World's Most Powerful Billionaires

The world has become a wealth wasteland. Like the rest of us, the richest people in the world have endured a financial disaster over the past year. Today there are 793 people on our list of the World's Billionaires, a 30% decline from a year ago.
Of the 1,125 billionaires who made last year's ranking, 373 fell off the list--355 from declining fortunes and 18 who died. There are 38 newcomers, plus three moguls who returned to the list after regaining their 10-figure fortunes. It is the first time since 2003 that the world has had a net loss in the number of billionaires.
The world's richest are also a lot poorer. Their collective net worth is $2.4 trillion, down $2 trillion from a year ago. Their average net worth fell 23% to $3 billion. The last time the average was that low was in 2003. Bill Gates lost $18 billion but regained his title as the world's richest man. Warren Buffett, last year's No. 1, saw his fortune decline $25 billion as shares of Berkshire Hathaway (nyse: BRK.A - news - people ) fell nearly 50% in 12 months, but he still managed to slip just one spot to No. 2. Mexican telecom titan Carlos Slim Helú also lost $25 billion and dropped one spot to No. 3.
It was hard to avoid the carnage, whether you were in stocks, commodities, real estate or technology. Even people running profitable businesses were hammered by frozen credit markets, weak consumer spending or declining currencies.
The biggest loser in the world this year, by dollars, was last year's biggest gainer. India's Anil Ambani lost $32 billion--76% of his fortune--as shares of his Reliance Communications, Reliance Power and Reliance Capital all collapsed.
Ambani is one of 24 Indian billionaires, all but one of whom are poorer than a year ago. Another 29 Indians lost their billionaire status entirely as India's stock market tumbled 44% in the past year and the Indian rupee depreciated 18% against the dollar. It is no longer the top spot in Asia for billionaires, ceding that title to China, which has 28.

Mukesh Ambani, Lakshmi Mittal among 'World's Most Powerful Billionaires'

Washington, Jan 28 (IANS) Two Indians, energy mogul Mukesh Ambani and steel czar Lakshmi Mittal, have made it to the Forbes list of 'World's Most Powerful Billionaires' combining massive fortunes with political clout.

'Through his industrial might, India's richest person, Mukesh Ambani, ranks eighth,' in the US business magazine's annual list topped by Michael Bloomberg, mayor of New York City. Mittal ranks 13th on the list.
Bloomberg also 'lords over the media, finance and fashion capital of the US - and arguably the world'.
'Ambani controls oil and gas conglomerate Reliance Industries. With a market value of more than $73 billion, the firm is India's biggest independent company.'
Compatriot Lakshmi Mittal - India's second wealthiest with a net worth of $30 billion - heads ArcelorMittal, the world's largest steel maker, and ranks 13th on the list. The steel giant operates in 60 countries and has market value of $65 billion.
Mukesh Ambani, Forbes noted, inherited father Dhirubhai's massive industrial empire with brother Anil in 2002. 'Brothers battled over power, divided assets. Mukesh controls energy entities; Anil leads banking and telecom companies.'
Mittal started in the family steel business in the 1970s, broke out on his own in 1994 and is now planning joint iron venture in Liberia and Guinea with miner BHP Billiton, it noted. 'Bought 12-bedroom mansion in Kensington for more than $100 million in 2004; was London's most expensive home at the time.'
Billionaire Sebastian Pinera who won Chile's presidential election, defeating incumbent Eduardo Frei in a runoff vote is ranked 15th on the list which has two other billionaires currently running countries.
'Media and banking titan Silvio Berlusconi is prime minister of Italy and ranks second on Forbes list. Billionaire industrial heir, Saad Hariri, who was appointed prime minister of Lebanon Iast June, ranks fifth.
Rounding out the top five: Mexican telecom titan Carlos Slim and Russian oil magnate Vagit Alekperov.
Apple's Steve Jobs ranks as the 18th most powerful billionaire in the world. Billionaires falling from the ranks this year include Oprah Winfrey, Roman Abramovich and Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud.

List of top 25 Billionairs in the world. 

Rank				Name				Citizenship	Age	Net Worth ($bil)							Residence
1				William Gates III				United States	53	40.0							United States
2				Warren Buffett				United States	78	37.0							United States
3				Carlos Slim Helu & family				Mexico	69	35.0							Mexico
4				Lawrence Ellison				United States	64	22.5							United States
5				Ingvar Kamprad & family				Sweden	83	22.0							Switzerland
6				Karl Albrecht				Germany	89	21.5							Germany
7				Mukesh Ambani				India	51	19.5							India
8				Lakshmi Mittal				India	58	19.3							United Kingdom
9				Theo Albrecht				Germany	87	18.8							Germany
10				Amancio Ortega				Spain	73	18.3							Spain
11				Jim Walton				United States	61	17.8							United States
12				Alice Walton				United States	59	17.6							United States
12				Christy Walton & family				United States	54	17.6							United States
12				S Robson Walton				United States	65	17.6							United States
15				Bernard Arnault				France	60	16.5							France
16				Li Ka-shing				Hong Kong	80	16.2							Hong Kong
17				Michael Bloomberg				United States	67	16.0							United States
18				Stefan Persson				Sweden	61	14.5							Sweden
19				Charles Koch				United States	73	14.0							United States
19				David Koch				United States	68	14.0							United States
21				Liliane Bettencourt				France	86	13.4							France
22				Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud				Saudi Arabia	54	13.3							Saudi Arabia
23				Michael Otto & family				Germany	65	13.2							Germany
24				David Thomson & family				Canada	51	13.0							Canada
25				Michael Dell				United States	44	12.3							United States

Source :  forbes.com