#1. Christy Walton, 57, & family
Net worth:
$25.3 billion – As of March 2012Source of Wealth: Wal-Mart, United States
The widow of John Walton, she inherited his fortune of $15.7 billion after he died in an airplane accident in 2005. Regaining her 2010,2011 title as world’s richest woman, she got an extra bump in her fortune because of her late husband’s early investment in First Solar; shares up nearly 500% since 2006 initial public offering.
#2. Liliane Bettencourt,89
Net worth:
$24 billion - As of March 2012Source of Wealth: L’Oreal, France
France’s richest woman and the only child of Eugene Schueller, her late father founded L’Oreal one of the world’s largest cosmetics and beauty companies.
#3. Alice Walton, 62
Net worth:
$23.3 billion - As of March 2012Source of Wealth: Wal-Mart, United States
The daughter of Wal-Mart co-founder, her father, Sam Walton (d. 1922), a former clerk, founded original Bentonville store with his brother James. Today Wal-Mart has sales of $405 billion, employs more than 2.1 million people.
#4. Georgina “Gina” Rinehart, 58
Net worth:
$18 billion - As of March 2012Source of Wealth: Mining, Australia
The heiress of Hancock Prospecting and the daughter of the late mining magnate Lang Hancock. She is the richest person in Australia and the richest woman in Asia.
#5. Iris Fontbona, 69, & family
Net worth:
$17.8 billion – As of March 2012Source of Wealth: Mining, Chile
The second wife, and now widow, of billionaire Andronico Luksic, who died of cancer in 2005. The family controls Antofagasta, one of the world’s largest copper miners. As of 2012, Iris Fontbona and her family have a net worth of $17.8 billion.
#6. Birgit Rausing, 88, & family
Net worth:
$14 billion - As of March 2012Source of Wealth: Packaging, Sweden
The widow of Gad Rausing, after death of her husband in 2000, she inherited the packaging giant Tetra Laval along with her three children. In 1944 her father-in-law founded the company, which revolutionized the packaging of liquids such as juices and milk.
#7. Jacqueline Mars, 72
Net worth:
$13.8 billion - As of March 2012Source of Wealth:Candy, Pet food, United States
The granddaughter of Frank C. Mars, founders of the American candy company Mars, Incorporated. The company’s products are chocolate (Snickers, M&Ms) and pet food (Pedigree). The family has since created the world’s largest confectionery company by acquiring gum maker Wrigley in 2008 for $23 billion.
#8. Susanne Klatten, 49
Net worth:
$13 billion - As of March 2012Source of Wealth: BMW, pharmaceuticals, Germany
Susanne Klatten is the daughter of Herbert Quandt, she inherited stake in automaker BMW from late father Herbert Quandt, who rescued it from bankruptcy in the early 1960s. Additionally, she is a trained economist with an M.B.A., Klatten also inherited a 50% stake in chemical manufacturer Altana and has since increased her control of the company to 100% and delisted the company.
#9. Anne Cox Chambers, 92
Net worth:
$12.5 billion - As of March 2012Source of Wealth: Cox Enterprises, United States
The daughter of Cox Enterprises founder James M. Cox (d. 1957), who finished high school at 17 and worked as a schoolteacher and newspaper reporter before shelling out $26,000 for the Dayton Evening News in 1898.
#10. Savitri Jindal, 62
Net worth:
$10.9 billion – As of March 2012Source of Wealth: Steel, India
She became the chairperson of O.P. Jindal Group (a steel and power conglomerate) after her husband, Om Prakash Jindal, died in a helicopter crash in 2005. Om Prakash Jindal founded the company in 1952. Savitri Jindal and her four sons Prithviraj, Sajjan, Ratan and Naveen runs the businesses.
