Sunday, May 4, 2008

Youngest Billionaires

Nothing beats being young and rich. They include a former Enron oil trader, a German prince and China's richest woman. The youngest of all is 23-year-old Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, who is quite possibly the world's youngest self-made billionaire ever.


John Arnold, U.S. Age 34 $1.5 billion, self-made.

Raised by a lawyer dad and accountant mom, Arnold whizzed through Vanderbilt University in three years. He became an oil trader for Enron, supposedly earning $750 million for the company in 2001, when he was just 27. He went into business for himself after Enron collapsed a year later. Today he runs hedge fund Centaurus Energy.


Albert von Thurn und Taxis, Germany Age: 24 $2.3 billion, inherited

The German prince appeared briefly on our billionaires list at age 8, but he officially inherited his fortune on his 18th birthday. Lives in a family castle with his mother and older sister. Race car driver, tours with a German auto-racing league.


Yang Huiyan, China Age 26 $7.4 billion, inherited

China's richest person is also one of the world's youngest billionaires and a daddy's girl. Yang earned her degree from Ohio State University in 2005, the same year her father, Yeung Kwok Keung, the media-shy chief of real estate outfit Country Garden, transferred his stake in the company to her (not a bad graduation gift). Gold-diggers, beware: She's already married; her wedding video is posted on YouTube.


Mark Zuckerberg, U.S. Age 23 $1.5 billion, self-made

The youngest of all is 23-year-old Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, who is quite possibly the world's youngest self-made billionaire ever. Tech's newest golden boy founded addictive social-networking site Facebook in February 2004 from his Harvard dorm room. He left school for Silicon Valley that year. Microsoft paid $240 million last October for a 1.6% stake, giving the company an implied valuation of $15 billion. Some analysts and a few Facebook investors think that's high. We think Zuckerberg's stake is worth $1.5 billion. Regardless, Zuckerberg is the youngest billionaire on earth and possibly the youngest self-made billionaire ever.

Source : Forbes.com


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