Based on 2021 data, Françoise Bettencourt Meyers held the title of the richest woman in the world. Her immense wealth primarily stems from her inheritance of the L'Oréal fortune.
Françoise Bettencourt Meyers: A Legacy of Wealth
As of 2021, Françoise Bettencourt Meyers' net worth was estimated at US$73.6 billion. She is the granddaughter of Eugène Schueller, the founder of L'Oréal, the world's largest cosmetics and beauty company. Through her inheritance and astute management of the family's investment holding company, Téthys Invest, she has maintained and grown her substantial fortune. Beyond her business endeavors, Bettencourt Meyers is also a philanthropist and an author of books on Greek mythology and Jewish-Christian relations.
Top Female Billionaires of 2021
While wealth rankings are dynamic and fluctuate with market changes, the following table highlights the top female billionaires in 2021, based on the provided data:
| Rank | Name | Net Worth (US$ Billions) | Primary Source of Wealth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Françoise Bettencourt Meyers | 73.6 | L'Oréal (beauty) |
| 2 | Alice Walton | 61.8 | Walmart (retail) |
| 3 | MacKenzie Scott | 53 | Amazon (e-commerce, divorce settlement) |
| 4 | Julia Koch | 46.4 | Koch Industries (diversified industries) |
- Alice Walton, a daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton, inherited a significant stake in the retail giant. She focuses on curating art and opened the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas.
- MacKenzie Scott, formerly married to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, received a substantial stake in Amazon as part of their divorce settlement. She is known for her philanthropic efforts, having given away billions of dollars to various charities.
- Julia Koch inherited her wealth from her husband, David Koch, who passed away in 2019. He was a co-owner of Koch Industries, one of the largest privately held companies in the United States, with diverse interests including chemicals, refining, and pipelines.
These women represent a significant portion of global wealth, with their fortunes rooted in diverse industries from beauty and retail to technology and industrial conglomerates.
