Six local billionaires: Forbes

Arabs form only two percent of
world fortune

Forbes magazine unveiled, in its recently published list of wealthiest people in the world, six local and 37 Arabs out of a total 1,645 world billionaires.

Najib and Taha Mikati were ranked at 520 with their fortune of $3.1 billion each. Locally, they are followed by Bahaa Hariri with $2.2 billion, (ranked 796). His brother, (former Prime Minister) Saad Hariri’s wealth is estimated at $1.5 billion. Ayman and Fahd Hariri each have $1.2 billion.

Other Arab billionaires are distributed as follows: Eight Egyptians, seven Saudis, five Kuwaitis, four Emiratis, four Moroccans, two Omanis, and one Algerian. Price Al-Waleed Bin Talal is the wealthiest Arab as his fortune weighs $20.4 billion. He is ranked 30.

Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, regained the first place position, four years after Lebanese-origin Mexican telecom mogul Carlos Slim Helu, was crowned wealthiest man in the world. Gates’ wealth jumped to $76 billion, four billions more than Helu.

Billionaire brothers Joseph and Moise Safra are also from Lebanese origin. Their wealth amounts up to $16 billion and $2.2 billion respectively.

The net worth of all 1,645 billionaires combined reached $6.4 trillion.