7 Most Powerful Families in The World
A universal appeal can be provided by successful family enterprises. None of us will really become billionaires, but there's a family for everyone. Family enterprises, however, mean authenticity, culture, history, lineage, and quality values. And wealthy families, especially if the wealth is intergenerational, imply royalty. Posted On March 5th, 2021
The Walton Family
The Waltons are America's richest family and the wealthiest family in the world by some measure. In 2019, Jim and Alice Walton are both worth more than $44 billion at the top of the value chain and listed #16 and #17 on the Forbes annual list of billionaires, respectively. Walmart is a behemoth of shopping.
The Mars Family
Mars is the Walmart of candy: a ubiquitous, inexpensive, and influential multigenerational family company. The brand is best known today for manufacturing M&Ms than for its Mars bar of the same name. The world's largest candy company diversified in 2017 with the $9.1 billion acquisition of VAC, a pet care company.
The Koch Family
Charles and David Koch owe their stunning fortune to their father's energy company, but today they may be best known to the general public for their campaigns, reaching into their deep pockets to place their stamp on policy: supporting candidates and libertarian think tanks, financing university professorships, and campaigning for government offices, all geared at fostering conservative violence. The brothers are worth an estimated $50.5 billion each, tied for the #11 spot on the list of Forbes billionaires.
The Al-Saud Family
The Saudi royal family, the House of Saud, has a monarchical past going back over a century. Thanks to decades of payments from the Royal Diwan, the king's executive office, the family's vast fortune, estimated at $100 billion, has risen. Relations with Saudi Aramco, the most profitable business in the world and a behemoth of the oil sector guarantee that money continues to grow in the Saudi royal family.
The Ambani Family
The only Asian company on our list, the Indian industrial giant Reliance Industries, maybe the least well-known to ordinary readers. Nevertheless, CEO Mukesh Ambani, whose late father formed the firm in 1957, is #13 on the Forbes 2019 list, overseeing the company's manufacturing, petrochemicals, oil, gas, and textiles; telecommunications, asset management, entertainment, and power generation are handled by his brother Anil. Anil's elder sibling, Anmol, is Reliance Capital's executive director.
The Dumas Family
With its signature scarves, neckties, and perfumes, as well as its famous Kelly and Birkin handbags, the French fashion house and luxury supplier Hermès has dazzled the world. Thierry Hermès fashioned riding clothing for the bourgeoisie back in the 19th century. Today, the firm, LeBron James, adorns basketball royalty. A line of Hermès Apple Watches, fusing old school with the modern age, sells for $1,300 to $2,000 and up each. Axel Dumas currently serves as the CEO and chairman of the group, and the artistic director is Pierre-Alexis Dumas.
The Wertheimer Family
For the timeless "little black dress," the No. 5 perfume, and the deceased, high-profile designer Karl Lagerfeld, who died on February 19, 2019, the French high-end house Chanel is legendary. Brothers Alan and Gerhard Wertheimer currently co-own the business their grandparents and founder Gabrielle Coco Chanel were involved in.
