What a remarkable year it has been for successful billionaires in Asia! Forbes recently released its 2024 list of the world’s billionaires, revealing a staggering collective net worth of US$14.2 trillion (approximately RM67.4 trillion), which is a US$2 trillion increase from 2023. This highlights the significant growth of entrepreneurs worldwide. 

Unsurprisingly, Mukesh Ambani, whose son recently had a lavish wedding, secured the 9th spot on the list with a net worth of $116 billion, making him the richest individual in Asia. Ambani is the chairman of Reliance Industries Limited, a conglomerate that focuses on petrochemicals, textiles, and telecommunications. 

Following closely behind is another Indian tycoon, Gautam Adani of the Adani Group, with a net worth of $32.8 billion. The Adani Group deals with exporting and importing raw materials and finished goods, including coal trading, mining, oil and gas exploration. In Japan, Tadashi Yanai and his family made their mark with a net worth of $42.8 billion, thanks to their retail clothing empire, Fast Retailing, which is the parent company of the Uniqlo chain. 

In Malaysia, several individuals have also joined the ranks of Asia’s richest. No stranger to the list and reigning supreme is Tan Sri Robert Kuok, with a net worth of US$11.4 billion. He is the owner of Kuok Group, which operates across various sectors including hospitality, agriculture, real estate, and freight and logistics. Following him is Tan Sri Quek Leng Chan, the chairman of Hong Leong Group, with a net worth of US$8.8 billion.

Here are the top 20 of Asia’s wealthiest people, according to Forbes. 

1. Mukesh Ambani, India: $116 Billion
2. Gautam Adani, India: $84 Billion
3. Zhong Shanshan, China: $62.3 Billion
4. Prajogo Pangestu, Indonesia:  $43.4 Billion
5. Zhang Yiming, China: $43.4 Billion
6. Tadashi Yanai, Japan: $42.8 Billion 
7. Colin Huang, China:  $38.9 Billion
8. Li Ka-shing, Hong Kong: $37.3 Billion
9. Shiv Nadar, India: $36.9 Billion
10. Masayoshi Son, Japan: $32.1 Billion.
11. Lee Shau Kee, Hong Kong: $27.7 Billion
12. Low Tuck Kwong, Indonesia: $27.4 Billion
13. Jack Ma, China: $24.5 Billion
14. Takemitsu Takizaki, Japan: $23.1 Billion
15. Li Xiting, Singapore: $15.1 Billion
16. Tan Sri Robert Kuok, Malaysia: US$11.4 Billion
17. Tan Sri Quek Leng Chan, Malaysia: $8.8 Billion
18. Tan Sri Ananda Krishnan, Malaysia: $4.9 Billion
19. Tan Sri Koon Poh Keong, Malaysia: $3.7 Billion
20. Dato’ Lee Yeow Chor, Malaysia: $3.1 Billion