In a world where names like Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and Warren Buffett dominate headlines, there’s a whole tier of the super-rich who stay under the radar despite their staggering wealth.
The likes of Musk actively court publicity, while Bezos and Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg, are also very visible in their activities.
Here are 10 of these lesser-known billionaires, revealing the sources of their wealth and the industries they’ve influenced.
Zhang Bangxin
Zhang Bangxin has a net worth of $3.5 billion, earned through his pioneering work in education.
He is the founder of TAL Education Group, a major player in K-12 after-school tutoring services in China.
Starting from a single classroom, his business now reaches hundreds of cities.
Zhang was inspired by his own experiences as a teacher to use technology to enhance educational access.
Tatiana Bakalchuk
Tatiana Bakalchuk is seriously rich.
She boasts a net worth of $13 billion from her e-commerce empire.
She is the founder of Wildberries, Russia’s largest online retailer.
Bakalchuk started the company in her apartment while on maternity leave in 2004.
Initially focused on selling clothes, Wildberries has expanded to include electronics, home goods, and more.
Orlando Bravo
Orlando Bravo is worth $6.3 billion, amassed from private equity specializing in software and technology investments.
As co-founder of Thoma Bravo, he is noted for pioneering the strategy of software buyouts.
Outside business, he is an avid tennis player and a supporter of professional squash.
Shamsheer Vayalil
Shamsheer Vayalil, from the United Arab Emirates, made his $1.9 billion fortune in healthcare.
He founded VPS Healthcare.
The company has had a significant impact on the healthcare scene in the UAE and beyond.
He started his business at 30, having seen an opportunity to improve private healthcare services.
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Dagmar Dolby
Dagmar Dolby, an inheritor of Dolby Laboratories, manages a net worth of $4.1 billion.
She inherited her wealth from her late husband, Ray Dolby.
She has pumped a lot of her vast wealth into science and education.
Gary Michelson
Gary Michelson is a former orthopedic spinal surgeon who has a net worth of $1.7 billion.
His wealth comes from his career as an inventor and philanthropist, with over 950 issued or pending patents.
Michelson has invested heavily in biomedical research, including a $50 million grant to USC.
Liu Yongxing
Liu Yongxing has built an $11 billion fortune through his company, East Hope Group, one of China’s largest animal feed producers.
He started his entrepreneurial journey with a small quail-raising business alongside his brothers. Known for his humble lifestyle, Liu rarely makes public appearances.
Denise Coates
Denise Coates, the co-founder and joint CEO of Bet365, has a net worth of $4.7 billion.
She built one of the world’s largest online gambling companies starting from a portable cabin in a parking lot.
Notably, Coates is the highest-paid CEO in the UK, with a salary higher than those of major global corporation leaders.
Ken Xie
Ken Xie is valued at $3.9 billion, thanks to his cybersecurity firm, Fortinet, which offers broad, integrated, and automated cybersecurity solutions.
He started his first company from his dorm room at Stanford University.
Judy Faulkner
Judy Faulkner, founder and CEO of Epic Systems, holds a net worth of $6 billion. Her company is a key player in healthcare software, specializing in medical records technology.
Faulkner is known for her frugal lifestyle.
For example, she drives a 1998 Camry, and has committed to donating 99 percent of her wealth.
Image Credit: Joe Budd (Wiki Commons)
