FX.co ★ Bloomberg's top 5 wealthiest families in Asia
Bloomberg's top 5 wealthiest families in Asia
Ambani family, India
Brothers Mukesh and Anil Ambani are the heirs of famous businessman Dhirubhai Ambani, the founder of Reliance Industries. Established in 1957, it is now the largest conglomerate in India, comprising energy, petrochemical, natural resources, retail, and telecommunication companies. After the death of the father in 2002 and a prolonged dispute over inheritance, Mukesh, the older brother, came at the helm of the conglomerate. The fortune of the Ambani family is estimated at over $90 billion.
Photo: Mukesh Ambani and his wife.
Hartono family, Indonesia
Michael (in the photo) and Robert Hartono are the kings of Asia’s cigarette market. The brothers inherited the business from their father, Oei Wie Gwan. In 1950, he purchased a minor cigarette brand and renamed it Djarum. The business has grown into one of the largest cigarette makers in the world. The company specialises in the production of kretek, cigarettes made with a blend of tobacco, cloves, and other flavours. The Hartono brothers are in charge of the firm. They also own a majority stake in Bank Central Asia. That stake now makes up most of the family’s fortune worth over $36 billion.
Mistry family, India
The oldest dynasty on the list, Mistry, has 5 generations. The family business was founded in 1865 and started with a construction enterprise. Nowadays, Shapoorji Pallonji Group spans various business areas, including engineering, construction, textile, and biotechnology. Pallonji Mistry is its chairman. The conglomerate is the largest shareholder of Tata Sons, the holding controlling Jaguar Land Rover. Pallonji Mistry’s son Cyrus (in the photo) was at the helm of Tata Group between 2012 and 2016. The Mistry family now has a fortune worth $34 billion.
Kwok family, Hong Kong
The Kwok brothers inherited their father's real estate development company in 1990. Initially, Raymond, Thomas (in the photo), and Walter ran Hong Kong's Sun Hung Kai together. However, everything changed in 1997 when Walter, the oldest brother, was ousted after being kidnapped and held captive for some time. Meanwhile, Raymond and Thomas took the company to the next level. In 2012, the firm was recognized as the largest real estate operator in Asia. Both brothers were arrested on suspicion of corruption that same year. The joint capital of the Kwok family is estimated at $31 billion, according to the latest data.
Chearavanont family, Thailand
The Chearavanont brothers are successfully expanding their father Ek Chor’s business founded in 1921. Today, Charoen Pokphand Group is a conglomerate with food, retail, and telecom units. Dhanin Chearavanont, the youngest of the brothers, has been the senior chairman of the holding since 1970. The total fortune of this family was estimated at $30 billion at the beginning of the year, according to Bloomberg.
