The world’s youngest billionaire, Dustin Moskovitz, was Mark Zuckerberg’s Harvard roommate and Facebook’s third employee. He is just eight days younger than his friend. The two dropped out of Harvard and moved to California to work for the social networking firm full time; he was its first chief technology officer and then vice president of engineering. He left in 2008 to start Asana, a software company that allows individuals and small companies to better collaborate. Values of his new company: “pragmatism,” “being a mensch,” “admitting when you’re wrong” and “chill-ness.”
Zuckerberg’s Facebook was a key spark in the spread and organization of the recent revolts in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen and Libya. Back home President Obama praised Facebook as an example of American innovation in his January State of the Union address. A month later the Facebook cofounder and chief executive sat next to Obama at a dinner with other tech titans, including Apple’s Steve Jobs. Over the last year the 26-year-old’s fortune surged 238% to $13.5 billion as investments from firms like Goldman Sachs boosted Facebook’s valuation to $50 billion.
First appeared in Forbes’ ranks at age 8, but officially inherited fortune in June 2001, on his 18th birthday. Went to high school in Rome; in June 2008 received an M.A. in economics and theology from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. Assets include real estate, art and a tech company, plus 30,000 hectares of woodland in Germany, one of the largest forest holdings in Europe. Despite local opposition is apparently going ahead with plans to build one of the world’s largest solar farms in Bavaria, southern Germany, to sell electricity. Lives in family castle, Schloss Emmeram.
Together with former best bud Mark Zuckerberg, started Facebook at Harvard and received a 30% stake in the company. Relationship soured when Facebook sued Saverin for allegedly interfering with business and insisting on keeping 30% stake; Saverin countersued. The parties settled, with Saverin apparently getting a 5% stake and a cofounder bio on Facebook’s site. Source tells Forbes Saverin has been selling shares and now holds 2%. In January made rare news when he led an $8 million round of financing of Qwiki, a hot Silicon Valley startup.
Main shareholder in Country Garden Holdings of Guangzhou, one of China’s largest property developers. The company’s chairman is Yang’s father, Yeung Kwok Keung, who transferred his holding to her before the company went public in Hong Kong in 2007. Wealth is up this year amid strong sales in 2010, owing to the company’s large land bank. Yang graduated from Ohio State University with a degree in marketing and logistics.
Youngest son of slain Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri inherited stake in his father’s construction, telecom and real estate conglomerate Saudi Oger after his death in 2005. Serves on the board of family’s Future TV, a satellite and terrestrial television network covering the Middle East. Lives in Paris.
Silicon Valley strategist and former Facebook president debuts as a billionaire based on the surging value the social networking site. His reported stake: just under 3%. At 19 cofounded Napster, music sharing service that brought free music to the masses and helped trigger the record industry’s precipitous decline. Made famous after being played by Justin Timberlake in movie The Social Network. Now managing partner at Founders Fund, a venture capital firm that invests in tech companies. Put money into Spotify, popular European music subscription service hoping to launch in the U.S. sometime this year.
Son of slain Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, who left behind a fortune now shared by his five children. Ayman sits on the board of Saudi Oger, a construction, telecom and real estate conglomerate. Oversees group’s construction division, which is behind mega projects such as Princess Noura Bint Abdulrahman University for Women and King Abdullah Financial District. Sits on the board of 3C Telecommunications, a South African mobile operator which is majority-owned by Saudi Oger.
Founder of Gree, Japan’s largest social networking site, may be facing off with Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg soon; setting up shop in California. On global expansion kick–working with Tencent, largest Internet service portal in China. Stock up 35% in past year. Started out at Sony; worked for fellow billionaire Hiroshi Mikitani at online shopping site Rakuten. Left in 2004 to set up Gree at a tech incubator; company name inspired by American social psychologist Stanley Milgram’s concept of “six degrees of separation.” Transitioned site into mobile gaming to better compete with rivals.
Founded online retailer of apparel and accessories; widely popular Zozotown caters to young fashionistas. Website is structured like actual mall where stores are set up; sells on consignment. Sales have grown on average 50% annually over the past five years. Company announced 300-for-1 stock split in December. Maezawa, an avid customer, owns 59% of the firm. Plans to branch out to older customers in alliance with Yahoo Japan. Also looking to sell overseas.
