All of the world’s youngest billionaires, those under 30, inherited their wealth, marking the beginning of “the great wealth transfer,” in which over 1,000 wealthy individuals are expected to pass on more than $5.2 trillion to their heirs in the next two decades.
Currently, there are more billionaires than ever before, with the count reaching 2,781, and this number is projected to increase as an aging generation of super-rich individuals prepares to transfer their fortunes to their descendants.
Forbes magazine’s research reveals there are 15 youngest billionaires aged 30 or younger, none of whom have created their own wealth. Instead, they have benefitted from substantial inheritances.
Let’s take a look at the top five youngest billionaires in the world and explore how they came into their immense fortunes.
1. Livia Voigt
Age: 19 | Citizenship: Brazil | Source of Wealth: Industrial Machinery | Net Worth: $1.1 Billion | Residence: Florianópolis, Brazil
Livia Voigt is the world’s youngest billionaire, holding a 3.1% stake in WEG, the largest manufacturer of electrical motors in Latin America. She is one of the largest individual shareholders of the company, which was co-founded by her grandfather, Werner Ricardo Voigt, along with the late billionaires Eggon Joao da Silva and Geraldo Werninghaus. WEG is a publicly traded multinational with factories in over ten countries and estimated revenue of around $6 billion in 2022. Despite her immense wealth, Livia is currently enrolled in university, completing coursework in psychology, and holds no executive position at WEG. She resides in Florianópolis, Brazil.
2. Clemente Del Vecchio
Age: 19 | Citizenship: Italy | Source of Wealth: Eyeglasses | Net Worth: $4.7 Billion | Residence: Milan, Italy
Clemente Del Vecchio, the second youngest billionaire in the world, inherited his wealth at the age of 19. He holds a 12.5% stake in Delfin, a holding company with investments in EssilorLuxottica (the eyeglasses giant), insurer Generali, banks Mediobanca and UniCredit, and real estate developer Covivio. This fortune stems from his late father, Leonardo Del Vecchio, who was the chairman of EssilorLuxottica until his passing in 2022. Despite his immense inheritance, Clemente is passionate about science and technology and plans to pursue a college education and a career in these fields. He currently resides in Milan, Italy.
3. Kim Jung-youn
Age: 20 | Citizenship: South Korea | Source of Wealth: Online gaming | Net Worth: $1.4 Billion | Residence: Jeju, South Korea
Kim Jung-youn, at 20 years old, holds a significant fortune in the online gaming industry. Together with her older sister Jung-min, she owns approximately 18% of NXC, the largest shareholder of Nexon. This wealth was inherited from their late father, Kim Jung-ju, who founded Nexon in 1994 and passed away in February 2022 at the age of 54. The sisters’ stakes are primarily held through NXC and another company called Wise Kids. Following their father’s death, they paid a substantial inheritance tax in the form of NXC shares, resulting in a 29.3% government stake in the company. Currently, they own 36.7% of NXC. Despite their vast wealth, neither Kim Jung-youn nor her sister is actively involved in Nexon’s daily operations, and they maintain a low public profile.
4. Kevin David Lehmann
Age: 21 | Citizenship: Germany | Source of Wealth: Drugstores | Net Worth: $3.3 Billion | Residence: Karlsruhe, Germany
Kevin David Lehmann, one of the youngest billionaires, acquired his fortune from his father’s 50% stake in Germany’s leading drugstore chain, dm-drogerie markt, which was transferred to him when he was just 14 years old. Founded in 1973 by Goetz Werner in Karlsruhe, Germany, dm has grown to over 4,000 stores across Europe, recording revenue of about $17 billion for the 2023 fiscal year. Despite their substantial ownership, neither Kevin David nor his father, Guenther, who initially invested in dm in 1974 while managing the family’s Pfannkuch grocery chain, are involved in the company’s daily operations. Both maintain a low public profile and reside in Karlsruhe, Germany.
5. Kim Jung-min
Age: 22 | Citizenship: South Korea | Source of Wealth: Online gaming | Net Worth: $1.4 Billion | Residence: Jeju, South Korea
Kim Jung-min, at 22 years old, is among the world’s youngest billionaires. Alongside her sister, Kim Jung-youn, she holds approximately 31% of NXC, the largest shareholder of the South Korean-Japanese online gaming publisher Nexon. Their wealth was inherited from their late father, Kim Jung-ju, who founded Nexon in 1994. Nexon gained fame with the hit role-playing game MapleStory, which popularized the free-to-play model. After their father’s death in 2022 at the age of 54, the sisters inherited significant stakes in NXC and Nexon, though neither is actively involved in the company’s operations. Both sisters maintain a low public profile and reside in Jeju, South Korea.
6. Luca Del Vecchio
Age: 22 | Citizenship: Italy | Source of Wealth: Eyeglasses | Net Worth: $4.7 Billion | Residence: Milan, Italy
Luca Del Vecchio, at 22, is one of the six children of the late Leonardo Del Vecchio. Following his father’s death, Luca inherited a 12.5% stake in Delfin, the Luxembourg-based holding company with extensive investments in EssilorLuxottica (the eyeglasses giant), insurer Generali, banks Mediobanca and UniCredit, and real estate developer Covivio. Unlike his brother Clemente, who also inherited a similar stake, Luca is actively involved in the company’s affairs, serving as the Chief Strategy Officer.
7. Remi Dassault
Age: 22 | Citizenship: France | Source of Wealth: Software, aviation | Net Worth: $2.5 Billion
Residence: Paris, France
Remi Dassault, aged 22, inherited his wealth after his father, Olivier Dassault, passed away in a helicopter crash in 2021. Remi’s fortune comes from a 2.5% stake in the French software company Dassault Systèmes and a 4.1% stake in Dassault Aviation. The Dassault family legacy began with Remi’s great-grandfather, who founded Dassault Aviation, initially known for manufacturing propellers during World War I. His father, Olivier, was not only a significant figure in the family business but also an influential politician in France’s National Assembly. The Dassault family also owns several vineyards, a private aeronautic company, and the daily news publisher Le Figaro.
8. Zahan Mistry
Age: 25 | Citizenship: Ireland | Source of Wealth: Diversified | Net Worth: $4.9 Billion | Residence: Mumbai, India
Zahan Mistry, 25, derives his wealth from a 4.6% stake in the Tata conglomerate and a 25% stake in the construction giant Shapoorji Pallonji Group. Following the death of his father, along with his brother Firoz, Zahan has taken on leadership roles in the debt-laden SP Group, actively participating in its reorganization efforts. The group plans to list Afcons Infrastructure, a privately held construction and engineering company, for $850 million as part of its debt reduction strategy. Although Zahan and his brothers are Irish citizens, they reside in Mumbai, where both the SP Group and Tata are based.
Also read: Take a Closer Look at How These Billionaires Make Profitable Investments
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