Asia’s 5 richest families control $ 198.6 billion – highlighting how the current economic climate is making the rich even richer and widening the gap between the rich and the rest of the population. The five richest families come from five different countries India, Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia and South Korea. Mukesh Ambani – head of Reliance Industries – is still the richest man in Asia, and therefore a family.
# 5. Le family
Net worth: $ 26.6 billion
Source: Samsung
Location: South Korea
Their combined $ 26.6 billion net worth is derived from Samsung, which was started in 1938 by Lee Byung-Chull as a trading company that exports fruits, vegetables and fish. Today, Samsung Electronics (founded in 1969) is the world’s largest manufacturer of memory chips and smartphones and a leading manufacturer of TVs and other electronic devices. Samsung is the eighth most valuable brand in the world.
Mukesh Ambani attended his daughter Isha Ambani’s wedding reception with wife Neeta Ambani, Anand Piramal (via SUJIT JAISWAL / AFP Getty Image)
Read more: Mukesh Ambani’s Net Worth in 2020
# 4. Hearts Family
Net worth: $ 31.3 billion
Source: Djarum, Bank Central Asia
Location: Indonesia
Their combined $ 31.3 billion in networth comes from Zurm, a clove-making cigarette company. Djarum has become the third largest producer of clove cigarettes in the world. The Hartono family is also the largest shareholder of Bank Central Asia, the largest private bank in Indonesia.
# 3. Chyravanot Family
Net worth: $ 31.7 billion
Source: Charon Pokefund Group
Location: Thailand
Their combined $ 31.7 billion net worth derives from the Charoen Pokefund Group, a conglomerate of food, retail and telecommunications units. The family’s fortunes began with selling seeds and today it thrives with, among other things, slurps. That’s right, the CP group owns the largest group of 7-elevations in Thailand.
# 2. Kwok family
Net worth: $ 33 billion
Source: Sun Hun Kai Properties
Location: Hong Kong
Their combined net worth of $ 33 billion is taken from Sun Hung Kai Properties, the world’s second largest real estate company. Sun Hung Kai Properties is one of the largest real estate developers and landlords in Hong Kong. In Hong Kong, only a handful of families control real estate, shopping centers and utilities. The Kwok family is one of those families. Hong Kong real estate is the most expensive in the world in terms of price per square foot. Sun Hung Kai Properties is the largest landowner in Hong Kong and is one of the main reasons that the cost of living in Hong Kong has skyrocketed over the past few decades.
# 1. Ambani Family
Net worth: $ 76 billion
Source: Reliance Industries
Location: India
The Ambani family actually has assets of $ 76 billion. This is also Mukesh Ambani’s personal net worth. The last few years have been interesting for the Ambani brothers, it is sure. Due to several poor business moves, Anil Ambani has a net worth of $ 0. On the other hand, Mukesh owns the largest oil refining complex in the world, is bringing affordable internet to the rural areas of India, and lives in a 27-storey mansion in Mumbai, considered to be the world’s most expensive private residence. What’s even more shocking about Mukesh’s net worth is that just seven years ago, when we first wrote about becoming the richest man in India, he was “just” $ 18 billion. Two years ago, the Ambani family (Anil had not lost all his money yet) was valued at $ 43.4 billion.