Latest news with #RafaelaAponte-Diamant
Indian Express
16 hours ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Top 10 richest self-made women in the world 2025: Falguni Nayar, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw make global list at #31 and #32
Top 10 richest self made women in the world 2025 Forbes list: In the modern world, women are leading the charge in entrepreneurship like never before. According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, there are over 658 million female founders and business owners worldwide. Forbes reports that self-made women now make up 3.5 per cent of the global billionaire population, up nearly 50 per cent from 2017. Their combined net worth stands at $276 billion, with an average of $5.5 billion per individual, an increase of $158 billion since 2017. Topping Forbes' 2025 list is Rafaela Aponte-Diamant, co-founder of the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), with a net worth of $38.8 billion. The company is now the world's largest shipping line. In second place is Diane Hendricks of the United States of America, who co-founded ABC Supply, a major distributor of roofing and building materials, with an estimated net worth of $22.3 billion. China, including Hong Kong, leads with 18 women in the top 50. Zhong Huijuan, a former chemistry teacher, is the richest among them, having founded Hansoh Pharmaceuticals in 1995. She gained global recognition in 1999 for developing a breakthrough lung cancer drug. Australia's Melanie Perkins stands out as the youngest at 38 years old, renowned for co-founding Canva, a popular design software company, in 2013. Source: Forbes' 50 Richest Self-Made Women on Earth 2025 Former investment banker, Falguni Nayar, with an estimated net worth of $3.4B, founded Nykaa, a retailer of beauty products, in 2012, and ranks #31 among the richest self-made women in the world in 2025. Nayar took Nykaa public in 2021, which made her India's richest self-made female entrepreneur in the process. Following her at #32 is Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, one of India's richest self-made women, who founded biopharmaceutical firm Biocon in 1978, with a net worth of $3.3B. Cherry Gupta is an Assistant Manager - Content at The Indian Express. She is responsible for crafting compelling narratives, uncovering the latest news and developments, and driving engaging content based on data and trends to boost website traffic and audience engagement. One can connect with her on LinkedIn or by mail at ... Read More
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Forbes unveils 50 richest self-made women of 2025: China and Hong Kong lead, US follows, tech dominates
Forbes has released its landmark 2025 ranking of the world's 50 richest self-made women, revealing a striking global trend: China and Hong Kong together account for 18 of the 50 women on the list—the highest representation by any region. The United States is the second-highest, with 16 women featured, reflecting both regions' deep-rooted entrepreneurial cultures and global influence. This elite group, spanning 13 countries and four continents, collectively holds approximately $276 billion in wealth, with an average net worth of $5.5 billion. The minimum net worth to make the list is $2.1 billion. Their fortunes cover 14 different industries, with technology standing out as the most dominant sector. Retail, real estate, and manufacturing also feature prominently. 'Self-made women now constitute 3.5% of all billionaires—a modest figure, but about 50% higher than in 2017,' Forbes notes, highlighting both progress and the persistent gender wealth gap . Meet the top 5 Rafaela Aponte-Diamant leads the list, having co-founded the Mediterranean Shipping Company, now the world's largest shipping line with over 136,000 employees and 900 vessels. She started with a $200,000 loan and remains active at age 80, overseeing ship interiors and serving on the MSC Foundation board. Diane Hendricks is the wealthiest American, co-founding ABC Supply, a giant in roofing and siding distribution. Zhong Huijuan is China's richest self-made woman, having built Hansoh Pharmaceuticals into a $1.7 billion revenue powerhouse, focusing on oncology and autoimmune treatments. Zhou Qunfei is the world's richest self-made woman in tech, running Lens Technology, a key supplier for Apple, Samsung , and Tesla. Melanie Perkins, at 38, is the youngest, having co-founded Canva, the design software sensation. Technology leads the way Among the 50 richest self-made women, technology is the leading sector, with 14 women generating their fortunes in this field. Notably, Zhou Qunfei of Hong Kong, valued at approximately $10 billion, heads Hunan-based Lens Technology, a major supplier of touch screens to global giants like Apple, Samsung, and Tesla. The tech sector's dominance is further underscored by the presence of several founders and executives in software, IT, and electronics manufacturing, reflecting the transformative impact of technology on global wealth creation for women. The gender wealth gap Despite the increasing number of women entering entrepreneurship and achieving billionaire status, a significant disparity persists between men and women at the top. The 50 richest self-made men globally are collectively worth $3.8 trillion—14 times greater than the combined wealth of the 50 wealthiest women. Furthermore, men control 96% of the world's self-made billionaire wealth, with women holding just 4%. There are 1,920 male self-made billionaires worldwide, compared to a much smaller number of women, underscoring the ongoing challenges to gender parity in global wealth. Live Events The 50 richest self-made women of 2025 Rafaela Aponte-Diamant (Switzerland) – Shipping Diane Hendricks (United States) – Building supplies Zhong Huijuan (China) – Pharmaceuticals Zhou Qunfei (Hong Kong) – Smartphone screens Denise Coates (United Kingdom) – Online gambling Judy Faulkner (United States) – Healthcare software Wang Laichun (Hong Kong) – Electronics components Marian Ilitch & family (United States) – Little Caesars Pizza Ling Tang (Canada) – Marketing software, mobile games Lynda Resnick (United States) – Agriculture Wu Yajun (China) – Real estate Thai Lee (United States) – IT provider Melanie Perkins (Australia) – Software Elizabeth Uihlein (United States) – Packaging materials Zhou Chaonan (China) – Manufacturing Marina Budiman (Indonesia) – Data centers Dewi Kam (Indonesia) – Coal Tatyana Kim (Russia) – E-commerce Gail Miller & family (United States) – Car dealerships Fan Daidi (China) – Skincare Fan Hongwei (China) – Petrochemicals Jayshree Ullal (United States) – Computer networking Eren Ozmen (United States) – Aerospace Johnelle Hunt (United States) – Trucking Chan Laiwa & family (China) – Real estate Meg Whitman (United States) – eBay / Tech Maggie Gu (China) – Shein (fast fashion) Molly Miao (China) – Shein (fast fashion) Giuliana Benetton (Italy) – Fashion retail, investments Peggy Cherng (United States) – Fast food (Panda Express) Falguni Nayar (India) – Retailing (Nykaa) Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (India) – Biopharmaceuticals Maritsa Lazari & family (United Kingdom) – Real estate Weili Dai (United States) – Semiconductors Jian Jun (China) – Biomedical products Lam Wai-ying (Hong Kong) – Smartphone screens Oprah Winfrey (United States) – TV shows / Media Cheng Xue (China) – Soy sauce Zhao Yan (China) – Biotech Safra Catz (United States) – Software Pan Dong (Canada) – Consumer goods Anna Angelicoussis & family (Greece) – Shipping Barbara Banke & family (United States) – Wine Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao (Vietnam) – Airlines Solina Chau (Hong Kong) – Investments Sheryl Sandberg (United States) – Facebook / Tech Rita Tong Liu (Hong Kong) – Real estate Ye Qiongjiu (China) – Software Susan Ocampo & family (United States) – Semiconductors Chu Lam Yiu (Hong Kong) – Flavorings
