As a student, Gates was an outstanding scholar who went on to Harvard to study law. He dropped out in 1975, however, in order to start a company with old schoolmate Paul Gardner Allen.

Their company, Micro-Soft (now Microsoft), created operating systems for computers. Their product Windows was such a huge success that it made Gates the youngest multi-billionaire in American history, and probably the most famous computer geek ever.

Allen left Microsoft in 1983 after being diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease, a painful but treatable condition. Allen has a fortune of US$18 billion (HK$140 billion), so he has not been left a poor man.

Carlos Slim Helu

Birthday: January 28, 1940

Nationality: Mexican

Mexican telecommunications mogul Carlos Slim Helu is regarded as the world's richest person.

Nobody is sure exactly how much money Slim has made. Estimates range from US$59 billion

(HK$459 billion) to US$67.8 billion (HK$528 billion).

At interviews, Slim credits Alvin and Heidi Toffler, who write books predicting how new technology will change our lives, for giving him ideas on how to invest his money.

He also says he does not care if he is the richest man in the world or not; he says he values time spent with his family more than his money.

Warren Buffet

Birthday: August 30, 1930

Nationality: American

The third richest man in the world, Warren Edward Buffett, made his US$52 (HK$405) billion fortune as an investment manager.

Always interested in making money, Buffet took on his first job at the age of 13 as a newspaper delivery boy. When he filed his tax return, he claimed his bicycle as an investment.

When he was 15, he owned several pinball machines that he placed in small shops in his neighbourhood. Buffet started working as a stockbroker on Wall Street when he was 21 and founded his own firm when he was 26.

This billionaire is unusual because he avoids personal luxury. Last year he promised to give away his fortune to charity, kicking off with a US$30 (HK$234) billion donation to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Ingvar Kamprad

Birthday: March 30, 1926

Nationality: SwedishIngvar Feodor Kamprad who founded the furniture chain IKEA has a fortune of US$33 (HK$257) billion, making him Europe's richest person and the 4th richest person in the world.

Kamprad started his business career when he was a young teenager. He bought matches in bulk and cycled around his neighbourhood, selling them in small batches to customers.

As his trading skills improved, he also started selling fish, Christmas tree decorations, seeds, ball-point pens and pencils.

By 1943 Kamprad was ready to found his own company. As world war two was raging and most people had very little money, he decided to sell cheap furniture. To save money, customers had to assemble complex pieces themselves.

IKEA was an immediate success and today has shops in more than 40 countries.

Lakshmi Mittal

Birthday: 15 June 1950

Nationality: Indian

Lakshmi Narayan Mittal has a fortune of US$32 (HK$249) billion, making him the fifth richest person in the world.

Mittal started life as a rich man. He inherited his father's company, and by managing it well, turned Arcelor Mittal into the world's largest producer of low and mid-grade steel.

Mittal is famous for his luxurious lifestyle. He arranged the world's most expensive wedding for his daughter and is often seen partying with Bollywood stars.

He also gives money to charity, including sponsoring the careers of 10 promising Indian athletes.

fab fact!

Hong Kong's Li Ka-shing is the ninth richest man in the world, worth about US$23 billion (HK$179 billion). Despite his immense wealth, Mr Li is famous for simple living. His nickname is 'Superman' - because he is such a successful businessman.

compare!

Financial news magazine Forbes lists French businesswoman Liliane Bettencourt as the world's wealthiest woman and the 12th wealthiest person in the world. She inherited the L'Oreal company from her father and has a fortune of US$20.7 billion (HK$161 billion).

Build Your Vocabulary

When you are reading you don't always need to know every word to understand the sense of every word. But do you remember new vocabulary when you come across it?

Build your word power by finding appropriate synonyms for the following words and phrases in the text. Want an extra challenge? Try completing this exercise from memory first!

Calculate approximately

Tycoon, entrepreneur

Start, begin

Big quantities

Pay for

Answers:

Estimated

Mogul

Kick off

Bulk

Sponsor