From Zurich to Jakarta, New York to Shenzhen, a growing wave of self-made women is reshaping global wealth and redefining what leadership looks like. These women didn’t inherit empires—they built them. And now, for the first time, Forbes has compiled a standalone global list celebrating the 50 richest self-made women on the planet.
Together, these trailblazers are worth a staggering $276 billion. Their fortunes span 13 countries and four continents, with notable contributions from Asia-Pacific and North America. From tech to shipping, pharmaceuticals to fast fashion, their industries are as diverse as their backgrounds.
Who Tops the List?
At number one is Rafaela Aponte-Diamant, a Swiss shipping magnate with a net worth of $38.8 billion. Alongside her husband, she co-founded the Mediterranean Shipping Company with a $200,000 loan. Today, it’s the largest shipping line in the world, employing more than 136,000 people and operating over 900 vessels. Remarkably, at 80 years old, Rafaela still designs ship interiors and sits on the board of the MSC Foundation.
Coming in second is Diane Hendricks of the United States, with a net worth of $22.3 billion. As the co-founder of ABC Supply, she has helped shape one of the largest distributors of roofing and siding in the U.S. Hendricks is among 18 Americans on the list, which also includes media icon Oprah Winfrey and tech executive Sheryl Sandberg.
China’s Influence and Rising Stars
China is equally represented, also contributing 18 women to the list. One standout is Zhong Huijuan, a former chemistry teacher who launched Hansoh Pharmaceuticals in 1995. Her breakthrough came with a lung cancer drug that catapulted the company into the pharmaceutical big leagues. With over $1.7 billion in annual revenue, Zhong’s story reflects China’s strong tradition of female entrepreneurship.
The youngest woman on the list is Melanie Perkins, the 38-year-old co-founder of the Australian design platform Canva. She’s closely followed by Tatyana Kim from Russia, a former teacher who founded the country’s largest e-commerce platform, Wildberries.
Tech Leads the Way
Unsurprisingly, technology is the dominant industry, accounting for 14 of the 50 fortunes. This includes Zhou Qunfei, founder of Lens Technology, a touch screen manufacturer that supplies Apple and Samsung. Zhou started as a factory worker and now leads a company with over 136,000 employees and $9.5 billion in annual sales.
Retail follows as the second most popular industry, driven by the rise of e-commerce and fast fashion. This includes co-founders of Shein and other women turning traditional retail models into global online successes.
The Wealth Gap Still Persists
Despite their achievements, the gender wealth gap remains wide. The 50 richest self-made men hold a combined $3.8 trillion—14 times more than their female counterparts. There are over 1,900 male self-made billionaires globally, compared to a small fraction of women.
Currently, self-made women make up just 3.5% of all billionaires, though that’s a 50% increase since 2017. It’s a small but meaningful step toward greater equality in global wealth and leadership.
Why This Matters
These women aren’t just financial success stories—they’re cultural and economic changemakers. Their journeys inspire the next generation of female founders and prove that ambition, innovation, and resilience know no gender.
Whether in boardrooms, biotech labs, or shipping docks, these self-made women are shaping the future—and showing that building billions is no longer a man’s game.
The Top 50 World’s Richest Self-Made Women (Net worths are as of June 13, 2025)
RANK || NAME || NET WORTH ||CITIZENSHIP || SOURCE OF WEALTH || AGE
1 Rafaela Aponte-Diamant $38.8B Switzerland Shipping 80
2 Diane Hendricks $22.3B United States Building supplies 78
3 Zhong Huijuan $15.6B China Pharmaceuticals 64
4 Zhou Qunfei $10B Hong Kong Smartphone screens 55
5 Denise Coates $8.5B United Kingdom Online gambling 57
6 Judy Faulkner $7.8B United States Healthcare software 81
7 Wang Laichun $7.2B Hong Kong Electronics components 58
8 Marian Ilitch & family $6.9B United States Little Caesars Pizza 92
9 Ling Tang $6.6B Canada Marketing software, mobile games
10 Lynda Resnick $6.3B United States Agriculture 82
11 Wu Yajun $6.2B China Real estate 61
12 Thai Lee $6.1B United States IT provider 66
13 Melanie Perkins $5.8B Australia Software 38
14 Elizabeth Uihlein $5.6B United States Packaging materials 79
15 Zhou Chaonan $4.9B China Manufacturing 64
16 Marina Budiman $4.8B Indonesia Data centers 63
16 Dewi Kam $4.8B Indonesia Coal 74
18 Tatyana Kim $4.6B Russia E-commerce 49
18 Gail Miller & family $4.6B United States Car dealerships 81
20 Fan Daidi $4.5B China Skincare 59
20 Fan Hongwei $4.5B China Petrochemicals 58
20 Jayshree Ullal $4.5B United States Computer networking 64
23 Eren Ozmen $4.4B United States Aerospace 66
24 Johnelle Hunt $3.9B United States Trucking 93
25 Chan Laiwa & family $3.8B China Real estate 84
25 Meg Whitman $3.8B United States Ebay 68
27 Maggie Gu $3.7B China Shein
27 Molly Miao $3.7B China Shein
29 Giuliana Benetton $3.6B Italy Fashion retail, investments 87
29 Peggy Cherng $3.6B United States Fast food 77
31 Falguni Nayar $3.4B India Retailing 62
32 Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw $3.3B India Biopharmaceuticals 72
33 Maritsa Lazari & family $3.2B United Kingdom Real estate 80
34 Weili Dai $3.1B United States Semiconductors 63
34 Jian Jun $3.1B China Biomedical products 61
34 Lam Wai-ying $3.1B Hong Kong Smartphone screens
34 Oprah Winfrey $3.1B United States TV shows 71
38 Cheng Xue $3B China Soy sauce 55
38 Zhao Yan $3B China Biotech 58
40 Safra Catz $2.9B United States Software 63
41 Pan Dong $2.6B Canada Consumer goods 60
42 Anna Angelicoussis & family $2.5B Greece Shipping 69
42 Barbara Banke & family $2.5B United States Wine 71
42 Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao $2.5B Vietnam Airlines 55
45 Solina Chau $2.4B Hong Kong Investments 63
45 Sheryl Sandberg $2.4B United States Facebook 55
47 Rita Tong Liu $2.3B Hong Kong Real estate 76
47 Ye Qiongjiu $2.3B China Software 70
49 Susan Ocampo & family $2.2B United States Semiconductors 67
50 Chu Lam Yiu $2.1B Hong Kong Flavorings 55
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