The World's Billionaires annual ranking of the very richest people on the planet. by Forbes
Rank Name Citizenship Age Net Worth 
($bil)
1 William Gates III United States 50 50.0
2 Warren Buffett United States 75 42.0
3 Carlos Slim Helu Mexico 66 30.0
4 Ingvar Kamprad Sweden 79 28.0
5 Lakshmi Mittal India 55 23.5
6 Paul Allen United States 53 22.0
7 Bernard Arnault France 57 21.5
8 Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud Saudi Arabia 49 20.0
9 Kenneth Thomson & family Canada 82 19.6
10 Li Ka-shing Hong Kong 77 18.8
11 Roman Abramovich Russia 39 18.2
12 Michael Dell Russia 41 17.1
13 Karl Albrecht Germany 86 17.0
14 Sheldon Adelson United States 72 16.1
15 Liliane Bettencourt France 83 16.0
16 Lawrence Ellison United States 61 16.0
17 Christy Walton United States 51 15.9
18 Jim Walton United States 58 15.9
19 S Robson Walton United States 62 15.8
20 Alice Walton United States 56 15.7
21 Helen Walton United States 86 15.6
22 Theo Albrecht Germany 83 15.2
23 Amancio Ortega Spain 70 14.8
24 Steven Ballmer United States 50 13.6
25 Azim Premji India 60 13.3
#1 William Gates III
Age: 50
Fortune: self made
Source: Microsoft

Net Worth: 50.0 

Country Of Citizenship: United States
Residence: Medina, Washington, United States, North America
Industry: Software
Marital Status: married, 3 children

Harvard University, Drop Out

Microsoft's chief visionary moving further away from day-to-day corporate work. For the first time did not offer a strategy outlook at last year's financial analyst meeting. Instead, prefers to dive into innovative projects, foster collaboration among Microsoft's many divisions. Microsoft aims to be omnipotent, selling software for PCs, servers, cell phones, television set-top boxes, gaming consoles, the Web. At the ripe (tech sector) age of 30, Gates' company impressively beats rivals in profit margins, market capitalization and R&D budget, but its sales growth is slowing to a (recently) single-digit percentage pace. Like elder statesman of computing, IBM, has been investing heavily in its own stock. Diversifies methodically, selling 20 million shares every quarter, reinvesting through Cascade Investment. Big stakes in Canadian National Railway, Republic Services, Berkshire Hathaway. Philanthropy, via $29 billion Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, aimed at fighting infectious disease
 
#2 Warren Buffett
Age: 75
Fortune: self made
Source: Berkshire Hathaway

Net Worth: 42.0 

Country Of Citizenship: United States
Residence: Omaha, Nebraska, United States, North America
Industry: Investments
Marital Status: widowed, 3 children

University of Nebraska Lincoln, Bachelor of Arts / Science
Columbia University, Master of Science 

Revered investor took it on the chin over Berkshire Hathaway's General Re insurance unit; SEC threatened civil fraud suit against General Re Chief Joseph Brandon over questionable transaction with American International Group. Also got it for his board seat at Coca-Cola, where his "independence" might be compromised by Berkshire's ownership of Dairy Queen, which buys lots of Coke products. Buffett: "Do they want us to favor Pepsi?" At Berkshire set in place two governance reforms: regular meetings of directors without Buffett present; whistleblower line for employees. Sitting on $43 billion in cash, hoped to make some big acquisitions last year, "but I struck out." Instead, invested in foreign currencies: $21 billion bet against the dollar and in favor of various other currencies. "In no way does our thinking about currencies rest on doubts about America." Newspaper delivery boy filed first 1040 at age 13; claimed $35 deduction for bicycle. Studied under Benjamin Graham at Columbia. Applied value-investing principles to build Berkshire Hathaway. Portfolio includes utilities (MidAmerican Energy Holdings), insurance (Geico, General Re), apparel (Fruit of the Loom), flight services (FlightSafety, NetJets). Also chunks of American Express, Coca-Cola, Gillette, Wells Fargo. Instructs managers to run a business as if it's the only asset the manager's family will own over the next 100 years. Prefers his investors to buy equities only after careful analysis. "If they insist on trying to time their participation in equities, they should try to be fearful when others are greedy and greedy only when others are fearful." Says he underestimated the severity of certain stocks' overvaluation during the tech bubble. "I talked when I should have walked." No matter. Since taking control of Berkshire 40 years ago, has delivered compound annual return of 22%. "No wonder we tap-dance to work."
 
#5 Lakshmi Mittal
Age: 55
Fortune: inherited and growing
Source: Steel

Net Worth: 23.5 

Country Of Citizenship: India
Residence: London, United Kingdom, Europe & Russia
Industry: Manufacturing
Marital Status: married, 2 children

St Xavier's College Calcutta, Bachelor of Arts / Science

The steel titan now oversees the world's largest steel company, Mittal Steel. In December 2004 he merged his Ispat International with Ohio-based International Steel Group in a $4 billion (in cash and stock) deal. Owns 87.4% of the $28.1 billion (2005 sales) company. An early year double-digit drop in US and European steel prices and fourth-quarter increased spending on coal and iron ore and lower prices helped lead to a 28% drop in 2005 profits to $3.4 billion. On Jan 27, Mittal made a $23.7 billion hostile bid for largest rival, Luxembourg-based Arcelor, in an effort to spark more world steel consolidation and enable Mittal Steel to sell higher grade steel to company's like Ford Motor. Arcelor employing numerous techniques to either fend it off or get a higher price: bought a large stake in a Chinese steel company; enlisted the French government to take up its cause; Luxembourg (the biggest shareholder) introduced a new takeover law; and Arcelor doubled its dividend.

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