Technology’s long-time power CEOs remain among the richest in the world, while the new guard of technology entrepreneurs sat hot on their heels in 2013.
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The 2013 Forbes list of the world’s 1426 billionaires came to a combined net worth of $US5.4 trillion ($A5.2 trillion), up from $US4.6 trillion last year.
Mexican telecom mogul Carlos Slim retained his position as the world’s richest man for the fourth year running, with an estimated net worth of $US73 billion, up $US4 billion from last year but $US1 billion shy of his all-time record, Forbes reported.
Bill Gates led the representation of the tech sector, coming in second with an estimated net worth of $US67 billion.
Investment tycoon Warren Buffett ended his run in the top three, coming in fourth with $53.5 billion, while Oracle’s island-buying CEO Larry Ellison rounded out the top five with a $US43 billion net worth.
Tech-wise, the top 50 was filled out with Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, in position 19 with $US25.2 billion net worth, Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin at 20 and 21, with $US23 billion and $US22.8 billion respectively, and Dell founder and CEO Michael Dell at number 49 with $US15.3 billion.
In the top 100 appeared Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer, at position 51 with $US15.2 billion net worth; Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg at 66th with an estimated net worth of $US13.3 billion; Samsung chairman Lee Kun Hee, 69th with $US13 billion, and Steve Jobs’ widow Laurene Powell Jobs and family were at position 98 with an estimated net worth of $US10.7 billion.
The Asia Pacific region contributed 386 names to the list, including the likes of Gina Rinehart at number 36 with an estimated net worth of $US17 billion, James Packer at 198 with $US6 billion net worth, mining magnate Andrew Forrest at number 211 with $US5.7 billion, and Westfield founder Frank Lowy at number 229 with $US5.3 billion.