Proof, if it were needed, came today from Bloomberg, which has revealed shipping tycoon John Fredriksen now has more money than Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.
Given the two men’s contrasting fortunes in the money markets over the past year, Fredriksen may wish to give Zuckerberg a poke in the right direction.
While the Norwegian magnate has seen his fortune spring up by $2.2bn, Zuckerberg’s stock in the world’s financial elite has been plunging. His wealth has fallen by a staggering $6.8bn since Facebook’s much-hyped IPO.
As a result Fredriksen – who incidentally has 324 likes on a tribute Facebook page – is now worth $13.3bn, according to Bloomberg’s sums.
This comfortably trumps the $10.7bn remaining in Zuckerberg’s still substantial fortune.
The numbers came to light as Fredriksen was placed in 65 place on a Bloomberg list of the world’s 200 richest people – 23 spots ahead of the 28-year-old Zuckerberg.
Money in shipping
While those featuring on Bloomberg’s first rich rundown range from flip-flop makers, to fashion designers and commodity traders, there was a number of others aside from Fredriksen who make at least some of their money from shipping.
Chief among them is Li Ka-shing (pictured), who given his $27bn will probably not consider himself to be too unlucky to be in 13 spot.
While the Hong Kong port tycoon is still some way from the $77.5bn boasted by top man Carlos Slim, he is $4.8bn up over the past year.
Brazilian shipyard and offshore magnate Eike Batista, like Zuckerberg, has endured an uncomfortable few months. Bloomberg ranks him in 28 position with a $20.4bn fortune, down almost one tenth in the past year.
Still, as he is three spots and almost $1bn ahead of chocolate heavyweight John Mars, Batista will not be too bitter.
Vladimir Lisin flies the Russian shipping flag in 44 spot with a healthy $16.7bn to his name.
He is among friends, sandwiched between Arsenal Football Club investor Alisher Usmanov (40 place with $18bn) and Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich (51 with $14.7bn).
Malaysian owner Robert Kuock is not far behind with $13.5bn. The 89-year-old is $1.5bn better off over the past 12 months.
Hapag-Lloyd investor Klaus-Michael Kuehne also makes an appearance, claiming 116 position with a cool $9.2bn.
Kuock’s countryman Lim Kok Thay, owner of the Genting empire, is placed in 178 with $6.4bn. The 61-year-old has the distinction of being the richest man with cruise ships on the list, seeing off Carnival’s Micky Arison by three spaces and $200m.
Media-shy Glencore CEO Ivan Glasenberg’s also makes into the Bloomberg radar, level, for now at least, with Silvio Berlusconi on $6bn.
If you wanted to make some cashaway from the struggling shipping sector, a bit of retail therapy may be inorder.
According to Bloomberg nine of theworld’s 25 richest people are retail moguls: including Ikea founder IngvarKamprad, four members of the Walton family that controls Wal-Mart.
