The 10 Most Powerful and Wealthy Business Families in the World
They say money makes the world go round, but if that were true, we’d have spun off our axis by now, hurtling toward the sun in a blaze of fiery, oddly satisfying doom. Instead, every year brings new headlines about the wealthiest—and often most infuriating—people on the planet, watching their fortunes grow while the rest of us wonder how they do it. But here’s the thing: while money talks, wealth whispers. The truly, unimaginably rich aren’t the ones splashed across tabloids or flaunting their yachts on Instagram. They’re the ones you’ve probably never heard of, quietly pulling strings from behind the scenes. And that’s exactly how they like it. After all, it’s much easier to do shady, ultra-rich-people things when no one knows your name.
Let’s pull back the curtain. This isn’t a list of the richest individuals (we’ve seen enough of those) or the most valuable companies (looking at you, Apple). Instead, we’re diving into the world of business dynasties—families who’ve built billion-dollar empires passed down through generations. These are the clans who’ve turned wealth into an art form, controlling industries, shaping economies, and staying largely out of the spotlight. Ready to meet the families behind the fortunes?
10.The Hoffmann And Oeri Family
Total worth: Around $25 billion
How they made it: Pharmaceuticals (the legal kind)
Based in Switzerland—a country synonymous with low taxes and high secrecy—the Hoffmann-Oeri family is a powerhouse in the pharmaceutical industry. They control a significant chunk of Roche, a global giant known for producing life-saving cancer drugs. While their work impacts millions, their wealth and influence have earned them a reputation as the kind of billionaires who operate in the shadows, far from the public eye.
The family’s roots trace back to Fritz Hoffmann-La Roche, the founder of Roche, and today, his descendants are spread across a wide range of business and philanthropic ventures. One of the more unusual projects? The Puppenhausmuseum, the world’s largest teddy bear collection, founded and funded by the wife of one of Roche’s heirs. It’s a quirky contrast to their otherwise serious empire.
But here’s where it gets even more fascinating. Back in the 1930s, the family created their own private bank solely to manage the wealth of anyone inheriting Roche shares—whether through birth, marriage, or divorce. Fast forward to today, and the dynasty has produced at least a dozen billionaires, all living off the fortune Fritz built over a century ago.
The Hoffmann-Oeri family is a prime example of how wealth, once accumulated, can grow and sustain itself across generations. They’ve mastered the art of staying under the radar while quietly shaping industries and amassing fortunes. Love them or loathe them, their story is a testament to the enduring power of family dynasties.
9.The Lee Family
Total worth: About $29 billion
How they made it: They own controlling shares in Samsung
Pretty much everyone owns a cell phone these days. Hell, analytics say a good number of people reading this right now are doing so on the toilet. To those people, hello, and remember to elevate your legs slightly and wash your hands. Anyway, someone has to be making all those phones and of course, someone is getting very rich off of all of those sales, like the Lee family of South Korea.
Since the family owns a controlling stake in freaking Samsung we probably don’t need to tell you how they made their money. But it is worth noting how a lot of that money was invested. Art. Basic rich people stuff, we know. But specifically, the Lee family, in particular former patriarch Lee Byung-chul, had an interest in Korean art to the point his personal collection was said to rival that of actual museums. In fact, after he died they up and turned his collection into a museum in its own right.
Speaking of basic rich people stuff the family has also been embroiled in several controversies, the most notable being former Samsung chairman and current skeleton Kun-Hee Lee bribing the president of South Korea multiple times. In that he bribed different, consecutive South Korean presidents using company funds multiple times.
Keen to prove himself a chip off the old block, Lee’s son, Jae-yong Lee was also convicted of bribing another South Korean president. He was later pardoned in 2022 by, you guessed it, the South Korean President (a different one this time), for reasons totally unrelated to the family’s history of giving presidents millions of won.
8.The Ambani Family
Total worth: Around $45 billion
How they made it: Telecommunications (and a whole lot more)
While many ultra-wealthy families prefer to stay out of the spotlight, the Ambanis are anything but shy. Patriarch Mukesh Ambani owns Antilia, the most expensive private home in the world—a skyscraper-mansion hybrid that defies description. Valued at an estimated $2 billion (though likely worth much more), this architectural marvel boasts features that sound like they’re straight out of a sci-fi movie. Think earthquake-resistant safety systems so advanced that even the ice cream in the on-site parlor wouldn’t budge during a magnitude 8 quake. To put its grandeur into perspective, the only private residence that might rival its value is Buckingham Palace.
But the Ambani family isn’t just known for their jaw-dropping real estate. They’ve also been at the center of their fair share of scandals, from stock manipulation to a bitter legal feud between Mukesh and his brother, Anil. The source of their rivalry? Their father, the founder of the family empire, passed away without a will, leaving the brothers to battle over the fortune. The feud escalated to the point where their mother had to step in as mediator—a move that’s equal parts dramatic and oddly hilarious.
Despite the drama, the Ambanis remain one of the most influential families in the world, with their wealth rooted in telecommunications and a sprawling network of businesses. Love them or hate them, their story is a fascinating mix of opulence, ambition, and family drama—proof that even the richest families aren’t immune to a little chaos.
7.The Dumas Family
Total worth: Estimated range from $25 to $151 depending on how many members of the family you include
How they made it: They own a controlling stake in Hermès
It’s a popular joke that luxury, designer brands sell overpriced crap to idiots with more money than sense, but they still sell those things for a premium with, no doubt, a very healthy profit margin. Which is presumably how the Dumas family, who own a controlling stake in Hermès, have consistently placed on the richest family lists for, quite literally, over a century.
Descended from Thierry Hermès, for whom the company is named, the current-day Dumas family boasts at least five billionaires according to Forbes, and the family is collectively worth more than the “Rockefellers, the Mellons, and the Fords. Combined.”
Something we should clarify here is that the Dumas family are direct descendants of the original company founder, making Hermès one of the largest companies in the world still owned and operated by the family that founded it. A detail that probably has at least a few of you wondering why they no longer go by the Hermès name, which is fair, and is a result of the granddaughter of Thierry Hermès, Emile-Maurice Hermès, only having daughters. Complicating things further is the fact that some sources still report on the family as being the Hermès family despite nobody involved with the company using that name anymore.
6.The Bettencourt Family
Total worth: About $100 billion
How they made it: A controlling stake in L’Oreal
So, so far we’ve covered fairly basic evil rich person stuff like manipulating stocks and bribing multiple presidents in a row so let’s do it, let’s press the Nazi button.
Currently helmed by the reclusive billionaire matriarch, Francoise Bettencourt, the Bettencourt family’s fortunes are owed to Eugène Schueller, original founder of L’Oreal and Bettencourt’s grandfather.
Unfortunately inventing and selling hair dye wasn’t all Schueller got up to and he was reportedly all in on Hitler and the far right during WW2, personally bankrolling far-right groups and even letting them have their crappy little meetings in L’Oreal’s headquarters.
Now while the Bettencourt fortune didn’t come from any of this, it sure as hell makes for uncomfortable reading and is something Bettencourt and the L’Oreal brand have desperately tried to distance themselves from. Which is why we’re very sorry to have brought it up.
In regards to Bettencourt, she’s, as mentioned, very reclusive, rarely appearing in public or granting interviews. But she does occasionally emerge from her presumably very well-moisturized bubble to do things like drop almost a quarter of a billion Euros to help repair Notre Dame or a random book on Greek mythology.
5.The Slim Family
Total worth: About $95 Billion
How they made it: A sprawling empire under Grupo Carso, plus telecommunications
You know the classic image of the ultra-rich tycoon who owns so much that even they lose track of their wealth? That’s Carlos Slim, the patriarch of the Slim family dynasty, in a nutshell. Based in Mexico, Slim is a polarizing figure—beloved by some, criticized by others—for owning what feels like everything. One researcher even pointed out that the average Mexican likely can’t go a full day without somehow contributing to Slim’s fortune.
What’s fascinating about Slim is how old-school he is. In an age of smartphones and laptops, he doesn’t own a computer. Instead, he relies on a trusty notepad and pencil to jot down his thoughts. It’s a charming quirk for someone running a lemonade stand, but Slim isn’t selling lemonade. He’s at the helm of a billion-dollar multinational conglomerate that employs thousands. Despite his analog habits, he’s razor-sharp in business, though he’s joked that even he doesn’t know the full extent of his wealth.
Slim is famously frugal—at least by billionaire standards—and has spent years strategically positioning his children on the boards of his various companies. He’s also been quietly transferring portions of his fortune to them, ensuring the Slim name stays powerful and their bank accounts stay overflowing.
Love him or hate him, Carlos Slim is a fascinating figure: a throwback to a simpler time, yet a master of modern business. His story is a reminder that sometimes, the most successful people are the ones who break all the rules.
4.The Wertheimer Family
Total worth: Around $95 billion
How they made it: They own Chanel—outright.
While many families on this list have built their fortunes through stakes in various businesses, the Wertheimer brothers stand apart. They don’t just own a piece of Chanel—they own all of it. That’s right, the iconic fashion house, synonymous with timeless elegance and luxury, is entirely in their hands.
The brothers, Alain and Gérard Wertheimer, are famously private. Their father, Jacques, inherited Chanel from Pierre Wertheimer (who co-founded the brand with Coco Chanel) but had little interest in running a perfume empire. Instead, Jacques poured his energy into raising racehorses, leaving the business to his sons. In the 1970s, the brothers took full control, and Jacques reportedly didn’t bat an eye.
The Wertheimers are so secretive that even Chanel board members struggle to get basic details about the company. For three decades, the brothers didn’t release a single financial statement—something they only did for the first time in 2017. Spoiler: the company was doing very well.
As for the future? It’s a mystery. Both brothers are married with children, but their families are never seen in public. The Wertheimers themselves rarely attend Chanel events, except for fashion shows, where they sit quietly in the back, avoiding the spotlight.
The Wertheimer brothers are the ultimate enigmas: billionaires who’ve built an empire on one of the world’s most recognizable brands, yet remain almost entirely hidden from view. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the most powerful people are the ones you never see.
3.The Mars Family
Total worth: About $125 billion
How they made it: Candy, as well as other things that aren’t candy
So a lot of families on this list are secretive, and their reasons vary. However, none are as weird as those of Mars family, whose commitment to being as far out of the public eye as possible stems from their ancestor being fearful someone would learn the secret of how to make Uncle Ben’s Rice.
Yep, the company that makes M&M’s, Skittles, and Milky Way also owns the patent on how to make Uncle Ben’s Rice and they’re fiercely protective of it. So much so that the son of the founder, Forrest Edward Mars Sr., is said to have picked a fight with the US government when they tried to acquire the patent to make rice for soldiers. Eventually, a compromise was reached in the form of a contract to supply the military with all the parboiled rice they could handle.
Anyway, the lessons on secrecy passed down by Mars Sr. are still upheld and adhered to, with the current members of the Mars family being nearly impossible to learn anything about. A notable exception is Jacqueline Mars, who is described as being the only member of the whole family “with a lifestyle close to reflecting her billionaire status.”
Which of course means she’s killed two people. In a car crash, for which she was fined $2,500.
2.The Arnault Family
Total worth: Some estimates range as high as $240 billion
How they made it: Holdings in numerous luxury brands
So when we say the Arnault family has holdings in “numerous luxury brands” we really, really mean that, with even the company they own that owns these holdings basically being the names of several high-end brands strung together: LVMH, which stands for Moët Hennessy-Louis Vuitton.
Through this conglomerate, the Arnault family has a stake in pretty much everything you’d associate with being a rich jerk. Fancy overpriced watches? TAG Heuer. Champagne? Take your pick, since they have holdings in Chandon, Dom Pérignon, and of course, Moët. How about yachts? Well, you’re in luck because they also own a share of the appropriately named Princess Yachts. Never before has one company offered more variety, with the exception of when Yamaha decided to sell both keyboards and motorcycles.
Family patriarch Bernard Arnault, who is occasionally the richest man on Earth when the market is right or Elon Musk is being an idiot, has five children, all of whom work for LVMH. And of course, they endlessly bicker about it, at least according to behind-the-scenes rumors. Publicly, the elder Arnault has plans to divide the company equally between his five loser children.
The behind-the-scenes drama has been compared to that seen on the show Succession and involves, among other things, family gatherings where Arnault will grill his children on prepared topics to discern their suitability for leadership and make cryptic statements in public about who will run his empire when he dies in front of his children, seemingly just as a power play.
1.The Walton Family
Total worth: Around $250 billion
How they made it: Walmart, baby!
When you think of the world’s wealthiest families, you might imagine old-money dynasties tied to luxury brands or tech giants. But the Waltons? They built their fortune on Walmart—yes, the same Walmart where you buy groceries and cheap T-shirts. It’s a bit ironic, but it’s also a testament to the sheer scale of the retail giant.
The Walton family is arguably one of the most powerful in America, with a collective net worth that surpasses the GDP of some countries. Their wealth traces back to Sam Walton, the founder of Walmart, and his shrewd business sense. But let’s not forget his accountant, who played a key role in setting up the financial structures that allowed the family to grow—and keep—their fortune.
Speaking of keeping their fortune, the Waltons are masters of tax avoidance. They’ve exploited countless loopholes in the tax code, using tools like trusts to ensure they pay little to no taxes on their wealth while still having full access to it. It’s a system so effective that critics have compared them to modern-day aristocrats, passing down their wealth generation after generation without contributing much in return.
At this point, the Waltons’ wealth is so vast it’s almost mythical. You could picture a dragon sitting on a mountain of gold, guarding Walmart’s profits. At least with a dragon, someone could slay it and take a share of the treasure. With the Waltons? Their gold seems untouchable.
Love them or hate them, the Waltons are a fascinating example of how a single idea—a discount retail store—can grow into an empire worth hundreds of billions. But their story also raises questions about wealth, power, and fairness in a world where the rich keep getting richer.
