Françoise Bettencourt Meyers might not be a household name, yet she possesses a remarkable fortune of $95 billion.
Ranked as the second richest woman globally and the 20th wealthiest individual on the planet, according to Forbes’ real-time billionaires list, the 72-year-old stands out because she didn’t really have to work for her fortune, unlike the top 19 billionaires ahead of her.
It’s astonishing to consider that she could treat every American to NBA tickets for a game between Steph Curry’s Golden State Warriors and Lebron James’ LA Lakers at $135.70 per ticket, along with an authentic NBA Wilson ball priced at $44, and she would still retain $33 billion.
With such immense wealth, one might wonder why Françoise Bettencourt Meyers isn’t a more familiar name.
Allow me to introduce you to Françoise Bettencourt Meyers.
This French billionaire is the daughter of André and Liliane Bettencourt and inherited her fortune from her mother, who had inherited it from her own father.
She is married to businessman Jean-Pierre Meyers, who is reportedly the grandson of a rabbi killed at Auschwitz during World War II.
Although raised Catholic, she converted to Judaism and brought up her two sons, Jean-Victor and Nicolas, in the Jewish faith.
This immense wealth has its roots in Eugène Schueller, the French chemist who founded L’Oréal. Schueller had a single child, Liliane, who inherited his wealth upon his passing in 1957.
Meyers’ considerable riches stem mainly from her inherited ownership in L’Oréal. Her mother was a key shareholder in the company until her passing in 2017, leaving Meyers with 33 percent of the company, making her its largest shareholder.
She serves on L’Oréal’s board of directors and acts as chairwoman of the family holding company, maintaining a significant role in the company.
L’Oréal’s ongoing growth, particularly in international beauty markets and online commerce, has substantially increased her wealth over time.
At the moment, Françoise Bettencourt Meyers’ fortune is estimated at $95.3 billion, according to Forbes’ real-time billionaires list.
Her financial standing sees regular changes based on factors such as L’Oréal’s stock performance, currency fluctuations, and the overall economy.
Bloomberg’s billionaire index lists her wealth at $95.9 billion, positioning her as the 19th richest person on the globe, though notably, Michael Bloomberg himself has been excluded from this list.
Forbes values Bloomberg at $109.4 billion, placing him at the 17th spot.