The dynamic landscape of wealth in Asia has consistently captured global attention, with an impressive array of individuals making their mark on the Forbes real-time list of billionaires. But have you ever wondered who tops this list of the richest people in Asia?
To no one’s surprise, as of November 2024, Asia’s richest person is Mukesh Ambani, with an astonishing net worth of $101.9 billion. The list of the richest Asians goes on to extend beyond borders. This article presents a rundown of Asia’s wealthiest people in 2024.
The real-time billionaires list worldwide compiled by Forbes shows the top 10 richest people in Asia as of November 27, 2024.
A Deeper Insight: Richest People in Asia in 2024
Mukesh Ambani
- Age: 67
- Residence: Mumbai, India
- Citizenship: India
Mukesh Ambani, the chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries, is the richest man in Asia. He ventured into the Indian Premier League (IPL) with the ownership of Mumbai Indians in 2008. While Jio, Reliance’s telecom and broadband service, has drawn close to 476 million subscribers already, the recent debut of Jio Financial Services in August reflects the company’s expanding horizons. Further, BlackRock and Jio Financial Services announced an agreement to form Jio BlackRock in July 2023, a joint venture to bring advanced and innovative investment solutions to investors in India.
Also Read: The top 10 richest women in India in 2024
Gautam Adani
- Age: 62
- Residence: Ahmedabad, India
- Citizenship: India
Gautam Adani heads the Adani Group, a Rs16.22 lakh cr enterprise spanning ports, airports, energy, and green initiatives. Starting as a trading firm in 1988, he is now among the richest people in Asia. He showcased his prowess as India’s premier airport operator and controller of Gujarat’s significant Mundra Port. Moreover, his strategic acquisition of Holcim’s Indian assets in 2022 propelled him to the position of India’s second-largest cement producer.
Zhong Shanshan
- Age: 69
- Residence: Hangzhou, China
- Citizenship: China
Zhong Shanshan, the mind behind Nongfu Spring, a bottled water firm, ranks as the third richest man in Asia and at the top as the most affluent Chinese. From construction work to journalism and beverage sales, his journey led him to entrepreneurship. Additionally, he holds sway over Beijing Wantai Biological Pharmacy, a producer of swift diagnostic tests for Covid-19.
Prajogo Pangestu
- Age: 80
- Residence: Jakarta, Indonesia
- Citizenship: Indonesia
Prajogo Pangestu, the energy and petrochemical tycoon, is the wealthiest man in Indonesia. Although he started with the timber business, today, his company, PT Barito Pacific, is among the leaders in petrochemical, plastic production, mining, and thermal energy in Indonesia. His wealth significantly increased in 2023 as his group’s two companies, Petrindo Jaya Kreasi and Barito Renewables Energy, went public.
Tadashi Yanai & family
- Age: 75
- Residence: Tokyo, Japan
- Citizenship: Japan
Tadashi Yanai is the mastermind behind Fast Retailing, a prominent clothing empire listed in Tokyo that oversees the Uniqlo chain. Fast Retailing’s portfolio extends to brands such as Theory, Helmut Lang, J Brand, and GU. Notably, Uniqlo, the flagship brand, boasts a vast presence with over 2,400 stores dispersed across 25 countries, making Tadashi rank among the top 10 richest people in Asia. After launching its first store in Mumbai, India, in October 2023. Understanding the leading competition from both local and international brands, Uniqlo now aims to grow and become the leading brand in India.
Zhang Yiming
- Age: 40
- Residence: Beijing, China
- Citizenship: China
Zhang Yiming, the driving force behind the Chinese tech giant ByteDance, is best recognised for birthing the wildly popular app TikTok. It boasts a staggering user count of over 1 billion worldwide. As of May 2024, he maintains a 21 percent stake in ByteDance. However, its value is facing uncertainty due to a potential ban on TikTok in the US. Recently the US Congress has passed a new law that gave the US government authority to try to ban TikTok. Beyond TikTok’s fame, ByteDance spans diverse sectors like news, education, and gaming.
Ma Huateng
- Age: 52
- Residence: Shenzhen, China
- Citizenship: China
Ma Huateng, known as Pony Ma, guides Tencent Holdings, the Chinese internet titan. He oversees WeChat, a widely used messaging app with 1.2 billion active users, making him one of Asia’s richest people. Beyond that, Tencent holds substantial interests in global gaming with a stake in Epic Games and ranks among the top video game publishers. Ma’s influence spreads to Tesla and Spotify through Tencent’s investments. Notably, he has recently revealed plans for Tencent to develop new artificial intelligence (AI) technologies for the broader human good.
Shiv Nadar
- Age: 79
- Residence: New Delhi, India
- Citizenship: India
Shiv Nadar, the founder of HCL Technologies, is one of India’s most prominent names in IT and software. He is currently chairman emeritus of HCL Technologies, as he stepped down from company chairman in 2020. Besides his business acumen and leadership capabilities, Nadar is known for philanthropy. He donated Rs2,042 crore in 2023, around Rs5.6 crore per day. His total donation to his Shiv Nadar foundation is over $1 billion. He has been awarded Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award in India, by the Indian Government.
Savitri Jindal and Family
- Age: 74
- Residence: Hisar, India
- Citizenship: India
The widow of founder Om Prakash Jindal, Savitri Jindal, now chairs the Jindal Group, which includes steel, power, cement and infrastructure. After the death of the late OP Jindal, the group’s companies were divided between his sons. They run independently now. Her Mumbai-based son, Sajjan Jindal, oversees the most significant assets of the group. Not only is she one of the wealthiest Asians, but she is also the richest woman in India. Savitri Jindal has continued her husband’s legacy of helping society and communities by contributing to sectors like education, healthcare and more.
Robin Zeng
- Age: 55
- Residence: Ningde, China
- Citizenship: Hong Kong
Robin Zeng is the founder and chairman of Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), which manufactures rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. Zeng worked at a state-owned shipbuilding company in Fujian Province early in his career. He co-founded Amperex Technology in 1999, which produces batteries for digital devices, including iPhones. CATL was spun off from Amperex in 2011 and was listed on the Shenzhen stock exchange in 2018. CATL is one of the largest suppliers of batteries for electric vehicles. It counts automaker giants such as BMW, Volkswagon, Ford Motors, and Geely as customers. Zeng is also a vice chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce.
