While Elon Musk frequently dominates headlines, there’s another individual quietly holding the title of the world’s richest woman – Françoise Bettencourt Meyers.
Forbes estimates her net worth at a staggering $92.6 billion, placing her at the pinnacle of wealth for women globally. Unlike other famous entrepreneurs who built their fortunes from the ground up, Bettencourt Meyers took a different route to affluence – as a nepotism beneficiary.
Her wealth story began with the inheritance of a one-third stake in the beauty giant L’Oréal, along with tens of billions of dollars, following her mother’s passing in 2017. L’Oréal, a global cosmetics powerhouse, experienced a 29% surge in shares in the first half of the current year alone, contributing significantly to the growth of Bettencourt Meyers’ wealth.
L’Oréal boasts an impressive portfolio of brands, including household names like Maybelline, Garnier, Lancôme, and beauty divisions of luxury fashion houses such as Yves Saint Laurent and Valentino.
Despite her inherited fortune, Bettencourt Meyers chose a different path than the stereotypical socialite lifestyle. Focused on her career as an author, she maintained a dedication to her family’s business. The 70-year-old heiress is the granddaughter of Eugène Schueller, the founder of L’Oréal, whose journey began in 1909 as a pharmacist.
Despite familial challenges, including a tumultuous relationship with her mother, legal disputes over inheritance, and accusations of Nazi sympathies within the family, Bettencourt Meyers has remained involved in L’Oréal’s operations. She not only sits on the company’s board but also chairs the family’s holding company, retaining a 33% stake in the brand.
Apart from her financial legacy, Bettencourt Meyers inherited valuable assets, including an art deco mansion in the affluent Parisian suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine, overlooking Brittany’s coast.
In addition to managing her family’s business, Bettencourt Meyers has devoted a portion of her wealth to philanthropy. Following the devastating fire at Notre Dame Cathedral, she pledged millions and currently serves as the president of the Bettencourt Schueller Foundation, a charity she co-founded in the 1980s. The foundation issues grants to support research in the life sciences and various arts projects, showcasing Bettencourt Meyers’ commitment to making a positive impact beyond her financial success.
