11 exclusive events around the world where you’re most likely to spot a billionaire this summer
Where to rub shoulders with top tech and business leaders over the coming months
The world’s richest people spend much of their time working to earn their fortunes. But they also make time for fun, and that often includes making appearances at some of the world’s most exclusive events.
Wealth-X, a company that conducts research on the ultra-wealthy, recently released its annual billionaire census, which includes the typical social calendar of a high-powered billionaire.
Here, we’ve highlighted the 11 events taking place from May to August this year where you’re most likely to spot a billionaire.
We’ve also included info, provided by Wealth-X, about the billionaires who typically attend these events. From the Cannes Film Festival to Wimbledon to Burning Man, here’s where the world’s wealthiest spend their free time.
MAY: Concorso D’Eleganza Villa D’Este
The Concorso D’Eleganza Villa D’Este is an annual showcase of 50 of the world’s most beautiful cars built from the 1920s to the 1980s, held on the shores of Italy’s Lake Como.
The event is sponsored by BMW, which presents one car owner with the Best in Show award every year. In 2013, that honour went to noted American clothing designer Ralph Lauren — who commands a US$5.2 billion fortune — for his 1938 Bugatti 57SC Atlantic.
MAY: Cannes Film Festival
Entertainment’s most talented actors, artists, directors, and producers head to Cannes, France, each May to attend the Cannes Film Festival. The 11-day fête is one of the most significant stages for European cinema, its massive red carpet a symbol of the festival’s glamour and prestige.
Every year, Paul Allen, the Microsoft co-founder with a net worth of US$19.6 billion, hosts an exclusive party teeming with celebrities aboard his US$150 million, 414-foot yacht named Octopus.
MAY: Formula One Monaco Grand Prix
One-third of the Triple Crown of Motorsport, the Monaco Grand Prix is one of the most prestigious auto races in the world, held each May along the French Riviera in Monte Carlo.
Monaco’s royal family is a mainstay at the Formula One world championship, as is Mansour Akram Ojjeh, the CEO of TAG Group, a huge player in luxury aviation and motorsports. Ojjeh, whose fortune stands at nearly US$2 billion, invested millions in McLaren Technology and was instrumental in founding the McLaren Formula One team.
JUNE: Cartier Queen’s Cup
The Cartier Queen’s Cup is a 22-goal polo tournament held annually at the start of summer at the Guards Polo Club in England. It’s reportedly “the jewel in the crown of the British polo season.” The multi-week event culminates each year with namesake Queen Elizabeth II presenting the winner with the silver cup.
Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, a Thai businessman worth US$1.6 billion who owns travel retail group King Power, attends the event each year. In 2016, his team King Power Foxes took home the Queen’s Cup.
JUNE: Paris Air Show
The International Paris Air Show, one of the world’s earliest air shows, is put on each year by the French Aerospace Industries Association. It’s a showcase of more than 150 aircraft displaying the latest in aerospace technology to over 350,000 attendees.
Don’t be shocked if you see billionaire Elon Musk milling the grounds. The CEO of SpaceX, who’s worth an estimated US$15.6 billion, partnered up with Boeing and NASA in 2014 to develop an aircraft that will bring astronauts to the International Space Station.
JUNE: Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup
Polo lovers travel from all corners of the world for the Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup, reportedly “the most important single, polo tournament played outside Argentina.” It’s held in West Sussex, England, each year at Cowdray Park Polo Club and determines the winners of the British Open title.
Australian media magnate James Packer, who’s worth US$4.1 billion, has played at the club with polo horses he raised at his family’s stables in South America and Australia.
JUNE: Royal Ascot
Royal Ascot is the premiere racing event in Great Britain. The top racehorses in the world, along with their wealthy owners and sponsors, compete in front of the royal family, exclusive invite-only guests, and anyone else that can afford the ticket.
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the prime minister of United Arab Emirates, is a frequent attendee. With a fortune topping US$5 billion, Al Maktoum is the owner of numerous thoroughbred race horses and stables around the world. He’s also the founder of the Dubai Cup, a horse racing event in the United Arab Emirates.
JUNE: Bilderberg Conference
Bilderberg Conference is an annual private meeting of about 150 European and North American elites, including some of the smartest — and richest — people in politics, finance, academia, and the media.
The three-day forum first took place in 1954 in Oosterbeek, Netherlands, at Hotel De Bilderberg to increase idea-sharing and dialogue between the world’s superpowers. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, whose fortune is close to US$80 billion, has previously attended the event, which changes its invitee list annually.
JULY: Wimbledon
Wimbledon is the oldest and most prestigious tennis tournament in the world and takes place in London annually in July. With players donning stark white tennis attire and guests dressing to impress, the sports event is unique in its focus on elegance at all levels.
Jorge Lemann, a savvy Brazilian investor worth US$26.6 billion, attends Wimbledon each year. After graduating from Harvard in 1961, Lemann competed at Wimbledon himself during a two-year stint playing tennis on the international circuit.
AUGUST: Les Azuriales Opera
Les Azuriales Opera was founded 20 years ago as an opera festival. Every August, a few hundred guests from around the world would gather at the stunning Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild in Cap-Ferrat, France, to hear world-class opera performances.
In 2012, the production was scaled down to a program for cultivating young and talented artists. Scottish businessman and philanthropist Irvine Laidlaw, who’s worth US$970 million, financially supports the youth program and is a committee member of Les Azuriales Opera.
AUGUST: Burning Man
Burning Man runs from the end of August to the beginning of September in Nevada’s vast Black Rock Desert, where tens of thousands of festival-goers gather for a week of holistic living and artistic expression.
Facebook cofounder and Asana CEO Dustin Moskovitz, who’s worth $13.4 billion, is a regular attendee. In 2012, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg reportedly flew in for a day to join his friend on “the playa,” as it’s known.
