In a surprising turn of events, the Abu Dhabi royals, known as the Al Nahyans, have emerged as the world’s wealthiest family for 2023, surpassing even Jeff Bezos and Warren Buffet combined. With a staggering fortune of $305 billion, the Al Nahyans have dethroned Walmart’s Waltons, marking a significant shift from business to royalty in the realm of global wealth.
The Al Nahyans’ rise to the top of Bloomberg’s annual ranking showcases their unprecedented wealth, outpacing the Waltons by a remarkable $45 billion. The top 5 positions also include another Middle Eastern entrant, the Al Thanis, the royal family of Qatar, highlighting the growing prosperity in the region. Bloomberg notes that the world’s richest families collectively increased their wealth by $1.5 trillion since the last ranking.
This newfound dominance is not solely attributed to Middle Eastern wealth; family-owned luxury brand Hermès, for instance, gained $56 billion, securing the third spot. However, the Al Nahyans’ success story is marked by strategic investments in diverse businesses, ranging from Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty lingerie line to Elon Musk’s SpaceX, propelling their net worth to unprecedented heights.
Instrumental in this growth are key figures like Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the country’s president, and National Security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoon, overseeing assets worth almost $1.5 trillion. The International Holding Co., under Sheikh Tahnoon’s guidance, experienced a staggering 7,000% surge in stock value over the past four years.
The Al Nahyans’ unparalleled affluence is evident in their extravagant lifestyle, featuring homes that are actual palaces, including the $490 million Qaṣr Al-Waṭan. Their collection of megayachts, including the $600 million Azzam and the Blue superyacht, contributes to their opulence.
The family’s extensive car collection, owned by Sheikh Hamad bin Hamdan al Nahyan and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and a fleet of luxurious private jets, including a $450 million Boeing 747, further showcase their wealth.
On the other hand, the Waltons, who have held the title of the world’s richest family for four consecutive years, have a combined net worth of approximately $259.7 billion. The inherently private clan, heirs to the Walmart fortune, owns sprawling mansions across various locations, with Alice Walton’s private art collection and Nancy Walton Laurie’s $350 million Kaos superyacht symbolizing their immense wealth.
While the Al Nahyans have secured their place at the zenith of global wealth, the Waltons continue to reign supreme in the business world, showcasing the diverse pathways to immense prosperity.
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According to The Jerusalem Post, the Nahyan royal family of the United Arab Emirates is a dominant corporate and political force in the Gulf area, as well as one of the world’s wealthiest families.
Their net worth is greater than the combined wealth of Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the head of the Nahyan family, is the UAE’s President and the ruler of Abu Dhabi.
He has 18 brothers, 11 sisters, nine children, and eighteen grandchildren. All of the family members reside together in the “Qasr Al-Watan,” a massive edifice spanning 380,000 square meters and valued at $478 million.
The family’s real estate holdings comprises opulent houses and developments both in the UAE and abroad.
They own eight aircraft, including one Airbus A320-200 and three Boeing 787-9s. Sheikh Mohammed’s personal collection includes a $478 million Boeing 747 and a $176 million Boeing 787.
In addition, they have three of the world’s largest yachts.
Their car collection is nothing short of astounding. According to reports, their vehicles are split out over four museums in the UAE and Morocco. The family owns more than 700 cars, including Ferraris and Lamborghinis.
The family owns 81% of the City Football Group, which includes football clubs like Manchester City, Mumbai City, Melbourne City, and New York City.
Big companies often get highlighted for the huge compensations that they offer and the perks one gets while working for them. Meta’s average package is a whopping $379,000, according to a recent SEC filing. The company, which employs around 67,000 people, said that its median employee made over $379,000 in the year 2023.
Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing at the US Capitol, in Washington, US. (Reuters)
The average pay for a tech position falls between $35,000 to $120,000 depending on the role, but Meta’s pay is significantly higher than that. However, giants like Google and Amazon offer packages that go well above $300,000 for similar positions.
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Also, higher-level software engineers and researchers in Meta make more in base pay than product designers and user experience professionals in the company.
What Mark Zuckerberg said on working at Meta?
CEO Mark Zuckerberg said earlier this year that working at Meta is not easy even if it offers such lucrative packages. He said that the year 2024 will be the “year of efficiency” in the company as he expects employees to maximize output and productivity.
How much does Mark Zuckerberg earn?
In the year 2023, Mark Zuckerberg noted a total compensation of $24.4 million in ‘other compensation,’ and a base salary of $1. According to Fortune, this covered his costs related to his private jet. His wealth has increased by over $47 billion this year alone, despite receiving a nominal salary of $1 since 2013.
As per reports, the company’s net profit in the January to March period rose to $12.4 billion with total revenue up by 27 percent, at $36.5 billion.
The company wrote in a filing, “We believe that Mr. Zuckerberg’s role puts him in a unique position: he is synonymous with Meta and, as a result, negative sentiment regarding our company is directly associated with, and often transferred to, Mr. Zuckerberg. Mr. Zuckerberg is one of the most-recognized executives in the world, in large part as a result of the size of our user base and our continued exposure to global media, legislative, and regulatory attention.”
Egyptian billionaire Nassef Sawiris, the richest individual in his home nation and one of Africa’s most powerful businessmen, has seen his fortune increase by $410 million in just nine days. This strengthens his position atop the continent’s wealth pyramid and moves him up the worldwide rich list.
Sawiris’ net worth increased from $8.27 billion on April 16 to $8.68 billion as reported by the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, which analyzes the fortunes of the world’s 500 wealthiest individuals. This works out to an amazing average daily gain of $45.56 million.
The wealth increase reverses prior losses and brings Sawiris’ year-to-date gains to $271 million. This is primarily due to the performance of his investments in the Dutch fertilizer firm OCI N.V. and the German apparel brand Adidas. Sawiris owns 38.8 percent of OCI and 6% of adidas.
Adidas’ share price has risen 11.51 percent since April 16, from €202.50 ($217.03) to €225.80 ($242). This spike pushed the company’s market capitalization beyond $40 billion, increasing Sawiris’ ownership by an estimated $266.63 million. His stake in OCI has also increased by $35 million, reaching $2.17 billion from $2.13 billion. Sawiris’ surprising leap propels him nine ranks up the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, from 300th to 291st.
Adidas’ recent increases have boosted market confidence in its 2023 success. Despite ending its partnership with Kanye West’s Yeezy brand in October 2022, Adidas topped expectations with a €268-million ($292 million) operating profit, exceeding projections by roughly €1 billion ($1.08 billion).
Adidas is looking for fresh collaborations following the Yeezy split. CEO Bjorn Gulden hinted about possible collaborations with pop culture luminaries, including Taylor Swift as a candidate.
Furthermore, a significant coup for the corporation is Liverpool Football Club’s forthcoming transfer from Nike to Adidas uniforms beginning in the 2025-2026 season, securing a lucrative five-year contract gained after Adidas outbid Nike and Puma.