The world’s new Billionaires has grown by 222 to 2089 – 341 new billionaires, a world record to record a combined total of £168bn (US$244bn). Hurun Report on 3rd February 2015 released the Hurun Global Rich List 2015, a ranking of the US dollar billionaires. Wealth calculations are a snapshot of 17 January 2015. USA (537) and China (430) make up for half world’s billionaires with India in the third place.
Bill Gates is Number one billionaire with £56bn ($85bn), New Energy King Li Hejun leaps in to China Number One followed by Jack Ma.
The Hurun Global Rich List 2015 is sponsored by Chinese luxury home builder Star River Property. The recent Russian Rouble Collapse, and sanctions due Ukrainian conflict and cheaper stagnating Russian economy, Ukrainian conflict sanctions and cheaper oil price by the OPEC, has caused 60 percent of Russian billionaires drop their wealth, led by Valdimir Yevtushenkov and Vagit Alekperov of Lukoil whose wealth fell by 77% and 73% respectively.
India’s Billionaire tally is up by 27, lead by Reliance Industries’ Mukesh Ambani who bought one of the largest media houses Network 18, followed by by Dilip Shanghvi of Sun Pharma, Pallonji Mistry and family of Tata Sons.
India leapfrogged Russia and UK to the third place. Of the 2,089 billionaires across the world, 97 reside in India.
Wipro’s Azim Premji HCL Technologies’, Shiv Nadar, Kumar Birla of Adithya Birla and Sunil Mittal and family are among the top 10 in the India list.
According to the list, 41 of the 97 billionaires have inherited wealth and 56 are self made billionaires.
Kiran Mazumdar Shaw of Biocon, with an estimated wealth of £6bn, is the only woman billionaire in the country who has not inherited her wealth.
Savitri Jindal and family with a wealth of £1.6.bn is the top ranked female billionaire in India followed by Indu Jain of Bennett Coleman at £1.5bn.
Indian Billionaires, S P Hinduja of the Hinduja group tops among the wealthiest Indians living outside India with a wealth of £11.88bn (USD 18bn) followed by Lakshmi N Mittal with £9.24bn (USD 14bn).
Top Ten – Hurun Global Rich List 2015
| Name | WealthUS$bn | % change YOY | Source of Wealth | Age | Country of residence | Self-Made Scorecard | |
| 1- | Bill Gates | 85 | 25% | Investments | 59 | USA | 4 |
| 2↑ | Carlos Slim Helu & family | 83 | 38% | America Movil | 75 | Mexico | 5 |
| 3- | Warren Buffet | 76 | 19% | Berkshire Hathaway | 84 | USA | 5 |
| 4↓ | Amancio Ortega | 55 | -11% | Zara | 78 | Spain | 5 |
| 5- | Larry Ellison | 54 | 13% | Oracle | 70 | USA | 5 |
| 6- | Bernard Arnault | 45 | -2% | LVMH | 65 | France | 4 |
| 7* | Mark Zuckerberg | 44 | 42% | 30 | USA | 4 | |
| 8↑ | Charles Koch | 36 | 0% | Energy | 79 | USA | 3 |
| 8↑ | David Koch | 36 | 0% | Energy | 74 | USA | 3 |
| 8* | Dieter Schwarz | 36 | 29% | Retail | 75 | Germany | 3 |
Source: Hurun Research Institute 2015