Society
Two silver-spoon young billionaires in China
By Zuo Likun (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-03-18 15:00
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Forbes magazine has published a revealing rich list of the world's top ten youngest billionaires, two of whom are Chinese born with silver spoons, Britain's Times reported Tuesday.
Twenty eight year old Chinese Yang Huiyan, ranking 3rd with a net worth of $3.4 billion, inherited her fortune from her father Yang Guoqiang's property empire Country Garden, shortly after she graduated from the Ohio State University in 2004 with a degree in marketing and logistics.
The other silver-spoon inheritor is Lee Ziaohui, also 28, ranking 9th with a net worth of $1 billion, whose assassinated father was the former boss of Highsee Iron and Steel Group in northern coal-rich Shanxi province.
At the top of the list is Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, a 25-year-old Harvard graduate who catapulted to international fame with his $4-billion social networking site.
Five of the ten up-and-coming billionaires are self-made stars, of whom Zuckerberg, still single, was the only one that made into the top five.
Followed are Forbes' top 10 youngest billionaires posted in Tuesday's Times.
1. Mark Zuckerberg -- Net worth: $4 billion
How: Internet Age: 25 Citizenship: US Marital status: Single
The Facebook-founder launched the social networking site from his Harvard bedroom in 2004.
2. John Arnold -- Net worth: $4 billion
How: Energy trading Age: 36 Citizenship: US Marital status: Married
Hired by Enron and founded hedge fund Centaurus Energy in 2002 after Enron collapsed.
3. Yang Huiyan -- Net worth: $3.4 billion
How: Property Age: 28 Citizenship: China Marital status: Married
Her fortune is tied up in her holding in Guangdong developer Country Garden, run by her father Yeung Kwok Keung.
4. Albert von Thurn und Taxis -- Net worth: $2.2 billion
How: Inheritance Age: 26 Citizenship: Germany Marital status: Single
Inherited fortune on his 18th birthday and lives in family castle, Schloss Emmeram.
5. Fahd Hariri -- Net worth: $1.4 billion
How: Construction, investments Age: 29 Citizenship: Lebanon Marital status: Single
Youngest son of assassinated Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri inherited stake in his father's construction, telecom and property empire.
6. Aymin Hariri -- Net worth: $1.4 billion
How: Construction, investments Age: 31 Citizenship: Saudi Arabia Marital status: Married
Brother of above, while other brother Saad is Prime Minister of Lebanon.
7. Yoshikazu Tanaka -- Net worth: $1.4 billion
How: Internet Age: 33 Citizenship: Japan Marital status: Na
Like Zuckerberg, Tanaka also made his fortune from a social networking site, Gree.
8. Kostyantin Zhevago -- Net worth: $1.2 billion
How: Banking, mining Age: 36 Citizenship: Ukraine Marital status: Married
Has majority stake in iron ore producer Ferrexpo and Finance & Credit Bank.
9. Lee Ziaohui -- Net worth: $1 billion
How: Manufacturing Age: 28 Citizenship: China Marital status: Married
Chairman of one of China's biggest private steel manufacturers Shanxi Highsee Iron and Steel Group, since father was shot in 2003.
10. Shahid Balwa -- Net worth: $1 billion
How: Property Age: 36 Citizenship: India Marital status: Married
Partner in DB Realty whose projects include Turf Estate, a luxury high-rise, and the 108-storey Park Hyatt Hotel in Mumbai.
