The World's Richest Person by Region Part 1

Have you ever wondered who is the richest person in your region?  How old is he/she? What is his business? What difficulties did they face? If yes, this article is for you.

In Part 1, I'm going to write about the richest people in North America, Europe and Asia.

I always impressed with the self-made businesses and luckily, all business men that I will write about in this article, started their businesses from zero.

Personally, I believe that we can learn from them and they can motivate us. Moreover, they are already at the top which makes them the best example for the start-ups and beginner entrepreneurs.

North America

After 4 years in second place, in 2013, Bill Gates took back the first place in Forbes's Billionaire list from Mexican Carlos Slim with the net worth of $82 billion.  59 years old co-Founder and Chairman of Microsoft is the most wealthiest man in the World and North America.

Personally, I believe that in the past he did some `non-ethic` stuff but now Gates wants to change the world and works for it. Since 2000, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation gave away $35 billion to fight with poverty, disease etc.

Now, If you still don't know, this is the short brief of how Bill Gates became the world richest man;

He was born on 28 October 1955 in Seattle, Washington and started to write codes at the age of 13.
After dropped out of Harvard University, he and his partner Paul Allen found Micro-soft which combines Micro-Computer and Soft-ware.

Microsoft released Windows at 1986 and after 1 year Bill Gates was a billionaire. In 1995, Bill Gates became the most richest man in the World first time with estimated net worth of $12 billion and after 20 years, His fortune became $82 billion.

Europe

Do you know Amencio Ortega? If no, ask your girlfriend; `what is her favorite clothing brand?` (or if you are female, what is your favorite brand?) Eighty percent the answer will include ZARA and Amencio Ortega is the man behind the ZARA brand which reached more than 100 country in the world.

Despite the fact that, he stepped down  as chairman of Inditex, he owns more than 50 percent shares of the company. Moreover, Spanish Amencio Ortega is also known as `real-estate investor` which worth nearly $6 billion.

As a rail-way workers son, he created fashion empire brand Zara and became the most richest man in the Europe and 4th in the World with the net worth of $61.5 billion. From 2013 to 2014, he gained $7 more billion and made his place secure in the Billionaire's List.

Why Zara is so successful? Ortega had and has just one business rule when he started Inditex company; `GIVE CUSTOMERS WHAT THEY WANT` and this rule is still
the most important rule of Zara's success. Nowadays, they only compete with themselves in the market and It seems like it will continue.

Asia

Hong Kong's 86 years old `Sir` Li Ka-shing is the most richest man in the Asia. His fortune is approximately $31 billion. However, Li had tough life and after his father's death, he quit school at the age of 12 to support his family and start to work full-time jobs at the age of 14. When Li was 18, he formed his first company and after some years became the Asia's number one plastic flower supplier.

Li has the majority shares (70%) of Canadian Gas and Oil producer Huskey Energy Inc and has Hutchison Whampoa Ltd,  Hutchison Telecomunication, Air Canada, parfumery chain Marionnaud etc.

His companies has 20% of Hong Kong Stock Exchange's market cap. Today he has 120.000 employees from more than 50 country. He also invested $120 million to Facebook because he lost a bet and holds less than 1% of the company.

Despite the fact that, he is the richest and strongest business man in Asia,Li thinks that press and social media underestimate him and his fortune. With Li Ka Shing Foundation, `Sir` Li Ka-Shing helps people and charitable foundations. He also invests some tech companies through this foundation to raise money for charitable organizations.


Next part will include the world's richest people in Oceania, Middle-East and Africa!