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Francoise Bettencourt Meyers & family

$92.2B

 

Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, the granddaughter of L'Oreal's founder, holds the distinction of being the wealthiest woman globally. She and her family possess over a third of publicly traded L'Oreal, with Bettencourt Meyers serving on the company's board since 1997 and chairing the family holding company.

In 2017, she inherited the title of France's reigning L'Oreal heiress following her mother Liliane Bettencourt's passing at age 94. Additionally, Bettencourt Meyers presides over her family's philanthropic foundation, which focuses on fostering progress in French sciences and arts.

Notably, L'Oreal and the Bettencourt Meyers family jointly contributed $226 million for the restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral after the devastating April 2019 fire. At 70 years old, Bettencourt Meyers made history as the first woman to amass a fortune exceeding $100 billion, marking her entry into the esteemed billionaire club. The enduring success of the beauty products empire, valued at over $240 billion, underscores the effective stewardship of the Bettencourt Meyers family.