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It's commonly said that money rules the world, but if that were the case, we would have long since spun around on our axis and been hurled screaming toward the sun and, let's face it, a somewhat welcome fate. We say this because there are annual reports regarding the world's wealthiest and most powerful individuals, their enterprises, and their stake in amassing even more wealth.

However, wealth whispers rather than talks, pointing out that the truly, unimaginably filthy rich are people you've probably never heard of, and that's kind of what they want. When no one knows who you are, it's much easier to engage in shady, wicked, rich person behavior. Let's fix that and compile a list of the top ten richest business dynasties globally.

To be clear, this is not a list of the wealthiest individuals (that has been done to death) or the most valuable businesses (because Apple is constantly at the top).

Instead, it is a list of actual billion-dollar businesses run by a single family that are true business dynasties.

Learn more: Top 10 Richest Business Families in China with Net Worth

Top 12 Richest Business Families In The World With Net Worth
Top 12 Richest Business Families In The World With Net Worth

Top 12 Richest Business Families In The World With Net Worth

1. AL Nahyan Family

Top 12 Richest Business Families In The World With Net Worth

Net worth: $305 billion

The capital and home to the majority of the country's oil reserves is Abu Dhabi, one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates. The Al Nahyan family has been in charge of the area that is now the United Arab Emirates for many years; this was before the oil boom, which had a profound impact on the economy and the royal family's finances.

The president of the nation is also Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the ruler of Abu Dhabi. It is not unusual for different family members to hold roles in the public and private spheres, making it difficult to distinguish between the interests of the state and private ones.

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2. Walton Family

Estimated net worth at $259.7 billion

The second-richest family in the world is the Waltons. Jim, Rob, and Alice Walton, who are at the top of the value chain, are each estimated to be worth approximately $57 billion. As of December 24, 2023, they were rated No. 19, No. 20, and No. 21 on Forbes' list of billionaires.

Walmart is a massive retailer. Walmart, which Sam Walton founded in Arkansas in 1962, is the largest corporation in the world by revenue with $611 billion in sales and more than 2.1 million employees worldwide as of fiscal year 2022.

As of December 24, 2023, Walmart has over 10,500 retail locations globally, including 5,215 in the United States.

3. Hermès

Net worth: $150.9 billion

French luxury brand and fashion house Together with its renowned Kelly and Birkin handbags, Hermès has enthralled people all over the world with its distinctive scarves, neckties, and perfumes. Thierry Hermès designed riding clothes for the upper class back in the 1800s.

These days, the brand clothes NBA stars like LeBron James. Hermès Apple Watches, which retail for $1,249 and above, combine traditional and modern technology. The company's executive director at the moment is Axel Dumas, and its creative executive vice president is Pierre-Alexis Dumas.

4. Mars Family

Net worth: $125 billion

For a variety of reasons, many families on this list are closed off to the public. None, though, are as peculiar as the Mars family's, who are determined to keep themselves as hidden from the public as possible because their ancestor was afraid someone would figure out how to manufacture Uncle Ben's rice.

Yes, the patent for making Uncle Ben's rice is owned by the same firm that creates M&Ms, Skittles, and Milky Way, and they are highly protective of it. So much so that when the US government attempted to obtain the patent to manufacture rice for soldiers, the founder's son, Forrest Edward Mars Sr., is rumored to have picked a battle with them. Finally, an agreement to provide the military with as much parboiled rice as they could handle served as a compromise.

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5. Al Thani Family

Net worth: $133 billion

Since the mid-1800s, the Al Thani family has governed Qatar. The family's rule has endured through two coup attempts, wars, and the establishment of modern-day Qatar.14 Bloomberg. "World's Richest Families 2023."

During his eighteen years in office, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani elevated Qatar to the rank of significant global power. When he overthrew his father in a bloodless coup in 1995, he took total control of Qatar. To avoid potential countercoups, all of his father's assets were frozen.)

6. Koch

Top 12 Richest Business Families In The World With Net Worth

Wealth estimated at 127.3 billion

Organization: Koch Industries

When Fred Koch established the Wood River Oil and Refining Co. in the 1940s, it all began. Afterwards, his sons Frederick, Charles, David, and William Koch took over the oil company and went on to become one of the wealthiest families, controlling Koch Industries, an industrial behemoth.

Frederick and William left the company in the 1980s due to a family dispute, but the other two brothers expanded with the company's resources and built Koch Industries to new heights. According to Bloomberg, the corporation brings in USD 125 billion a year.

7. Al Saud Family

Approximate Net Worth: $112 billion

The Saudi royal dynasty, the House of Saud, has been a monarch for almost a century. The Royal Diwan, the king's executive office, has contributed decades of payments to the family, increasing their estimated $112 billion fortune.

The Saudi royal family's riches is ensured by its ties to Saudi Aramco, a massive oil company and one of the most profitable businesses in the world. Because the Saud family has up to 15,000 extended members, many of whom have started businesses, gotten government contracts, and more, it is challenging to determine the exact wealth of the family.

8. Ambani family

Wealth estimated at USD 89.9 billion

The Ambanis, one of the richest families on the planet, are the proprietors of Reliance Industries and have ventured into or invested in just about every other commercial area conceivable.

Dhirubhai Ambani started the Reliance empire in the 1950s, and his sons Mukesh and Anil inherited it. Since then, the company has expanded into clean energy, fashion, electronics, telecommunications, oil and gas, petrochemicals, and many other industries. Reliance was the first non-state enterprise from India to appear on the Fortune 500 worldwide list in 2004.

9. Wertheimer Family

Top 12 Richest Business Families In The World With Net Worth

Net worth: $89.6 billion

French luxury fashion house Chanel is renowned for its No. 5 perfume, the classic "little black dress," and the late, well-known designer Karl Lagerfeld, who passed away on February 19, 2019.2122

Alain and Gerhard Wertheimer, brothers, currently share ownership of the business that their grandfather founded alongside Gabrielle Coco Chanel. As of December 25, 2023, the brothers' combined net worth of $31.6 billion places them 41st on Forbes' list of billionaires.

10. Thomson Family

Wealth estimated at 71.1 billion

That is the family that founded the prestigious news and media outlet Thomson Reuters. The origins of the narrative may be traced to Ontario in the 1930s, when founder Roy Thomson launched a radio station before entering the print industry.

According to Bloomberg, the family uses the investment vehicle Woodbridge to hold a roughly 69% share in Thomson Reuters. It made USD 6.6 billion in revenue in 2022. David Thomson, the grandson of Roy Thomson, is the 21st-ranked billionaire on Forbes' list as of January 18, 2024, and the family that runs the business is in its third generation.

Learn more: Who is David Thomson - Richest Person in Canada: Biography, Personal Life And Net Worth

11. Cargill and Macmillan Families

Assets estimated at USD 63.3 billion.

Perhaps the most reputable brand in the agriculture industry is Cargill. William W. Cargill first became involved in the commodities industry in 1865 when he purchased an Iowan grain storage warehouse. The business caused a stir in the agriculture industry and made USD 176.7 billion in sales in the fiscal year that concluded in May 2023.

12. Johnson family

Estimated wealth: USD 55.7 billion

One of the wealthiest business families in the world is behind the Boston mutual-fund company, Fidelity Investments. It was founded in 1946 by Edward C Johnson II and is currently run by the founder’s granddaughter Abigail Johnson. She stands as the 58th richest person in the world with a net worth of USD 27.8 billion at the time of writing this article. She took over the reins as CEO in 2014 and became the chairman in 2016.

In summary

In a time when short-lived fortunes are frequently made and lost in a matter of seconds in the volatile world of cryptocurrencies, the wealthiest families in the world have prospered primarily through preserving unity, united by a shared sense of accountability and the belief that their unity will result in increased prosperity.

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