30 Female Billionaires Everyone Should Have on Their Radar
Don't get us wrong—male billionaires, including former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg are impressive, but let's be honest, the billionaire boys club often eclipses a group of equally accomplished women who have worked just as hard (if not harder) to earn their own massive fortunes.
Additionally, many of these awesome women founded or play a role in the creation of dozens of products you just couldn't live without—we're talking everything from M&Ms to Spanx.
Below, we've rounded up 30 noteworthy female billionaires who have not only amassed large fortunes, but in many cases are doing what they can to support worthwhile causes they believe in. Basically, they're a bunch of awesome boss ladies working to make the world a better place. Please note that our information is listed as of June 26, 2020, and unless linked otherwise, came from Forbes' list of the world's billionaires, published in March 2020.
1. Melinda Gates
With her husband, Bill Gates, a co-founder of Microsoft Corporation, Melinda chairs the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which is the world's largest private charitable organization. In May 2020, the Gates Foundation said it would spend $300 million to fight coronavirus, funding treatment, detection and vaccines. In Oct. 2019, Melinda, seen below with Malala Yousafzai, announced she was committing $1 billion to promote gender equality by expanding women's power and influence in the United States. The Gates' have an estimated net worth of $98 billion.
2. Alice Walton
Alice Walton is the only daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton, and has an estimated net worth of $54.4 billion. Instead of joining the family business, Alice focused on curating art. In 2011, she opened the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in her hometown, Bentonville, Arkansas. Additionally, she and brother Jim are spearheading a program that will issue $300 million in bonds to help charter schools invest in facilities.
3. Francoise Bettencourt Meyers
The French businesswoman, who is the granddaughter of L'Oreal's founder Eugène Schueller, is one of the richest women in the world, worth an estimated $48.9 billion. She currently serves as the president of her family's philanthropic foundation, which encourages French progress in the sciences and arts. Together, L'Oreal and the Bettencourt Meyers family agreed to donate $226 million to repair Notre Dame cathedral following the April 2019 fire.
4. MacKenzie Bezos
The California native is an author and the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, to whom she was married for 25 years. They divorced in 2019. As part of the divorce settlement, Jeff transferred 25% of his Amazon stake to MacKenzie, which was 4% of the company and worth an estimated $36 billion. In May 2019, MaKenzie signed the Giving Pledge, committing at least half of her fortune to charity. How's that for a generous gesture?!
5. Jacqueline Mars
If you've ever eaten a 3 Musketeers bar, M&Ms or a Milky Way, you have this billionaire and her relatives to thank. Jacqueline owns an estimated one-third of Mars, the world's largest candy maker, which was founded by her grandfather. She worked for the company for nearly 20 years, and is worth an estimated $24.7 billion. A well-known philanthropist, she serves on six boards including at the Smithsonian and the National Archives.
6. Laurene Powell Jobs
The widow of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs is worth an estimated $16.4 billion. The New Jersey native inherited billions of dollars of stock in Apple and Disney from her late husband, and is a founding member of the Climate Leadership Council, which aims to find cost-effective and equitable solutions to climate change. What's more? Jobs stepped up in response to the coronavirus pandemic and helped establish The America's Food Fund, which will provide $12 million in funding to beneficiaries like World Central Kitchen and Feeding America to give assistance to those impacted by the ongoing health crisis.
7. Zhong Huijuan
The Chinese businesswoman and former chemistry teacher chairs Chinese drugmaker Hansoh Pharmaceutical, which produces oncology, psychoactive, anti-diabetic and other drugs. She has an estimated net worth of $14.6 billion, making her the richest self-made woman in Asia.
8. Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken
The Heineken heiress is one of the richest women in the world, thanks to her 23% stake in the beer giant, which places her net worth around $12.8 billion. The prestigious Heineken Prizes for Arts and Sciences is named after her.
9. Abigail Johnson
The businesswoman has served as CEO of Fidelity Investments since 2014, when she took over for her father, and has been chairman since 2016. She has an estimated net worth of $10.8 billion and frequently supports causes in the Boston area. In April 2017, she donated $30 million to the National Parks Foundation, which helps manage the upkeep of America's national parks.
10. Diane Hendricks
The Wisconsin native is the richest self-made woman in America, who made her $9.8 billion fortune by founding wholesale roofing distributor ABC Supply in 1982 with her husband. She has been at the helm of the company since his death in 2007 and has used her wealth to revitalize Beloit, Wisconsin, where the brand is based.
11. Agnete Kirk Thinggaard
The fourth-generation owner of Lego splits ownership of a 75% stake in the toy company with her father, sister and brother, and boasts an estimated net worth of $6.1 billion. Who knew that brand you loved as a kid is so successful? She is an accomplished equestrian and is a member of the board of the Lego Foundation, which promotes learning through play for children affected by crisis. She is also the founder of the Center for ADHD S/I in Aarhus, Denmark.
12. Lynsi Snyder
Lynsi is the heir to the beloved West Coast chain In-N-Out Burger, which her grandparents founded in 1948. She became a billionaire on her 35th birthday in 2017, when she received the final portion of her inheritance—AKA a lot of burgers. The businesswoman is worth an estimated $3.6 billion. With her fortune, she funds Healing Hearts & Nations, a non-profit corporation that builds training centers in Africa and India and trains local community leaders for the purpose of providing different forms of counseling to the underprivileged local population.
13. Dagmar Dolby
Dagmar Dolby owns about 37% of publicly-traded audio technology firm Dolby Laboratories, which her husband Ray Dolby founded in 1965. The company pioneered surround sound technologies used in thousands of films and products, and most recently, in video games and mobile devices. Dagmar is worth an estimated $3.6 billion and since 2015, she has committed over $160 million to the University of Cambridge, where her husband earned a Ph.D. in physics.
14. Julia Louis-Dreyfus
The Veep alum is not only a successful actress, but she also comes from a very successful family. Her father, Gérard Louis-Dreyfus, died in 2006 with an estimated net worth of $3.4 billion, which he earned as the chairman of Louis Dreyfus Energy Services. The Seinfeld alum has been a vocal supporter of universal healthcare, which she championed following her September 2017 breast cancer diagnosis. She's now cancer-free.
15. Meg Whitman
As the CEO of eBay from 1998 to 2008, the businesswoman nearly doubled the company's sales. Currently the CEO of Quibi—the short-form platform that brought you Chrissy's Court, Killing Zac Efron and more—Whitman is a supporter of the Environmental Defense Fund and is the national board chair of Teach for America. Forbes estimates her net worth at $3.3 billion.
16. Shari Arison
The businesswoman, who was born in New York City but now lives in Israel, inherited a fortune from her late father, Ted, who founded cruise ship line Carnival Corp. She reinvested much of the money earned via millions of unforgettable vacations and now has a current net worth of around $3.3 billion. Known as Israel's richest woman, Arison created The Doing Good Model—guidelines for incorporating social good into running a business.
17. Winifred Johnson-Marquart
Winifred is the president of the Johnson Family Foundation, which focuses on the environment and community issues such as early education and infant mortality. Her $3.3 billion net worth comes from her family's company, SC Johnson, which owns popular brands such as Ziploc, Raid and Shout. Basically, if you've ever done laundry or cleaned your house, you've used one or more SC Johnson products.
18. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw
This savvy entrepreneur is India's richest self-made woman. No big deal, right? She founded India's largest biopharmaceutical firm in 1978 and today has a net worth of approximately $2.6 billion. The best part? She uses much of her wealth to help others. Her philanthropic initiative, The Mazumdar Shaw Medical Centre, aims to create a sustainable, affordable cancer care model.
19. Penny Pritzker
The accomplished businesswoman is one of 11 billionaire heirs in the Pritzker clan, which makes its fortune as owners of the popular Hyatt hotel chain, and the only one who has served in the White House. Penny was the U.S. Secretary of Commerce from 2013 to 2017, and acted as a key fundraiser for President Obama ahead of his election. She has an impressive net worth of around $2.5 billion.
20. Oprah Winfrey
The former talk show host and wildly popular entertainment personality now runs a media and business empire, which puts her net worth at around $2.5 billion and makes it possible for her to give out dozens of free cars at a time. She's also known for giving back to others in a variety of ways and is particularly supportive of many educational causes. In 2007, she opened the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in Johannesburg, South Africa and frequently teaches a class at the school via satellite.
21. Yvonne Bauer
The German businesswoman runs Bauer Media Group, which has been in her family for five generations since its founding as a small printing company in 1875. The highly successful company is Europe's largest magazine brand. It focuses on women's content and counts over 600 titles worldwide, including InTouch and Grazia, Cosmopolitan and Harper's Bazaar. You've probably spotted even more Bauer titles while waiting in line at the supermarket or stocking up on necessities before a flight. Bauer is worth an estimated $2.3 billion.
22. Peggy Cherng
Andrew and Peggy Cherng are co-founders of the $3.5 billion Chinese fast food chain, Panda Express, which has over 2,200 locations worldwide. If you've ever been to a mall or airport, you've likely seen a few outposts in action. The Cherngs, who are worth approximately $2.3 billion, also run famed ramen house, Ippudo, in Berkeley, California, and have investments in chains that sell everything from pizza, salad and cheesecake. Talk about some tasty eats!
23. Miuccia Prada
The Italian heiress is the co-CEO and lead designer of the handbag and fashion empire Prada, which was founded in 1913 by her grandfather. She runs the business with her husband and co-CEO, fellow billionaire Patrizio Bertelli, and boasts a net worth of $2.2 billion. In 2015 she unveiled the Prada Foundation's new Milan headquarters, which were designed to be an exhibition space showcasing various types of art. The seven-building complex boasts a cinema, tower and more.
24. Aerin Lauder
Aerin Lauder, the eldest daughter of billionaire Ronald Lauder, serves as style and image director at cosmetics firm Estée Lauder. She's worked for Estée Lauder, which owns popular beauty brands Clinique and MAC Cosmetics, since 1992 and has an estimated net worth of $2.1 billion. In 2012, she founded luxury lifestyle brand AERIN Beauty, which sells everything from lamps to handbags. The luxe line is sold in 40 countries.
25. Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao
Vietnam's first self-made woman billionaire took her budget airline, VietJet Air, public in February 2017, six years after launching it with a clever advertising scheme. Today, she's worth an estimated $2.1 billion and is known for her friendly manner and desire to support and inspire younger generations. She devotes time to many charity programs, including "Wings of Love," which offers annual scholarships to poor students and gives clothes to children living in remote areas.
26. Pat Stryker
Pat Stryker stands to inherit a $2 billion healthcare fortune, but she has devoted her life to philanthropy and is the founder of the Bohemian Foundation, which supports music, community, global and civic programs. Through the foundation, she's given $195 million to charity thus far, proving she understands the importance of giving back and helping others.
27. Sheryl Sandberg
The Facebook COO is worth approximately $1.5 billion. Her first book, Lean In, which was released in March 2013, is intended for professional women to help them achieve their career goals and for men who want to contribute to a more equitable society. She's also known for her extensive charitable giving. "My giving this year helps support and empower women across the globe. LeanIn.Org helps people experiencing loss build resilience through OptionB.Org, and provides hard working college students with financial support and mentorship through the Dave Goldberg Scholars Program, which honors the legacy of my husband," she told Forbes in December 2019. Three cheers for female COOs!
28. Kathy Fields
Dermatologist Kathy Fields and her business partner, Katie Rodan, have created two successful skincare brands: Proactiv Solutions and Rodan + Fields. In other words, if you've ever had a breakout, chances are one of their products helped clear up your skin. Fields' net worth stands at approximately $1.4 billion and she frequently gives back to others via her highly successful company. Rodan + Fields is committed to having a positive social impact through its various philanthropic efforts, and in 2018 it pledged to donate $1 million to its Prescription for Change Foundation which funds leadership and educational programs in the United States, Australia, and Canada.
29. Kylie Jenner
The well-known Kardashian-Jenner sister is one of the youngest billionaires in the world thanks to her Kylie Cosmetics empire, which sells all of those lip glosses and makeup palettes you can't get enough of. She sold 51% of the brand to Coty, Inc. in November 2019 for $600 million and pocketed $540 million, pretax, putting her total net worth at a cool $1 billion. Since beginning her partnership with a charity called Smile Train in Oct. 2016, the reality TV star has donated almost a half a million dollars to provide new smiles to over 1,800 children born with clefts.
30. Sara Blakely
If you've ever worn Spanx shapewear under an outfit, you've got this gal to thank for it. The Florida native founded the super successful brand in 1998, and has made approximately $1 billion because of it. In 2006, she launched the Sara Blakely Foundation to help women through education and entrepreneurial training.
For more inspiring female content, click HERE for a list of empowering Zendaya quotes to use as Instagram captions.