
Completing the top ten are:
Shipowner George Prokopiou & family ($2.6 billion) – a fresh entrant at No. 1,286 on the list.
Konstantinos Martinos & family ($2.3 billion)
Spyros Latsis & family ($2.2 billion) – witnessing a wealth surge of €700 million.
Vardis Vardinoyannis & family ($2.2 billion)
Marianna Latsis & family ($1.8 billion)
Andreas Martinos & family
Athanasios Martinos & family
Record Surge in Billionaires
Billionaires globally experienced remarkable wealth amplification amidst geopolitical tensions and economic volatility. The billionaire tally reached an all-time high of 2,781 individuals.
This figure marks an increase of 141 from the previous year and surpasses the 2021 record by 26. Not only has the count escalated, but the collective net worth has also soared to $14.2 trillion, a $2 trillion uptick from 2023 and a $1.1 trillion spike from the 2021 pinnacle. Two-thirds of the billionaires have seen their fortunes escalate, while a quarter have witnessed a dip.
A substantial portion of this surge emanates from the top 20 billionaires, who collectively augmented their wealth by $700 billion. Notably, the United States now boasts a record 813 billionaires with a combined wealth of $5.7 trillion.
China retains its second position with 473 billionaires (including Hong Kong), notwithstanding sluggish consumer spending and a property market downturn that shaved off approximately $300 billion from the aggregate wealth. India secures the third position with 200 billionaires.
The Wealth Titans
Topping the global wealth charts is Bernard Arnault, reigning with a fortune of $233 billion, spearheading the LVMH empire encompassing 75 fashion and cosmetics brands.
He is closely trailed by Elon Musk with $195 billion and Jeff Bezos with $194 billion. Mark Zuckerberg clinches the fourth spot with $177 billion. Rounding off the top ten are Larry Ellison ($141 billion), Warren Buffett ($133 billion), Bill Gates ($128 billion), Steve Ballmer ($121 billion), Mukesh Ambani ($116 billion), and Larry Page ($114 billion).
