3/2/2015
By Ivan Pereira
The Big Apple is the world’s billionaire capital.
Forbes released its annual global ranking of billionaires Monday and New York scored a plurality of the top of the top one percent. Seventy five of the 1,826 individuals on the list call Gotham home, with most of their wealth deriving from the finance sector, according to Forbes reporter Dan Alexander.
“It’s the same thing that attracts anyone to New York; It’s an American icon itself. It’s a place to get deals done so a lot of these guys, even though they don’t live here, they have to constantly come through here,” he said.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates led the list with a net worth of $79.2 billion, followed by Mexican investor Carlos Slim Helú’s $77.1 billion. David Koch was the top New York billionaire at $42.9 billion, a $2 billion jump over last year, followed by former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, whose net worth saw a $2.5 billion jump to $35.5 billion in 2015.
New York state added seven new billionaires between 2014 and this year such as hedge fund manager William Ackman, investor Howard Marks and Vincent Viola, the executive chairman of the trading company Virtu Financial.
Mark D. Naison, a Professor of African American studies and history at Fordham University, said the influx of international billionaires has been reflected in the increase in a steadily widening gap between rich and poor, manifest in an increase in luxury buildings and more. “Global capital is the secret to New York’s emerging financial elite and there is little evidence that it is trickling down to New York’s working middle class, much less its poor,” he said in a statement.
Alexander argued that New Yorkers benefit from the presence of the most affluent, as they create new jobs and often give millions to city charitable groups.
Here are the top 10 billionaires in New York:
David Koch, net worth $42.90 billion
Michael Bloomberg, net worth $35.50 billion
George Soros, net worth $24.20 billion
Carl Icahn, net worth $23.50 billion
Ronald Perelman net worth $14.50 billion
James Simons net worth $14 billion
Rupert Murdoch net worth $13.90 billion
Stephen Schwarzman net worth $12.00 billion
John Paulson net worth $11.20 billion
Alan Wertheimer net worth $9.50
