Mobile tycoon edges out Gates as richest man
Though Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates is worth $53 billlion, he is now only the world's second richest man, according to Forbes.
Carlos Slim Helu, a Mexican telecommunications tycoon, has earned the title as the world's richest man, worth an estimated $53.5 billion. A self-made billionaire, Helu holds a controlling interest in several Mexican telecommunications companies, including American Movil, the largest mobile phone business in Latin America. His net worth climbed $18.5 billion just in the past year.
Second-place Bill Gates, who gave up the reins of Microsoft in 2008 to focus on philanthropic efforts, saw his net fortune grow $13 billion this past year, thanks in part to a 50 percent jump in the price of Microsoft stock. Gates and his wife now run the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which is devoted to fighting hunger, disease, and other problems around the world.
Another tech mogul high on Forbes' list of the world's billionaires is Oracle head Larry Ellison in sixth place with a net worth of $28 billion. Shares of Oracle shot up 70 percent in the past year, while Ellison is currently enjoying the victory of his hard-fought battle to acquire Sun Microsystems.
Other familiar faces on the list include Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer at $14.5 billion, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen at $13.5 billion, Dell founder Michael Dell also at $13.5 billion, and Apple's Steve Jobs at $5.5 billion.
The older, traditional tech titans such as Gates and Ellison are being joined by the next generation of billionaires. Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page both made it to the list in 24th place, each with a net worth of $17.5 billion boosted by a 70 percent rise in the price of Google shares this past year. Google's current chief, Eric Schmidt, also hit the list with a fortune valued at $6.3 billion.
Thanks to the growing surge of social networking, 25-year-old Facebook owner Mark Zuckerberg hopped onto the list as the world's youngest billionaire enjoying a fortune of $4 billion. Last year, Facebook finally hit a positive cash flow, taking in more money than it spent and witnessing a 130 percent jump in users in the past year to 400 million, noted Forbes.
Another beneficiary of the social media craze has been Yoshikazu Tanaka, founder of Japanese social networking and gaming site Gree. At 33, Tanaka made the Forbes list for the first time this year as the world's second youngest billionaire with a net worth of $1.4 billion.
To create its annual list of the world's 1,011 billionaires, Forbes said it sends out more than 40 reporters throughout 13 different countries to investigate the assets and estates of the usual list of suspects. Counted in each billionaire's net worth are holdings in public and private companies, real estate, art, jewelry, boats, planes, and, of course, lots of cash.
Lance Whitney wears a few different technology hats--journalist, Web developer, and software trainer. He's a contributing editor for Microsoft TechNet Magazine and writes for other computer publications and Web sites. You can follow Lance on Twitter at @lancewhit. Lance is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and he is not an employee of CNET. 
topgunb2, Belkurve's point is valid because if you're the richest man in the world, where are you spending your money? where are you investing? If he's spending and investing ALL his fortunes outside of Mexico, yes, maybe it does not matter. But I don't think so.
India is generally thought of as a "poor" country, but India is a huge country. So maybe state where the top 4 or 5 Indians you mentioned might be more well-off than other states or cities.
Note that there are real estate properties in India that are more expensive than the properties in California.
BTW, Mr. Gates noted that he enjoys the lack of visibility that goes with not being the worlds richest man. Its astounding to see Mark Zukerbergs rise to a net worth of $4 billion. I wish I knew him back in 2003 so I could get a hefty sum of those shares.
Helu looks like a gansta with that smile that says "I'm gonna eat you fa lunch". I'm just sayin....
What I have also realized with wealth, you have to be a bit mean too. If you look at folks who win the power ball, they end up giving it away, buy houses, cars for every Tom, Dick and Harry and end up broke in a few years. These billionaires actually understand the value of money and how hard it is to achieve it, so in some respects, you have to give them credit. To be honest, I don't think the money matters that much to them as the power and dominance of a particular industry except for enabling and maintaining that control through the use of money, which ends up making more money.
Even if some people say he can afford it, he doesn't have to. Just like we can give away a few hundred dollars or do some charity work over the weekend. But how many of us actually do.
I won't totally bad mouth other wealthy people like ellison or jobs because we don't know if they donate anonymously. So I will withhold judgement. However, they are obviously using their free time on other things besides something altruistic.
Helu doesn't look like a gangster at all base on the photo above.
Yes, let's praise Gates for doing the right thing, but I'd say let's reserve judgment on those who are not currently giving. Maybe they think that it's just not the right time to give effectively and in a sustained manner.
Also, those are hard-earned money, so they would care enough to want to know where exactly their money is going and how they are being used. Just like Bill. He didn't start giving until he was ready to put some time into it. Also Bill has his father and his wife to help him get started with the work before it became his full-time job... Not sure if Steve Jobs has the same support, especially since his health is also an issue.
If Gates had simply never given away a dime, he'd be worth nearly $100 billion right now. He's second place on that list by choice and benevolence.
Engineer Carlos Slim announced the donation of 100,000 computers to more than 1,400 public schools in Mexico, during an event in Casa TELMEX Centro Hist?rico.
With the donation of 100,000 computers to more than 1,400 middle level public schools (junior high) in practically the whole country, TELMEX strengthens its project in favor of the incorporation of more Mexican children to the use of new technologies in their daily educative activities.
Engineer Carlos Slim Hel? announced today the donation of this equipment during an event in CASA TELMEX Centro Hist?rico, in which Dr. Craig Barret, President of the Intel Council, also participated.
The donated computers have the Intel Classmate PC design, a personal mobile device, specifically built to improve and enhance the learning experience of junior high students, and will be supported by a solid educative work on information technologies by TELMEX, which includes counseling, technical support, training and connectivity.
In this act, Engineer Carlos Slim Hel? acknowledged Intel for its contribution in the last 40 years to the technological development of this new civilization. He asserted that Carlos Slim and Telmex Foundations work on many fields and collaborate with the government and other institutions to eliminate the major points of backwardness of our country and seek that the technology breach turns into a bridge that allows developing countries to rapidly take part of the modernity and technology for the welfare of their inhabitants.
Engineer Slim Hel? specified that the agreement with Intel allows working with more confidence in the labor that these Foundations have been doing. He informed of the acquisition, as a start, of 100,000 lap top computers for children and the intention to generalize this project to benefit students and teachers. To the above, it must be added the connectivity efforts and the delivery of computers that, for the last several years, these foundations have done with the support of the companies of the Group. He announced that as part of the educative project that TELMEX and the foundations are launching, they are planning the construction of approximately 150 TELMEX houses across the country.
On the other hand, Dr. Barret asserted that: ?Technology is the main gate to progress and provides today?s young people with the tools that allow them to acquire the necessary skills to be successful in the 21st century. At granting Mexico?s new generations with access to technology, TELMEX is setting an example for other corporations in the world at contributing for long term competitiveness in its own country?.
This wide equipping program, with the most advanced digital technology tools, will allow the beneficiary youngsters to insert themselves in the Knowledge Society, in benefit of Mexico?s development. TELMEX confirms today its commitment to continue widening the digital inclusion process of more and more Mexican children.
CASA TELMEX is the most ambitious educative project of the company and seeks strengthening the formation of children and youngsters, providing for that purpose, free access to technology in one place, to acquire useful knowledge with quick application, in order to increase their possibilities to achieve better conditions and quality of life in the short and long term. In CASA TELMEX, children and youngsters will find, among other options, the most appropriate space for the use and training in these new equipments.
Intel-powered classmate PCs provide children with a PC real performance through a friendly design, excellent for rough use. The Intel-powered Classmate PCs include practical features education-oriented to improve the learning experience for students, parents, teachers and schools. Additionally, Intel is also working with the local ecosystem to provide detailed solutions for users, in other words, collaborates with software suppliers, operative systems, content creators, educative services, etc.
Along with all of the charities, it would be wise for Mr. Gates to put down the H1-B battle with Congress and just invest in young companies in the US and abroad. Then at least you have the chance of helping people become self-sustaining and not always requiring a handout for help.
- by Srsoso May 26, 2010 11:29 PM PDT
- U all hate the fact that he is Mexican, I bet if he was white u will all be happy!! It comes to show don't judge. a book by it's cover... Viva Mexico... God bless America.
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