These Billionaires Have No Heirs For Their Riches
When it comes to making billions, you have two categories. Some made their wealth from zero, such as Jay-Z. You call those the self-made billionaires. Then, you have some who inherit their fortune from a family member. They're the heirs. When these wealthy individuals pass away at some point, they're more than likely going to pass on their riches to their children. In some instances, whether they're self-made or heirs, he or she might not have any kids to make that happen. Continue reading to find out which billionaires don't have any offspring to leave their fortune to.
$7.9 Billion - David Geffen
Being a college dropout used to mean you were heading nowhere. Proving the notion wrong, people like Mark Zuckerberg and David Geffen have gone on to make billions after leaving higher education. Geffen earned his wealth through Geffen Records, the label that signed Elton John and Nirvana.
Not only that, but he co-founded film studio Dreamworks SKG. His pockets are deep, but his roots aren't. Once his time is over, Geffen won't have an offspring to pick up where his empire left off.
$7.9 Billion - Ma Jianrong
You might not know of the Shenzhou International Group, but you've probably worn one of their products. Ma Jianrong serves as the chair for Shenzhou International Group, a supplier for Adidas, Nike, Uniqlo, and many others.
He began on the factory floor before taking over his father's spot at 33-years-old. The company has increased to over 70,000 employees since Jianrong became the chair. While he does have a wife, the billionaire has no children to call his own.
$8.6 Billion - Giorgio Armani
If you know fashion, then you know the legend, Giorgio Armani. The Armani brand is one of the top luxury names out there and has made Armani a fortune. He's spoken about the future of his business wealth, so even though he has no heirs, he does have a plan.
Armani said that his nieces and nephews will most likely inherit his company, but he has no plan to retire. Armani began as a window dresser before launching his own line in the '70s.
$8.6 Billion - Carl Cook
Carl Cook's parents began the family business in 1963 when they started a medical supplies business in their apartment. Today, the Cook Group is as colossal as ever with around 16,000 devices sold around the world!
After Cook's father passed away in 2011, he became the chief executive and owner of the company. With all that wealth, it's a shame that he doesn't have any children to bequeath the family fortune that has such a high value.
$9.5 Billion - Eduardo Saverin
Eduardo Saverin is one of the founders of Facebook, but he had to fight a legal battle to earn proper credit. The Brazilian-born entrepreneur made tremendous wealth with his 2% stake in the social giant.
Saverin ended up leaving the company in 2004 after quarrels over the direction Facebook should head in. He's now a venture capitalist in the tech world and lives in Singapore with no children. Perhaps he will donate his riches to a charity when it's all said and done.
$9.6 Billion - Jan Koum
Jan Koum is a former Yahoo employee who made his riches as a co-founder of WhatsApp, a messaging application. WhatsApp allows users from all over the world to send messages as long as you're connected online.
He co-founded that app in 2009 and helped develop it into one of the leading mobile services. Facebook bought it for cash and stock worth $22 billion in 2014, and Koum is now apart of the board of Facebook. He has no children to pass down his wealth to.
$9.8 Billion - Mikhail Prokhorov
Brooklyn fans will enjoy this owner. Mikhail Prokhorov is a self-made billionaire straight from Russia. It wasn't until May of 2010 that the NBA approved the sale of the Nets to Prokhorov, who then became the majority owner with an 80% stake.
He also acquired a 45% interest in Barclays Center sports and entertainment arena. This made him the first non-North American team owner in the NBA at the time. Prokhorov still lives in Moscow while owning this team and doesn't have any children.
$9.96 Billion - Karl Albrecht Jr.
If you love shopping at the supermarket Aldi, then you have Karl Albrecht Jr's father to thank. Albrecht's dad founded the market in 1946 in Germany along with his brother. The two split the business, and he passed his half off to his children.
Albrecht Jr has spent much of his career working at the firm, but his sister hasn't dedicated much time to it. The irony here is that she has children probably due to the extra time she has to herself, but Albrecht Jr doesn't have any offspring. That probably has to do with his work ethic.
$2.6 Billion - Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey knows a thing or two about self-worth. Born into poverty in 1954, Winfrey would later go on to become America's first black multi-billionaire and perhaps the most influential woman in the world. Landing a job in radio while in high school, Winfrey became a co-anchor for her local evening news at 19.
Her anchor job led to her own talk show which aired for 25 years, after which she expanded it into a media and business empire. Winfrey has explained why she hasn't had children, and it looks like there won't be any around to pass her empire off to.
$6.5 Billion - Robert Pera
Robert Pera is one of the youngest in the world to achieve the amount of wealth he's accumulated. He's the founder of Ubiquiti Networks, a company that manufactures wireless data communications products for enterprise providers.
Leading up to becoming one of the ten youngest billionaires, Pera purchased the Grizzlies from Michael Heisley in 2012. With still a long way to go before he reaches 50, Pera can expect to see his net worth continue to rise as he tries to make a championship team in Memphis. Pera has no children as of now, but he's still relatively young so that could change.
$10.7 Billion - Charles Butt
Charles Butt holds 85% of a Texas grocery store chain that's been a staple in the state since 1905. His grandmother founded it after his grandfather became sick. It has over 100,000 employees with stores across America and Mexico.
Butt became the CEO in the '70s and is currently on his 8th decade of life. He's the majority shareholder and has donated to teacher training and children's museums. With no children to call his own, those places are probably the next best thing.
$13.5 Billion - Hasso Plattner
Hasso Plattner is an SAP co-founder who loves golf. He owns multiple courses, including the CordeValle Gold Club and Fancourt Golf Estate. Why does the German-born billionaire own a hockey team? With a $13.5 billion net worth, he can whatever he so pleases to.
From Berlin, it seems like an odd mixture of sports. One you play on the grass in excellent conditions, while hockey you play indoors where it's pretty chilly. Plattner will look for a worthy cause to donate his wealth too once he's gone because he has no children.
$10.7 Billion - Alexander Otto
Alexander Otto receives much of his wealth from his share of the Otto Group, a mail-order firm his father constructed in postwar Germany. The family managed to put together an empire of over 40 firms across the realms of finance, retail, and property.
Otto has been the CEO of the real estate firm ECE since 2000. He manages more than 200 shopping centers throughout Europe. The billionaire does have a wife, but they don't have any children.
$11 Billion - Dustin Moskovitz
All of the people that helped get Facebook off the ground aren't that well known. Dustin Moskovitz helped early on with Facebook when he helped Mark Zuckerberg create it at Harvard in 2004. He acted as the social site's chief technology officer but left in 2008.
After leaving, he launched workflow software company Asana. The Florida native and his wife created a foundation called Good Ventures, which makes donations to help fight malaria. They don't have any children.
$12 Billion - Wang Wenyin
There aren't many outside of China that are aware of Wang Wenyin or his company Amer International Group. Inside of the country its a well-known economic giant. The company makes its profit by supplying copper and cable.
There are over 17,000 staff members on deck, and they helped bring in nearly $70 billion in 2017 alone. Wenyin does have a wife, but he doesn't have any children. He's the chairman of the company which was founded in 1994.
$12.7 Billion - Alisher Usmanov
Alisher Usmanov had a modest start to his career before going on to become a billionaire. Usmanov began making plastic bags, then would take over a subsidiary of Russian gas giant, Gazprom.
The investor has had stakes in digital companies such as Airbnb, Facebook, and Spotify as well. His most substantial holdings, however, are in Metalloinvest, the biggest iron ore producer in Russia. Usmanov money is all over the place, helping him become so wealthy, but he doesn't have any child to leave his fortune to.
$4.7 Billion -Jack Dorsey
Say hello to the co-founder of Twitter and Square Inc. Jack Dorsey is an internet entrepreneur that's helped create two of the most successful online devices ever. Square Inc. deals in e-commerce, giving small business and big ones a smoother way of making transactions.
Twitter just happens to be one of the most popular social sites available today. Dorsey has a high level of self-awareness, as he walks five miles to work every morning and calls it a "very clearing time." The only thing he doesn't have is kids.
$13.5 Billion - Klaus-Michael Kuehne
Klaus-Michael Kuehne is a majority stake owner in the transport and logistics company, Kuehne + Nagel International AG. His grandfather co-founded the shipping firm in 1890, and the legacy has continued on strong.
The company ships out millions of containers each year, so it's no surprise why they're doing so well. Kuehne became the CEO in 1966 when he was an only child. He has no children of his own to pass these riches to.
$10.2 Billion - Walter P.J. Droege
You might not know who Walter P.J. Droege is, but that's okay with him. He's busy making billions with his investment firm called Droege Group. He started the firm with his wife in the '80s.
Today, the company works across 30 countries and brings in $12 billion annually. He and his wife have no children to call their own, but Droege spends a portion of his wealth on contemporary art. He buys it to inspire his staff and himself.
$9.5 Billion - Pang Kang
Pang Kang has all these billions thanks to soy sauce. The tangy condiment that people love to drizzle their Chinese food with has made Kang one of the wealthiest men in the world.
Kang joined Foshan Haitian Flavouring & Food as a graduate, before climbing the ranks and becoming the chairman. With the help of thousands of employees and now smart robots, his company manufactures over 200 different condiments. The only thing he doesn't have is a son or daughter to pass his legacy on to.