Record number of michael kors online outlet newcomers includes sheryl sandberg
I'm a reporter on forbes' wealth team, where i cover titans of industry from a variety of backgrounds.From lords of finance and casino magnates to proprietors of the fast food chicken sandwich and the no whip, non fat, venti caramel machiatto, i'm keeping tabs on these movers and shakers and what they do with their fortunes.I'm a graduate of the university of wisconsin and the columbia university graduate school of journalism, and i've worked at an assortment of news outlets, including the associated press, milwaukee journal sentinel and wisconsin center for investigative journalism.That's 42 fortunes more than the next largest group, which came in 2008 before the financial crisis hit, derailing the global economy.This crop of billionaires minted their fortunes from social media in silicon valley, real estate in china, fashion in nigeria and every combination in between, and boasts an average net worth of $1.9 billion per person.In aggregate, their wealth amounts to $510 billion(Also a record), or roughly the GDP of Norway or Poland.
The united states leads the way with 50 new billionaires, followed by china(37), Germany(26)And brazil(23).America's contingent includes a cast of 10 tech stars, including whatsapp founders jan koum($6.8 billion)And brian acton($3 billion), who sold their company to Facebook for $19 billion in February.From the entertainment industry comes vince mcmahon($1.2 billion), the third generation wrestling promoter.Mcmahon was briefly a billionaire over a decade ago but this is the first time he officially joins the forbes billionaires ranks, thanks to his exceedingly popular world wrestling entertainment, which is broadcast in 150 countries.Perhaps the best known american newcomer is fashion designer michael kors, longtime star of project runway.
Billionaires 2014:Notable michael kors australia newcomers
A few countries experienced firsts, too.Folorunsho alakija, a onetime fashion designer who actually made her fortune in the oil business, claims the title of nigeria's first ever female billionaire.She had a career as secretary in a nigerian bank before quitting to study fashion design in england.After returning home, her supreme stitches fashion company helped her cozy up to maryam babangida, wife to nigeria's notorious former military president.She reportedly leveraged that connection to land a lucrative mining contract.Meanwhile, algeria has its first ever billionaire in issad rebrab, the son of militants who fought for algeria's independence from france.Despite algeria's socialist policies, which discourage entrepreneurship, his thriving food business cevital generates $3.5 billion in sales.