Bill Gates has returned to the top of Forbes magazine’s annual list of the world’s richest people, as rising stock markets swelled the ranks of billionaires, which included a record number of women.
With a net worth of $76bn, the Microsoft Corp co-founder reclaimed the top spot after a four-year hiatus, toppling Mexico’s telecommunications mogul Carlos Slim Helu, who placed second at $72bn, Forbes said in announcing the list on Monday.
Amancio Ortega, the Spanish founder of clothing conglomerate Inditex SA, which includes the Zara fashion chain, ranked third at $64bn.
Investing icon Warren Buffett, who runs Berkshire Hathaway Inc and is a frequent bridge partner for Gates, was fourth at $58.2bn. Oracle Corp chief Larry Ellison came in fifth at $48bn.
Gates has topped the list in 15 of the last 20 years.
A record 1,645 billionaires with a total net worth of $6.4trn made Forbes’ list from 1,426 last year.
Just over 10 percent were female, with 172 women compared with 138 a year earlier.
Gates’ profile
William (Bill) H. Gates is founder, technology advisor and board member of Microsoft Corporation, the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realise their full potential. He served as chairman of the board until Feb. 4, 2014.
On June 27, 2008, Gates transitioned out of a day-to-day role in the company to spend more time on his global health and education work at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He shares his thoughts about the foundation and other topics on Gates Notes, a website launched in January 2010. Gates continues to serve on Microsoft’s Board of Directors and as an advisor on key development projects.
Born on Oct. 28, 1955, Gates grew up in Seattle with his two sisters. Their father, William H. Gates II, is a Seattle attorney. Their late mother, Mary Gates, was a schoolteacher, University of Washington regent, and chairwoman of United Way International.
Gates attended public elementary school and the private Lakeside School. There, he discovered his interest in software and began programming computers at age 13.
In 1973, Gates entered Harvard University as a freshman, where he lived down the hall from Steve Ballmer. While at Harvard, Gates developed a version of the programming language BASIC for the first microcomputer – the MITS Altair.
In his junior year, Gates left Harvard to devote his energies to Microsoft, a company he had begun in 1975 with his childhood friend Paul Allen. Guided by a belief that the computer would be a valuable tool on every office desktop and in every home, they began developing software for personal computers. Gates’ foresight and his vision for personal computing have been central to the success of Microsoft and the software industry.
Under Gates’ leadership, Microsoft’s mission has been to continually advance and improve software technology, and to make it easier, more cost-effective and more enjoyable for people to use computers. The company is committed to a long-term view, reflected in its industry-leading investment in research and development each year.
In 1999, Gates wrote Business @ the Speed of Thought, a book that shows how computer technology can solve business problems in fundamentally new ways. The book was published in 25 languages and is available in more than 60 countries. Business @ the Speed of Thought” has received wide critical acclaim, and was listed on the best-seller lists of the New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal”and on Amazon.com. Gates’ previous book, The Road Ahead published in 1995, was at the top of the New York Times bestseller list for seven weeks.
Gates has donated the proceeds of both books to non-profit organisations that support the use of technology in education and skills development.
In addition to his love for computers and software, Gates founded Corbis, which is developing one of the world’s largest resources of visual information – a comprehensive digital archive of art and photography from public and private collections around the globe. He is also a member of the board of directors of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., which invests in companies engaged in diverse business activities.
Philanthropy is very important to Gates. He and his wife, Melinda, started a foundation in 2000 to help reduce inequities in the United States and around the world. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation supports philanthropic initiatives in the areas of global health and learning, with the hope that in the 21st century, advances in these critical areas will be available for all people.
Gates was married on Jan. 1, 1994, to Melinda French Gates. They have three children. Gates is an avid reader, and enjoys playing golf, tennis and bridge.
About his company
Microsoft is a multinational computer technology corporation. The history of Microsoft began on April 4, 1975, when it was founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in Albuquerque. Its current best-selling products are the Microsoft Windows operating system and the Microsoft Office suite of productivity software.
In 1980, Microsoft formed a partnership with IBM that allowed them to bundle Microsoft’s operating system with IBM computers, paying Microsoft a royalty for every sale. In 1985, IBM requested that Microsoft write a new operating system for their computers called OS/2; Microsoft wrote the operating system, but also continued to sell their own alternative, which proved to be in direct competition with OS/2. Microsoft Windows eventually overshadowed OS/2 in terms of sales. When Microsoft launched several versions of Microsoft Windows in the 1990s, they had captured over 90 per cent market share of the world’s personal computers.
The company has now become largely successful. As of 2008, Microsoft has a global annual revenue of US$ 60.42bn and nearly 90,000 employees in 105 countries. It develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of software products for computing devices.
Bill Gates Estates and Homes
Billionaire Bill Gates lives in an uber-modern house built in a Pacific lodge style. It has a water front area of approximately 500 feet and is spread over 66,000 sq feet. Noted for its cutting-edge technology, this is an earth-sheltered home carved into the side of a hill that overlooks Lake Washington. It has seven bedrooms, 24 bathrooms including 10 full baths, six kitchens and equal number of fire places.
Décor: A number of ground-breaking technologies have been applied in new and fascinating ways to make this home more livable. Seven varieties of stone, along with a great deal of wood and glass have been in its interiors. It features a large private library with dome shaped roof and oculus. It also has an Olympic-sized private swimming pool with an underwater music system with a floor painted in fossil motif. The exercise facilities include all luxuries like sauna, steam room and a trampoline room with a 20-foot ceiling. A 20-seat art deco theatre spread over 1500 sq feet, a wall dominated by 22-foot wide video display and 4-car attached garage aggrandises the opulence of this home. In terms of technology, this home easily outclasses its nearest competitor by miles.
Technology: Hundreds of microcomputers are used, which make day to day tasks a breeze. The lights are computer controlled and would gradually come on when you come home. Speakers are hidden beneath the wallpaper to allow music to follow you from room to room. Portable touch pads control everything from the TV sets to the temperature and the lights, which brighten or dim to fit the occasion or to match the outdoor light. The guests to Bill Gates House are surveyed and given a special pin to wear upon entrance. This small pin connects them to the home’s electronic services, which automatically adapts to their tastes.
Bill Gates Islands
Through his world’s largest software company Microsoft, Bill Gates has earned himself a fortune that few people can even dream of. So, it does not come as a surprise that he owns the largest island in Republic of Belize; The Grand Bugue Island. This inviting piece of land is known for its superb beaches and an astounding variety of marine life, which consists of colourful sponges, tunicates, sparkling starfish and dolphins. The changing colours of water, which ranges from the deepest of blue to palest green, add to the mysticism and beauty of the place. Also, this land promises excellent and multiple opportunities for large scale resort development and tourism.
Gates’ library
Gates loves reading magazines and journals. His regular reads include the every page of The Economist, The Wall Street Journal and Business Week. At times, he also goes through issues of Time and People. To satiate his intellectual hunger he has built a full-fledged library at his waterfront estate in Washington DC.
Bill has a knack of collecting the rarest pieces of art. Even if he has to shell out millions of dollars for that, it hardly matters.
Cars
The Porsche 911 Carrera: This is love at first sight. But it is much more than just a car with its outstanding visual appeal and shiny edges. Under its hood is a 3.4 litre 24-valve 6-cylinder engine which develops 296 horsepower and a torque of 258 lb. The rear-mounted, water-cooled engine renders awesome acceleration taking the car from 0 to 60 mph in just around 5 seconds. Being a self-professed speed lover, Bill certainly has taken fancy to this car. Taking engineering to higher levels, Porche designed this convertible using copious amount of stainless steel, which has increased its torsional stiffness by 45 per cent and bending stiffness by 50 per cent relative to its coupe version. The manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) begins at $74,460 ($109,000 Canadian) for the Cabriolet.
Sources: reuters.com, Microsoft.com, bornrich.com
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