Explore the remarkable lives of the world’s oldest billionaires, blending vast wealth, innovation, and legacy across diverse industries and philanthropy.
Diving into the exclusive club of billionaires, where age is just a number and wealth knows no bounds, is a story of success, longevity, and monumental achievements. Young or old, being a billionaire is a feat not many achieve in their lifetimes. These remarkable individuals have not only amassed fortunes that make Midas look modest, but they’ve also managed to stick around long enough to make history books jealous.
Join us as we explore the lives of those who’ve turned time and tide in their favor, proving that when it comes to the art of accumulating wealth, age does indeed come before beauty.
The Centenarian Sailmaster: Chang Yun Chung
Chang Yun Chung isn’t just any old billionaire; at 102, he’s practically a maritime legend. Founder of the Singapore-based shipping juggernaut Pacific International Lines, Chang decided that retirement is a myth. Handing over the helm to his son, he now serves as the wise old sage of the seas, offering strategic advice likely along the lines of, “Back in my day, we navigated by the stars, not GPS!”.
The Real Estate Immortal: Marcel Adams
Next up, we have Marcel Adams, a man who’s seen it all, from the horrors of the Holocaust to the pinnacle of Canadian real estate. Founding Iberville Developments and turning it into a real estate empire, Marcel’s story is a testament to the fact that if you live long enough, you can literally own parts of the world. At 100, he’s probably got buildings older than most of us.
The Insurance Maestro: George Joseph
George Joseph, at 99, makes the rest of us look like we’re still figuring out life… and we probably are. Founding Mercury General with a modest $2 million, he turned it into an insurance empire. Next time you’re paying your car insurance, remember George, and know that your hard-earned cash is probably helping him buy his hundredth birthday cake.
The “Sugar Daddy” of Malaysia: Robert Kuok
Robert Kuok, Malaysia’s richest man at 97, has a finger in every pie, from sugar to hotels to palm oil. Founding Shangri-La Hotels, he probably has more luxury bedrooms than we’ve had hot dinners. Kuok’s empire reminds us that if you’re going to dream, dream big—like, really big.
The Dole-ful Baron: David Murdock
David Murdock, at 97, has gone bananas with his wealth—literally. As the chairman of Dole Food Products, he’s the reason you’re able to enjoy that smoothie. Planning to live to 125, Murdock’s diet probably consists of kale, hope, and presumably, a lot of bananas.
The Diet Deity: S. Daniel Abraham
Slim-Fast founder S. Daniel Abraham, at 96, proves that you can indeed become part of the billionaires by helping people lose weight. After selling Slim-Fast for a cool $2.3 billion, Abraham likely celebrates by toasting with a diet shake instead of champagne.