Five Taiwanese families included in billionaires list

Five Taiwanese entrepreneurs or families have been included in this year's list of the world's billionaires released on Thursday by Forbes magazine.

As emerging stock markets surged during the past year, the number of billionaires around the world rose by 102 to a record 793, and their combined wealth grew 18 percent to US$2.6 trillion.

Of the five Taiwanese on the list, Formosa Plastics Group chairman Wang Yung-ching (王永慶) ranks 107th with a net worth of US$5.4 billion; Hon Hai Precision Industry Co chairman Terry Gou (郭台銘) ranks 147th with a net worth of US$4.3 billion; Fubon Group chairman Tsai Wan-tsai (蔡萬才) and family rank 207th with a net worth of US$3.3 billion; VIA Technologies Inc chairwoman Cher Wang (王雪紅) and her husband, the company's president Chen Wen-chi (陳文琦), rank 365th with a net worth of US$2.1 billion; and Quanta Computer Inc chairman Barry Lam (林百里) ranks 486th with a net worth of US$1.6 billion.

A total of 115 billionaires are from the Asia-Pacific region, with Japan having the largest number at 28.

While there are 17 billionaires from Hong Kong, the number of billionaires from China has increased from only two last year to eight this year.

Forbes editor Luisa Kroll said that Russia's stock market had jumped 108 percent between February last year and the same month of this year, while India's market rose by more than 54 percent during the same period. Brazil "was another bright star" with a market gain of 38 percent, she said.

Kroll said that the changes on the list had not been driven by US investments.

"The more exciting story is these emerging markets," she said. "The US stock market was quite a laggard with only a 1 percent increase."

The growth in emerging markets also meant that the Czech Republic placed a billionaire on the list for the first time: Petr Kellner, who debuted at No. 224 with US$3 billion.

Microsoft Corp founder Bill Gates was again the world's richest man for the 12th year running. Gates grew wealthier, with his net worth rising to US$50 billion from US$46.5 billion. Investor Warren Buffett, the chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Inc, again ranked second; his fortune fell by US$2 billion to US$42 billion.

The rest of the top 10 underwent a major reshuffling, with three familiar names dropping out of that select group: German supermarket company owner Karl Albrecht, Oracle Corp's Lawrence Ellison and Wal-Mart chairman S. Robson Walton.

Mexican telecom mogul Carlos Slim Helu moved up one notch to No. 3 with US$30 billion, replacing Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal, who fell one place to No. 5 with US$23.5 billion.

Ikea founder Ingvar Kamprad of Sweden rose two slots to No. 4 with US$28 billion.

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen edged up to sixth place from No. 7, with a net worth of US$22 billion.

He was followed by France's Bernard Arnault, chairman and chief executive of LVMH and The Christian Dior Group, with US$21.5 billion; Arnault was new to the top 10.

Saudi Arabian Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud fell to eighth place from No. 5, with US$20 billion; and Canadian publisher Kenneth Thomson and his family moved into the top 10, ranking No. 9 with US$19.6 billion.

Hong Kong's Li Ka-shing (李嘉誠) rose to No. 10 with US$18.8 billion. Li is the chairman of Cheung Kong (Holdings) Ltd (長江實業) and Hutchinson Whampoa Ltd (和記黃埔).