10 Richest People In The Planet As 2020 Ends !

If you are thinking, 2020 turned out to be an annoying year for all, then think again.

If you are wondering, every businessman suffered losses, then think again.

Well, despite the pandemic and widespread layoffs across sectors, the world’s richest people have collectively gained 23 per cent or $1.3 trillion since the year began, Opines Hirav Shah, Business Strategist and Astro-Guru.

Here are the ones penned down by Hirav Shah, who beat the pandemic-induced slowdown to become richer.

1.Jeff Bezos, $187 billion.

Steve Jurvetson, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Bezos’s net wealth climbed through 2020 as Amazon shares skyrocketed, due to the rise in online shopping.
Today, Amazon is one of the four companies whose valuations have crossed $1 trillion. The others include Microsoft, Apple and Google.
Well, as per a November 2020 SEC filing, Bezos owns about 11 per cent of Amazon. He held 16 per cent share of the world’s largest online retailer before a 4 per cent stake was transferred to MacKenzie Bezos in 2019 following the couple’s divorce.
Bezos’ net worth climbed $72.4 billion during the year, helped by the boost given to markets by unprecedented stimulus efforts by governments and central bankers.
Finally, Amazon boss Jeff Bezos has become the richest man on the planet with a total net worth of $187 billion.

2. Elon Musk, $167 billion.

Steve Jurvetson, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Elon Musk is working to revolutionize transportation both on Earth, through electric car maker Tesla – and in space, via rocket producer SpaceX.
He owns 21% of Tesla but has pledged more than half his stake as collateral for loans; Forbes has discounted his stake to take the loans into account. SpaceX, Musk’s rocket company, is now valued at $46 billion.
Meanwhile,Tesla Inc co-founder Elon Musk surpassed Bill Gates to become the world’s second richest person. The 49-year-old entrepreneur’s net worth rose to $167 billion.

3.Bill Gates, $131 billion

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Bill Gates is an American business magnate, software developer, and philanthropist. He is best known as the co-founder of Microsoft Corporation. During his career at Microsoft, Gates held the positions of chairman, chief executive officer (CEO), president and chief software architect, while also being the largest individual shareholder until May 2014. He is one of the best-known entrepreneurs and pioneers of the microcomputer revolution of the 1970s and 1980s.He was the world’s richest man for years, before being bumped by Jeff Bezos in 2017. At present, his total net worth is $131 billion.

4.Bernard Arnault, $110 billion

Jérémy Barande / Ecole polytechnique Université Paris-Saclay

Bernard Arnault is a French billionaire businessman and art collector.He is the chairman and chief executive of LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton SE, the world’s largest luxury-goods company. In April 2018, he became the richest person in fashion, topping Zara’s Amancio Ortega. Arnault briefly surpassed Jeff Bezos to become the richest person in the world in December 2019.He again became the world’s richest person for a short time in January 2020.

As 2020 is drawing to a close, Bernard holds the fourth spot in the list, with a net worth of $110 billion.

5. Mark Zuckerberg, $105 billion

Elaine Chan and Priscilla Chan, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

Mark Zuckerberg is an American media magnate, internet entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He is known for co-founding Facebook, Inc. and serves as its chairman, chief executive officer, and controlling shareholder.He also is a co-founder of the solar sail spacecraft development project Breakthrough Starshot and serves as one of its board members.
Mark is the youngest centibillionaire (people whose wealth exceeds $100 billion) in Bloomberg billionaires list. With a total net worth of $105 billion, he holds the fifth position.

6. Warren Buffet, $85.2 billion

USA International Trade Administration, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Warren Buffett is the greatest investor of all time.Buffett has been the chairman and largest shareholder of Berkshire Hathaway since 1970.He has been referred to as the “Oracle” or “Sage” of Omaha by global media.He is noted for his adherence to value investing, and his personal frugality despite his immense wealth. Research published at the University of Oxford characterizes Buffett’s investment methodology as falling within “founder centrism”, defined by a deference to managers with a founder’s mindset, an ethical disposition towards the shareholder collective, and an intense focus on exponential value creation. Essentially, Buffett’s concentrated investments shelter managers from the short-term pressures of the market.

In 2020, Buffett’s net worth dropped by about $4.09 billion. However, he still remains the sixth richest person in the world with a total net worth of $85.2 billion.

7.Larry Page, $81.4 billion

Schmidt-Brin-Page-20080520.jpg: Joi Itoderivative work: Bonnifac, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Lawrence Edward Page is an American computer scientist and Internet entrepreneur. He is best known as one of the co-founders of Google along with Sergey Brin.
Page was the chief executive officer of Google from 1997 until August 2001 (stepping down in favor of Eric Schmidt) then from April 2011 until July 2015 when he moved to become CEO of Alphabet Inc. (created to deliver “major advancements” as Google’s parent company),a post he held until December 4, 2019. He remains an Alphabet board member, employee, and controlling shareholder.

With a total net worth of $81.4 billion,Page secured the seventh position in Bloomberg Billionaires index.

8.Larry Ellison, $79.7 billion

Oracle Corporate Communications, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Lawrence Joseph Ellison is an American business magnate, investor, and philanthropist who is a co-founder, the executive chairman and chief technology officer (CTO) of Oracle Corporation.
He owns about a third of the Redwood City, California-based company as well as a stake in Tesla, a sailing team, the Indian Wells tennis event and real estate, including Hawaii’s Lanai island.
Larry is the eighth richest man in the world with a net worth of $79.7 billion.

9.Steve Ballmer, $79.1 billion

Eric Garcetti, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

When wealthy tech executives make their money and depart, not all achieve greater things.
Meanwhile, Former CEO of Microsoft Steve Ballmer has become the ninth richest man globally with a wealth of $79.1 billion.He is the current owner of the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). 2020 did become a wonderful year for Steve monetarily.

10. Sergey Brin, $78.8 billion

Joi Ito, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sergey Mikhaylovich Brin is an American computer scientist and Internet entrepreneur. Together with Larry Page, he co-founded Google. Brin was the president of Google’s parent company, Alphabet Inc., until stepping down from the role on December 3, 2019.Brin and Page remain at Alphabet as co-founders, controlling shareholders, board members, and employees.
With a net worth of $78.8 billion, Sergey Brin is the tenth richest man of 2020.

Conclusion

If we penned a list of this year’s pros and cons, it’s safe to say the cons would outweigh the pros. The truth is, wherever you are in the world, 2020 was likely a challenging time for you and everyone you care about.
The good news?
According to astrological predictions for 2021, the outlook for next year is much rosier, Says Hirav Shah, India’s Top Business Astrologer.

“Consult a bonafide Astrologer Cum Strategist or An Astro-Strategist , who can warn you in advance of any bad period in 2021 and who can also chart out your way forward in 2021”, Concludes Shah.