Francisco Meyers Bettencourt

L'ORÉAL LOVE Who is Françoise Bettencourt Meyers’ husband, Jean-Pierre?
Françoise Bettencourt Meyers is the granddaughter of the founder of L'Oréal

BUSINESSMAN Jean-Pierre Meyers is married to Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, the L'Oréal cosmetics and beauty empire heiress.

After then-L'Oréal matriarch Liliane Bettencourt passed away in 2017, her only child, and Meyers' wife, became the richest woman in the world.

Françoise Bettencourt Meyers and her husband Jean-Pierre attend the L’Oreal – UNESCO for Women in Science Awards Ceremony on March 22, 2018, in ParisCredit: Getty
Who is Françoise Bettencourt Meyers?

Françoise Bettencourt Meyers is a French businesswoman, writer, heiress, and philanthropist.

She is currently the richest woman in the world, with an estimated net worth of nearly $87 billion as of November 2023.

Bettencourt Meyers was born in 1953 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France to André and Liliane Bettencourt, the daughter of L'Oréal founder Eugène Schueller.

In 2007, Bettencourt Meyers filed a criminal complaint against her mother's friend, François-Marie Banier, alleging that he was preying on her mother's Alzheimer's disease to steal her fortune.

Liliane had gifted Banier over $1 billion in cash, gifts, and life insurance policies since the two first met in 1987.

By 2008, Bettencourt Meyers officially sued Banier for taking advantage of – and money from – her mother.

The subsequent scandal was covered in the 2023 Netflix documentary series The Billionaire, The Butler, and the Boyfriend.

While Bettencourt Meyers and Liliane briefly reconciled in December 2010 after Liliane removed Banier from her will, the duo ended up estranged again just months later.

After her death in 2017, Liliane's fortune was split between her only child, Bettencourt Meyers, and her two grandsons.

Bettencourt Meyers saw her net worth triple almost overnight thanks to the high valuation of L'Oréal shares and her investments, made through her family holding company, Téthys Invest.

The family still owns a 33 percent stake in L'Oréal.

Her husband, Jean-Pierre Meyers, is the holding company's CEO.

Who is Françoise Bettencourt Meyers' husband, Jean-Pierre?

Jean-Pierre Meyers was born in France in 1948.

He is the grandson of Rabbi Robert Meyers, who was murdered at Auschwitz in 1942 during the Second World War.

On April 6, 1984, he married François Bettencourt, who converted from Catholicism to Judaism ahead of their wedding.

Meyers has been a member of the board of directors for L'Oréal since 1987, and the company's vice president since 1994.

From 1991 to 2014, he was also the director of Nestlé.

In 2016, Meyers and his wife co-founded Téthys Invest, an investment firm where he serves as CEO and board member.

He is currently the vice president of the Bettencourt Schueller Foundation.

How many kids do they have?

Jean-Pierre and his wife have two children together.

Their oldest son, Jean-Victor, was born in 1986.

In 1988, the duo welcomed their second son, Nicolas.

Jean-Victor Meyers has been a member of the board of directors of L'Oréal since 2012.

Jean-Victor Meyers stands between his parents Jean-Pierre and Françoise at his company's storefront on October 29, 2015, in Paris, FranceCredit: Getty
He is also the co-founder of Exemplaire, a company producing fashion and luxury goods.

He previously interned at Goldman Sachs in London and at Louis Vuitton in Paris.

Jean-Victor reportedly often served as an intermediary between his mother, Françoise, and his grandmother, Liliane, as the duo were typically estranged.

The Richest Woman In The World 2023

The reign of Françoise Bettencourt Meyers continues. For the third year in a row, the French heiress retains the title of the richest woman in the world, with an estimated net worth of $80.5 billion, $5.7 billion more than last year.

Bettencourt Meyers ranks as the planet’s 11th wealthiest person overall, up from No. 14 last year. She’s one of just 337 women on the 2023 Forbes World’s Billionaires list, who make up only 13% of the planet’s 2,640 billionaires.

The majority of the 69-year-old’s wealth comes from her stake in the beauty and hair mammoth, the L'Oréal Group. The company, founded more than 100 years ago by Bettencourt Meyers’ grandfather, brought in revenue of $38.2 billion in 2022 and employs more than 85,000 people. L'Oréal's stock rose by 12% over the past year thanks to strong demand that led to better-than-expected earnings and record sales for 2021.

Bettencourt Meyers controls around 33% of L'Oréal along with her family. She inherited the stake and the title of the richest woman in the world from her mother, Liliane Bettencourt, who passed away in 2017. Bettencourt Meyers made her debut on the billionaires list in 2018 as the richest newcomer, then worth $42.2 billion.

A French citizen, she has served on L'Oréal's board since 1997. Her two sons, Jean-Victor and Nicolas, now sit on the board as well. L'Oréal's brands include some of the leading skincare and makeup products, from Kiehl’s and Lancôme to Maybelline and La Roche-Posay. Lately the company has been making a marketing push to attract Gen Z customers. This January, YouTube star Emma Chamberlain stepped into the role of Lancôme ambassador, following a November 2022 multi-brand partnership with Ready Player Me, an avatar platform for the Metaverse.

Bettencourt Meyers’ rise to the world’s richest woman did not come without turmoil–most notably a French scandal around a sensational trial involving billions of dollars that led to a publicly turbulent mother-daughter rift. In 2007, Bettencourt Meyers sued François Marie Banier—a long-time family friend and celebrity photographer—or allegedly swindling more than $1 billion in art, cash, real estate and other gifts from her mother. He was convicted, sentenced to three years in jail and forced to pay around $150 million in damages. Both sentences were reversed a few years later. What ensued were years of public commentary from her mother and another legal scandal alleging Bettencourt Meyers had bribed a witness. In 2011, Bettencourt Meyers was appointed by a court as her mother’s legal guardian after the late heiress was found to have an advanced state of Alzheimer’s.

Since taking her mother’s spot on the list, Bettencourt Meyers has continued to grow the family fortune. She is chairwoman of the clan’s holding company, Téthys Invest, through which she has backed numerous projects, including French private hospitals operator Elsan.

Gallery: Richest Women In America 2023
11 images
View gallery
She has also made hefty philanthropic contributions. Along with L'Oréal, Bettencourt Meyers pledged $230 million for Notre-Dame Cathedral’s reconstruction in 2019. She is also the president of the family’s foundation, Fondation Bettencourt Schueller, which encourages French progress in the sciences and arts.

The richest woman in the world: Francois Bettencourt Meyers has gained $11.6 billion so far

Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, the world’s wealthiest woman, has seen an increase in her net worth, soaring from $80.5 billion at the beginning of the year to an impressive $92.1 billion.

According to Forbes data, this surge of $11.6 billion is attributed to the stellar performance of her global beauty brand, L’Oreal Paris.

The stock price of L’Oreal has experienced a year-to-date increase of 27.08%, with a notable 11% rise in the past few months.

L’Oreal’s positive financial performance is based on a robust upswing in third-quarter sales, driven by growth in Europe and a surge in the United States.

However, the anticipated rebound in China fell short, with a 4.8% dip in sales in North Asia, missing the expected 14.4% increase.

The decline in North Asia sales was attributed to heightened Chinese government control over resellers, known as daigou, affecting L’Oreal’s travel retail business, particularly in Hainan and South Korea.

These resellers traditionally acquired inventory at lower prices in one location and resold them at a discount elsewhere.

In mainland China, L’Oreal reported a 7.7% sales growth over the initial nine months, maintaining market share amid a “broadly stable” beauty market and a “muted recovery.”

Despite challenges like high youth unemployment and a property crisis in China, L’Oreal remains “ambitious” for the country.

Hieronimus outlined plans to expand labels like Lancome into lower-tier cities in the coming year.

L’Oreal, a significant player in China’s $78.9 billion beauty and personal care market, continues to gain market share.

Its luxury division leads the high-end cosmetics sector with renowned brands such as Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino, and Prada.

In Europe and North America, L’Oreal exceeded expectations for the third quarter, with growth rates of 16.2% and 11.8%, respectively, indicating an acceleration in North America.

Despite inflation affecting household spending in Europe, L’Oreal reported no discernible shift to lower-priced products or reduced purchasing.

More insight

Globally, L’Oreal’s luxury division, its largest, experienced a slower growth rate of 3.2%, aligning with a trend of consumers scaling back on high-end purchases.

This trend resonates with the recent slowdown in perfumes and cosmetics reported by luxury benchmark LVMH.

Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, granddaughter of L’Oreal’s founder, and her family own approximately 33% of L’Oreal’s stock.

Since 1997, she has served on L’Oreal’s board and holds the position of chairwoman within the family holding company.

Her ascent as France’s primary L’Oreal heiress occurred in 2017, succeeding her mother Liliane Bettencourt, who held the title of the world’s wealthiest woman until her passing at the age of 94.

Beyond her corporate roles, Bettencourt Meyers also serves as the president of her family’s philanthropic foundation, dedicated to advancing French achievements in the sciences and arts.

Know How Françoise Bettencourt Meyers Became World's Richest Woman
The heiress of L'Oreal is worth $92 billion. She is deemed the richest woman and the 11th richest person in the world, according to the Bloomberg Billionaire Index.

As a child, Françoise Bettencourt Meyers was not particularly inclined to the glamorous socialite lifestyle she was raised in. She was a single child, and much rather preferred staying indoors with her trusted books and piano. But as the granddaughter of the founder of L'Oreal, the world's current largest cosmetics empire, fortune and fame were bound to follow her. The French heiress is now the richest woman in the world, worth over $92 billion, as per the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

70-year-old Bettencourt-Meyers holds about 33% stake and is a board member at L'Oreal. She is the 11th richest person in the world, two positions above India's Mukesh Ambani. L'Oréal shares were up by 29% in the first half of 2023, according to Forbes.

The L'Oreal corporation owns mass-market brands like L'Oreal, Maybelline, Essie, and Garnier, as well as high-end beauty companies like Urban Decay, Lancôme, and Kiehl's. L'Oréal also licenses the beauty divisions of luxury fashion houses including Yves Saint Laurent and Valentino.

Who Is Françoise Bettencourt Meyers?

Apart from being a business magnate, Bettencourt-Meyers has also continued to follow her childhood passion for writing. She was influenced by her strict Catholic upbringing and has written books on topics ranging from Greek mythology to Judaism and Catholicism. Her most recent book, a Biblical commentary entitled "Regard sur la Bible," was published in 2008.

Bettencourt-Meyers is married to Jean-Pierre Meyers, the CEO of French spirits producer Tethys SAS, and a board member of Nestle. The couple has two adult sons, Jean-Victor and Nicolas. Jean-Victor is also on L'Oreal's board of directors.

Bettencourt-Meyers has dedicated some of her billions to philanthropy. In April 2019 she was among French billionaires who pledged millions after Notre Dame Cathedral caught fire. She donated about $226 million for the repair of the cathedral. She is also the president of the Bettencourt-Schueller Foundation, the charity she cofounded in the 1980s, which grants to support research in the life sciences and arts projects.

Bettencourt-Meyers' inheritance came after her mother, Liliane Bettencourt, died in 2017. However, their mother-daughter relationship was not as smooth as it appears.

Years of Family Feuds and Legal Battles

Since Françoise Bettencourt-Meyers was a teenager, her relationship with her mother was troubled. Liliane Bettencourt, the daughter of L'Oreal founder, Eugene Schueller, had inherited the company in 1957 and detested her daughter's disinterest in their lifestyle. She openly called her daughter a "cold child" and "always a lap behind me," in media interviews.

Their relationship got more sour when Bettencourt-Meyers filed a lawsuit against her mother's friend, Photographer Francois-Marie Banier, alleging he manipulated her mother, who was diagnosed with dementia, into giving him a part of her assets. Bettencourt-Meyers alleged Banier's objective was to break away her mother from their family to profit from her. Liliane Bettencourt disputed her daughter's allegations and stated that she willingly gave him the share.

During the trial, Liliane Bettencourt told the media in 2008 that she was not on talking terms with her daughter anymore, and did not wish to see her. "For me, my daughter has become something inert," she said. In 2011, Liliane Bettencourt was placed under the guardianship of her family due to concerns over her declining mental health.

The case went to trial in 2015, and Banier was convicted of "abus de faiblesse," or "abuse of weakness." He was sentenced to two and half years in prison and told to pay Liliane Bettencourt 158 million euros in damages. The jail sentence and payment were later reversed in an appeal.

Bettencourt-Meyers was later accused by Banier, of bribing a witness. An investigation against Bettencourt-Meyers took place in 2015, in which she said the payment she made to the witness was part severance payment, part personal loan, and not a bribe for the testimony. That suit and Bettencourt-Meyers' countersuit against Bainer were resolved in a secret plea deal in 2016, Vanity Fair reported.

Drudged Up Family Secrets

During the lawsuit, many family secrets that were long forgotten had been dug up against Bettencourt-Meyers' grandfather and father's alleged pro-Nazi stance during World War II.

Eugene Schueller had publicly commended Adolf Hitler's "dynamism" during the war and was also a member of a secret society that was linked to multiple murders and bombings in the 1930s. At the same time, André Bettencourt, Bettencourt-Meyers' father, wrote anti-Semitic diatribes for the pro-German press, though he switched his allegiances and joined the Resistance. He was later decorated for his military service during World War II and went on to serve in the French government.

Bettencourt-Meyers comes from a notable lineage and is presently the leading businesswoman in the world. She is followed by Julia Koch of Koch Industries, Alice Walton of Walmart, and Jacqueline Mars of Mars, Inc.

World’s richest woman, Francois Meyers loses $1.2B

Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, the 70-year-old French billionaire and owner of L’Oreal, the world’s leading cosmetics company, has recently experienced a drop in her net worth.

According to data tracked on Bloomberg’s billionaire index, Meyers’ fortune has depleted by a staggering $1.2 billion, reducing her total net worth to $92.2 billion.

This is a substantial decrease from her previous net worth of $93.5 billion, which she held before the fall in market value price.

The decline in L’Oreal’s stock prices has played a major role in this financial setback. Two weeks ago, as reported by Nairametrics, L’Oreal’s stock was valued at €422, but it has now dropped to €407.

On the French company’s website, L’Oreal’s current share price stands at 408.35 euros, indicating a fractional increase. However, just a few days prior, on Friday, July 14, 2023, the shares traded at 421 euros. This signifies a considerable drop in the share price over the review period.

Francois Meyers background

Francoise Bettencourt Meyers is the largest individual shareholder in L’Oreal, with an impressive nearly 35% stake.

She is part of a group of French luxury titans whose companies have flourished due to the demand for high-end makeup, clothing, and jewellery, as reported by Bloomberg.

Meyers currently holds the 13th spot on the list of the world’s wealthiest individuals, an improvement from her 14th ranking last year.

As the richest woman in the world, she continues to hold the number one position, overseeing the growth of the family fortune since taking over from her mother.

Regarding L’Oreal’s performance, it was reported in April that the company achieved a 13% rise in first-quarter sales, surpassing expectations, thanks to robust business in the United States and Europe.

Despite the challenges posed by rising prices, L’Oreal’s sales reached 10.38 billion euros ($11.37 billion) in the first three months of the year.

Europe and North America experienced significant sales growth of 16% and 16.6% respectively.

The company attributed this success to the strong performance of its consumer products division, which has been shifting upmarket, and its dermatological beauty division, selling CeraVe skincare.

In mainland China, luxury sales remained flat due to low inventories, but consumer demand and store traffic resumed from February after the end of COVID-19 curbs.

Regardless of setbacks in Meyers’ net worth and L’Oreal’s share prices, the company’s solid performance in various markets indicates a potential for recovery.

Investors and stakeholders will closely monitor how Meyers and the company’s management navigate through these challenging times.

Bettencourt Meyers had a fraught relationship with her mother.

The mother-daughter relationship was strained since Bettencourt Meyers was a teenager.

"Françoise was heavy and slow," Bettencourt once said, per Vanity Fair. "Always one lap behind me."

Bettencourt also called Françoise "a cold child" in an interview with a French newspaper, per The New York Times.

Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, 70, is the granddaughter of L'Oreal founder Eugène Schueller.

Schueller, a pharmacist, founded the company that was to become L'Oreal in 1909.

His daughter and Bettencourt Meyers' mother, Liliane, inherited Schueller's fortune and control of the company upon his death in 1957.

Along with her husband, André Bettencourt, a French politician, the Bettencourts were well known in France for their glamorous parties.

But Bettencourt Meyers was less interested in the socialite lifestyle of her parents, preferring to stay in and play the piano or read, Vanity Fair reported.

Meet Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, the world's richest woman, who's worth $87 billion

Françoise Bettencourt Meyers inherited a one-third stake in L'Oreal from her mother.
She had a fraught relationship with her mother, even filing a criminal complaint against her.
She has an estimated net worth of $87 billion, making her the richest woman in the world.

Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, the 70-year-old granddaughter of L'Oreal founder Eugène Schueller, is the richest woman in the world, according to Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Bettencourt Meyers is worth almost $88 billion, mostly due to her stake in L'Oreal. She's in 13th position on the Bloomberg list and has become $16 billion better off this year.

Here's a look at her life and wealth.

L'ORÉAL LOVE Who is Françoise Bettencourt Meyers’ husband, Jean-Pierre?
Françoise Bettencourt Meyers is the granddaughter of the founder of L'Oréal

BUSINESSMAN Jean-Pierre Meyers is married to Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, the L'Oréal cosmetics and beauty empire heiress.

After then-L'Oréal matriarch Liliane Bettencourt passed away in 2017, her only child, and Meyers' wife, became the richest woman in the world.

Françoise Bettencourt Meyers and her husband Jean-Pierre attend the L’Oreal – UNESCO for Women in Science Awards Ceremony on March 22, 2018, in Paris
Françoise Bettencourt Meyers and her husband Jean-Pierre attend the L’Oreal – UNESCO for Women in Science Awards Ceremony on March 22, 2018, in ParisCredit: Getty
Who is Françoise Bettencourt Meyers?

Françoise Bettencourt Meyers is a French businesswoman, writer, heiress, and philanthropist.

She is currently the richest woman in the world, with an estimated net worth of nearly $87 billion as of November 2023.

Bettencourt Meyers was born in 1953 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France to André and Liliane Bettencourt, the daughter of L'Oréal founder Eugène Schueller.

In 2007, Bettencourt Meyers filed a criminal complaint against her mother's friend, François-Marie Banier, alleging that he was preying on her mother's Alzheimer's disease to steal her fortune.

Liliane had gifted Banier over $1 billion in cash, gifts, and life insurance policies since the two first met in 1987.

By 2008, Bettencourt Meyers officially sued Banier for taking advantage of – and money from – her mother.

The subsequent scandal was covered in the 2023 Netflix documentary series The Billionaire, The Butler, and the Boyfriend.

While Bettencourt Meyers and Liliane briefly reconciled in December 2010 after Liliane removed Banier from her will, the duo ended up estranged again just months later.

After her death in 2017, Liliane's fortune was split between her only child, Bettencourt Meyers, and her two grandsons.

Bettencourt Meyers saw her net worth triple almost overnight thanks to the high valuation of L'Oréal shares and her investments, made through her family holding company, Téthys Invest.

The family still owns a 33 percent stake in L'Oréal.

Her husband, Jean-Pierre Meyers, is the holding company's CEO.

Who is Françoise Bettencourt Meyers' husband, Jean-Pierre?

Jean-Pierre Meyers was born in France in 1948.

He is the grandson of Rabbi Robert Meyers, who was murdered at Auschwitz in 1942 during the Second World War.

On April 6, 1984, he married François Bettencourt, who converted from Catholicism to Judaism ahead of their wedding.

Meyers has been a member of the board of directors for L'Oréal since 1987, and the company's vice president since 1994.

From 1991 to 2014, he was also the director of Nestlé.

In 2016, Meyers and his wife co-founded Téthys Invest, an investment firm where he serves as CEO and board member.

He is currently the vice president of the Bettencourt Schueller Foundation.

How many kids do they have?

Jean-Pierre and his wife have two children together.

Their oldest son, Jean-Victor, was born in 1986.

In 1988, the duo welcomed their second son, Nicolas.

Jean-Victor Meyers has been a member of the board of directors of L'Oréal since 2012

He is also the co-founder of Exemplaire, a company producing fashion and luxury goods.

He previously interned at Goldman Sachs in London and at Louis Vuitton in Paris.

Jean-Victor reportedly often served as an intermediary between his mother, Françoise, and his grandmother, Liliane, as the duo were typically estranged.

Jean-Victor's younger brother, Nicolas was also appointed as a L'Oréal board member on June 30, 2020.

The duo are both set to inherit the multibillion-dollar beauty and cosmetics empire.

World’s richest woman, Meyer’s net worth hits $92.6B

French businesswoman and the world’s richest woman, Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, has seen a slight increase in her net worth.

According to data from Bloomberg and the Forbes Billionaire Index, the 69-year-old billionaire began the year with a net worth of $80.5 billion. Her recent surge in wealth amounts to an impressive $12.1 billion increase.

Despite experiencing some losses along the way, Meyers maintains her position as the wealthiest woman in the world.

Meyers’ fortune primarily stems from her stake in L’Oreal, the largest cosmetics company globally.

She inherited this stake when her mother, Liliane, passed away at the age of 94, as stated in a company statement dated September 21, 2017. Meyers and her family currently own 33.3% of L’Oreal’s share capital, according to the company’s 2021 annual financial report.

It’s worth noting that a significant portion of Meyers’ wealth is inherited from her family.

What contributed to Meyers’ increase in net worth?

A breakdown reveals that, as of this report, L’Oreal’s stock prices are bullish at $422, compared to $427 on July 3, 2023.

A review of June 5, 2023, showed the stock price at $407, indicating growth between that time and the present.

L’Oreal’s first-quarter report from April revealed a +13.0% increase in group sales. The net impact of changes in the scope of consolidation was +1.0%. On a reported basis, group sales rose by +14.6% to 10.38 billion euros.

Commenting on these figures, Nicolas Hieronimus, CEO of L’Oréal, said:

“In a beauty market that remains very dynamic, L’Oréal has maintained strong growth momentum and posted an excellent first quarter, with sales up +13.0% like-for-like and +14.6% reported.
Boosted by valued innovations across all divisions and the commitment of our teams worldwide, L’Oréal has outperformed the market in all geographic zones, solidifying its leadership position.
This performance, which has yet to benefit from China’s reopening, demonstrates the strength of L’Oréal’s balanced multipolar model. I am excited to soon welcome the remarkable Aēsop brand and its teams, which will strengthen L’Oréal Luxe.”
Background

Bettencourt Meyers, at 69 years old, is the largest individual shareholder in L’Oréal with a nearly 35% stake. She is among a group of French luxury titans whose companies have thrived due to the demand for high-end makeup, clothing, and jewellery, as reported by Bloomberg.

Francoise Bettencourt Meyers currently ranks as the 11th wealthiest person globally, up from No. 14 last year.

Meyer clings to the number one position in the world as the richest woman. Since taking her mother’s spot on the list, the family fortune has continued to thrive under her watch.

Who are the world’s 10 wealthiest women in 2023?
Francoise Bettencourt Meyers has topped the list for the third year in a row with a net worth of $80.5 billion, Forbes says

Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, the granddaughter of French pharmacist and L’Oreal founder Eugene Schueller, is once again the world’s richest woman with a net worth of $80.5 billion.

Ms Meyers has topped the Forbes 2023 World Billionaires List for women for the third year running.

The 10 richest women in the world have a combined net worth of $402.6 billion — up slightly from $401 billion in 2022, with the majority inheriting their wealth, according to Forbes, which used stock prices and exchange rates from March 10 to calculate the personal fortunes of the wealthiest people on the planet.

There are 2,640 billionaires in the world, down from 2,668 last year — and an all-time high of 2,755 in 2021, Forbes said.

However, the world’s wealthiest people are still “overwhelmingly male”, with only 337 women — or 13 per cent — making it to the list, Forbes said.

The majority of Ms Bettencourt Meyers’s wealth comes from her 33 per cent stake in the L'Oreal Group, the French beauty and skincare company.

The company, founded more than 100 years ago, brought in revenue of $38.2 billion in 2022 and employs more than 85,000 people globally, Forbes said.

“L'Oreal's stock rose by 12 per cent over the past year thanks to strong demand that led to better-than-expected earnings and record sales for 2021.”

Julia Koch, who inherited a 42 per cent stake in Koch Industries along with her three children when her husband, David, died in 2019, moved up one spot to be the world’s second-richest woman with a net worth of $59 billion.

Walmart heir Alice Walton, the only daughter of the company's founder, Sam Walton, dropped to third place with a personal fortune of $56.7 billion.

Jacqueline Mars — who inherited an estimated one third of Mars Incorporated, the sweets and pet food conglomerate behind brands such as M&M’s — moved up one place on the list and is the world’s fourth-wealthiest woman at $38.3 billion.

Meanwhile, Miriam Anderson, who has a 50 per cent stake in Las Vegas Sands, increased her wealth by $7.5 billion over the past year and moved up two places to be the fifth-richest woman on the planet with a net worth of $35 billion.

Switzerland’s Rafaela Aponte-Diamant, who owns MSC, the world’s largest shipping line, with her husband, Gianluigi, makes her debut on the Forbes list as the sixth-richest woman in the world with a net worth of $31.2 billion.

Coming in at seventh is Germany’s Susanne Klatten, who owns about 19 per cent of car maker BMW, with a fortune of $27.4 billion.

Mining tycoon Gina Rinehart — Australia’s richest person — is the eighth-wealthiest woman on the planet with a net worth of $27 billion, down from $32.2 billion in 2022.

Perhaps this year’s biggest drop on the wealthiest women’s list is Mackenzie Scott.

The former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has dropped from fourth place to ninth this year with a fortune of $24.4 billion, down from $43.6 billion in 2022.

Ms Scott, 52, received a 4 per cent stake in Amazon as part of her 2019 divorce settlement from Mr Bezos, the world's third-richest person.

Since her divorce, Ms Scott has become one of the world's most generous philanthropists after signing the Giving Pledge in 2019.

Rounding out the top 10 is Chile’s Iris Fontbona with a net worth of $23.1 billion.

Ms Fontana, 80, inherited her wealth from her late husband, Andronico Luksic, who built a fortune in mining and beverages before his death in 2005, Forbes said.

World's top 10 wealthiest women in 2023
Francoise Bettencourt Meyers — $80.5 billion
Julia Koch — $59 billion
Alice Walton — $56.7 billion
Jacqueline Mars — $38.3 billion
Miriam Anderson — $35 billion
Rafaela Aponte-Diamant — $31.2 billion
Susanne Klatten — $27.4 billion
Gina Rinehart — $27 billion
Mackenzie Scott — $24.4 billion
Iris Fontbona — $23.1 billion