According to a global ranking of the wealthiest people, Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, the heiress to the L’Oréal corporation, has made history by being the first woman to amass a fortune over $100 billion.
Her grandfather founded the famed French beauty brand, and it’s currently experiencing an incredible run-up in the stock market, with L’Oréal shares hitting a record high in Paris.
With a net worth that crossed $100 billion at the age of 70, Meyers is now the 12th richest person in the world according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Even when she reaches this milestone, she still trails her French counterpart, Bernard Arnault, who founded LVMH, the greatest luxury conglomerate in the world with a $179 billion net worth.
With a decrease in makeup usage during lockdowns, L’Oréal saw a spike in sales after the pandemic and is now flourishing under her direction as vice-chairperson of the board. With a sizeable 35% interest, the Bettencourt family is the company’s main stakeholder.
After Liliane Bettencourt, her mother, passed away in 2017, Françoise became the heir apparent. Once acknowledged as the wealthiest person in France, Liliane had a difficult relationship with her daughter that was characterized by arguments in public and court cases involving her mental health.
In 2011, a French court declared Liliane to have a type of dementia, giving Françoise authority over her fortune.
Françoise Bettencourt Meyers is well-known for appreciating her seclusion more than social gatherings and devoting a large portion of her time to her family.
Being a gifted pianist, she plays for several hours every day. Her academic interests are reflected in the two volumes she has written, one being a genealogy of the Greek gods and the other being a thorough study of the Bible.
