The World's Richest People

 Jeff Bezos (Total net worth $124B)

Jeff Bezos has become synonymous with his company, Amazon, the online Book retailer turned global e-commerce juggernaut he founded in Seattle in 1994. Mr. Bezos still runs Amazon, ranked the word's fourth-largest information technology company by revenue. In addition to retail and tech, Amazon has also into the streaming game, with a number of original shows in developement.

When Amazon's stock surges up, Bezos edges out Bill Gates and moves into the pole position on Bloomberg's Index. When Amazon's stock eases up, Bezos can slop into the second position. But Amazon's recent successes may soon put Bezos out  of reach.

Nationality: American

Born: January 12, 1964 (age 53) in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Spouse: MacKenzie Tuttle

Children: 4

Famous Quote:

"There are two kinds of companies, those that work to try to charge more and those that work to charge less. We will be the second."

- Jeff Bezos


Bill Gates (Total net worth $91.6B)

It might come as a surprise that Bill Gates, who has dominated "world's richest" lists for well over a decade and usually tops the index at number one, is currently is second place. But note that he's neck-and-neck with Jeff Bezos, so depending on the day and the stock market, he still toggles between #1 and #2.

As co-founder of Microsoft, Mr. Gates still holds a 2.4 percent stake in the company, along with a portfolio of diversified assets through a number of publicly traded companies across multiple business sectors, including Canada's biggest railroad operator. Through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and The Giving Pledge, Mr. Gates has pledged a large portion of his fortune to help solve some of the world's most pressing public health problems.

Nationality: American

Born: October 28, 1955 (age 62) in Seattle, Washington, USA

Spouse: Melinda Gates

Children: 3

Famous Quote:

"The PC has improved the world in just about every area you can think of. Amazing developments in communications, collaboration and efficiencies. New kinds of entertainment and social media. Access to information and the ability to give a voice people who would never have been heard of."

- Bill Gates

Warren Buffett (Total net worth $86.3B)

Warren "the Oracle of Omaha" Buffett's origin story is as American as the proverbial apple pie. Known as one of the most successful and prolific investors of all time, Mr. Buffett famously began his professional career as a paperboy and rode an enviable work ethic all the way to the top of the finance world, culminating with his holding company, Berkshire Hathaway. Fun fact: Berkshire Hathaway was originally a textile manufacturer, which eventually came to be the umbrella for 60+ companies under management.

Nationality: American

Born: August 30, 1930 (age 87), in Omaha, NE, USA

Spouse: Astrid Menks

Children: 3

Famous Quote:

"We simply attempt to be fearful when others are greedy and to be greedy only when others are fearful."

- Warren Buffett

Mark Zuckerberg (Total net worth $73.6B)

Like most of the famous tech entrepreneurs on the list, Mark Zuckerberg needs no introduction. Like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg famously left Harvard early to work on the social network that would come to change the world and influence everything from politics and media to interpersonal communications. As co-founder and current Chairman and CEO of Facebook, Mr. Zuckerberg is the youngest member of the list.

Nationality: American

Born: May 14, 1984 (age 33) in White Plains, New York, USA

Spouse: Priscilla Chan

Children: 2

Famous Quote:

"The Hacker Way is an approach to building that involves continuous improvement and iteration. Hackers believe that something can always be better, and that nothing is ever complete."

- Mark Zuckerberg

Amancio Ortega (Total net worth $72.2B)

The tech sector may account

for the largest slice of the pie, but the third richest billionaire in the world and number one in Europe is the head of retail giant Inditex Ventures, most famous for the Zara fast-fashion clothing chain. A quintessential "rags-to-riches" success story, Amancio Ortega rose from a humble working class background in Spain to run a multinational retail empire, where he continues to work to this day at the age of 80.

Nationality: Spanish

Born: 28 March 1936 (age 81) in Busdongo de Arbás, León, Spain

Spouse: Flora Pérez Marcote

Children: 3

Famous Quote:

"In the street, I only want to be recognised by my family, my friends and people I work with."

- Amancio Ortega

Carlos Slim (Total net worth $67.5B)

Best known for his stake in Latin American telecom company America Movil, Carlos Slim also has holdings in a number of international companies across various sectors in Mexico, as well as recognizable American companies like The New York Times and Philip Morris.

Nationality: Mexican

Born: January 28, 1940 (age 77) in Mexico City, Mexico

Spouse: Soumaya Domit

Children: 5

Famous Quote:

"The better off you are, the more responsibility you have for helping others. Just as it’s important to run companies well, with a close eye to the bottom line, you have to use your entrepreneurial experience to make corporate philanthropy effective."

- Carlos Slim