For many of us, we believe that money can buy us happiness. We long for material goods and dream of lavish and luxurious experiences all the time. But for the wealthiest men in the world, they face a different reality. These ambitious people are so driven – they’ve worked so hard to build their wealth. But what happens to them once they’re able to buy anything they want and then some?
Well, they start to learn that money doesn’t always equal happiness.
The wealthiest men in the world may have the billions to spend on mansions, cars, and clothes but those mean nothing without the love of a good woman by their side. The wealthy men still need a support system just like everyone else. They long for companionship – it gets lonely the more wealthy you get as there are fewer and fewer people who can relate to you. That’s why these tycoons and moguls have met their matches with equally powerful women who have accomplished a lot in their own right.
Read on and meet some of the most powerful and influential women driving success forward with their famous husbands. They’ve given new meaning to the term power couple.
1. Lucinda Southworth
Lucinda Southworth is married to Larry Page. He is the founder of Google and Alphabet CEO. Lucinda is a scientist and researcher and has a PhD in Biomedical Informatics from Stanford University. They tied the knot on December 8th, 2007 on Sir Richard Branson’s secluded Caribbean island Necker.
Lucinda and Larry founded the Carl Victor Page Memorial Foundation, donating $15 million in the fight against the Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa. Lucinda’s mother’s charitable organizations, the McLain Associations for Children and the Stepping Stones International Organization, which helps mentally and physically handicapped children is also close to her heart.
Andrea Hissom is the wife of real estate mogul Steve Wynn, owner of Wynn Resorts and former CEO and chairman of Mirage Resorts. The British socialite started out as a social worker, but marrying Wynn on April 30th, 2011 quickly elevated her status.
It wasn’t a courtship without scandal. 21 years her senior, Andrea first met Wynn in the French Riviera in 2008. He was still married to his first wife, Elaine. Allegations of sexual misconduct in 2018 did not deter Hissom. A great-niece of Ben Novack, the developer of the Fontainebleau Miami Beach Hotel, Andrea knows a thing or two about the hospitality business.
Hélène Mercier is married to French mogul Bernard Arnault. He is the chairman and CEO of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE. With a net worth is $72 billion, according to Forbes, he is a very important man.
Hélène entered the Vienna Academy of Music at 15, pursuing her studies at the famed Juilliard School of Music in New York to become an accomplished pianist.
She played with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, having a recording with them, and plays with the New Japan Philharmonic. The couple met in 1990, with Bernard playing the piano as a means to seduce her. They exchanged vows on September 23rd, 1991.
Fabiana Flosi, third wife of Bernie Ecclestone, has race car driving in common with her husband. He is the former CEO of the Formula One Group. Ecclestone is twice her age and half her height.
Fabiana is from Sao Paulo, Brazil and worked for International Publicity, which promoted the Brazilian Grand Prix. She became vice president of marketing for the racing company, meeting Ecclestone through the World Motor Sport Council.
A 2009 cruise trip around Croatia had the pair dating. They married in April 2012. Fabiana studied law, helping Ecclestone with his Formula One legalities.
Popular actress Salma Hayek is married to Francois-Henri Pinault, the CEO of Kering. Their 2009 ceremony took place in the famous Venice opera house Teatro La Fenice.
Salma is often raising awareness with regards to violence against women and discrimination against immigrants. The Salma Hayek Foundation supports organizations who help battered women.
The birth of her daughter saw the actress work with disadvantaged children on the streets of Mexico. Kids who deal with drugs, violence, and a lack of education.
Nita Dalal is married to the chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries Mukesh Ambani. She was a school teacher when they met. The couple married in 1985.
Nita is the chairperson and founder of the Reliance Foundation. The family has an estimated fortune of $40 billion and is among the richest in India. Forbes listed her as “the most influential women business leader” in Asia.
Nita also became the first Indian woman to become a member of the International Olympic Committee. She is the co-owner of the Mumbai Indians cricket team, helping lead an “Education for All” initiative.
Her move helped 70,000 underprivileged children. Nita is the founder and chairperson of the Dhirubhai Ambani International School in Mumbai.
Dasha Zhukova married the CEO of Millhouse Capital, Roman Abramovich, in a secret 2008 ceremony.
Born in Moscow, Zhukva is a philanthropist and businesswoman who founded the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art, which supports the advancement of contemporary art and culture in Russia and abroad.
She’s a magazine magnate, being the editor-in-chief of Garage Magazine and the fashion zine Pop. Dasha co-founded the fashion label Kova & T. and is a founding member of the Culture Shed.
Zhukova and Abramovich unfortunately divorced in 2017.
Julie Chen is a news anchor and producer for CBS television. In 2004, she married Les Moonves, the former president of CBS. It wasn’t a smooth start, as they began dating while Moonves was still married to Nancy Wiesenfeld.
Chen is committed to Moonves, even though he was forced to step down as CEO of CBS amid sexual misconduct allegations.
Astrid Menks is married to octogenarian billionaire Warren Buffet, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. Forbes has Buffet’s worth at $88.3 billion. It was Warren’s former wife, Susan Thompson, who introduced him to the restaurant hostess and Latvian immigrant.
Astrid moved in with Buffet while he was still married to Susan, who passed away in 2004. The trio would even send out Christmas cards together, which were signed “Warren, Susan, and Astrid,”.
Warren was 76 when he married Astrid in 2006.
10. Susan Dell
Susan Dell is the wife of Michael Dell, founder and CEO of Dell Computers. She is the co-founder and chairman of the board of the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation which was established in 1999.
The couple are dedicated to improving the lives of children and families in the United States, India, and South Africa living in urban poverty. The foundation has committed a total of $1.3 billion over the years for this cause.
Susan holds records in several Hawaii-based cycling races for over a decade. She also participates in marathons, triathlons, and cycling races.
Susan founded three fashion labels, including the ritzy luxury brand Phi in 2004 proving her success in the fashion industry.
Spanish fashion billionaire Amancio Ortega, co-founder of Zara, married Flora Pérez in 2001. Ortega is eighteen years older than Flora, who worked in the cutting department in one of Sabón’s factories. She was then promoted to brand store manager at Ortega’s company.
Amancio was still married to Rosalía Mera, co-founder of Zara, until he had a daughter with her. Flora is now vice president of the Amancio Ortega Foundation board, dedicating funds to social welfare projects and support organizations such as Cáritas and Proyecto Hombre.
Melani A. Lowman is the third wife of Rob Walton. The chairman of Walmart married Lowman in 2005. They share a passion for racing vintage sports cars. Lowman is also a former athletic trainer and basketball coach.
Melani is on the boards of the Arizona Science Center and Phoenix Children’s Hospital Foundation. She also manages the Walton Family Foundation, donating $1 million for the construction of the Phoenix Theater and another $15 million for a third auditorium.
Her alma mater, Dickinson State University, received $1 million as well. That resulted in a portion of the school’s activities center to be renamed the Lowman-Walton Concourse.
Newspaper mogul Rupert Murdoch, managing director of News Corp Australia, married Jerry Hall on March 4th, 2016 a week before his 85th birthday. She is the former wife of Mick Jagger.
Her daughter, Georgia May Jagger, was a bridesmaid. Jerry was a cover model from Texas She’s had a varied career, including acting appearances from Urban Cowboy to Tim Burton’s Batman, even performing in theater on the West End in London. Murdoch is 25 years her senior.
Connie Snyder is married to Steve Ballmer, the former CEO of Microsoft and the current owner of the Los Angeles Clippers. The couple have been married since 1990.
Connie is the co-founder of the Ballmer Group. They work to improve childhood poverty, college access, and opportunity in the workforce. Her dedication and focus on the welfare system and foster care helped create Partners for Our Children in 2006. Snyder has her eyes set on improving the lives of vulnerable children and families in Washington State.
Priscilla Chan is the wife of Mark Zuckerberg, the co-founder and CEO of Facebook. The couple exchanged vows on May 19, 2012, the day after Facebook’s stock market launch.
She is a pediatrician and philanthropist with a passion for education, healthcare, and science. Chan began the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to “advance human potential and promote equality.”
Her influence resulted in a pledge of nearly $4.6 billion to charities. They also donated $75 million to San Francisco General Hospital, where Chan used to work.
Lauren Sánchez and Jeff Bezos tied the knot in January 2019 after he and his wife, MacKenzie, separated. Lauren is a news anchor and helicopter pilot who made the dean’s list at El Camino College and went to the University of Southern California on a communications scholarship. She is the founder Black Ops Aviation in 2016, the first female-owned aerial film and production company.
17. Nikita Kahn
Born Iryna Osipova in Ukraine, Nikita Kahn is the longtime girlfriend of Larry Ellison. Ellison is the co-founder of the Oracle Corporation. She is a philanthropist and film producer. Larry, who happens to be the eighth richest person in the world, helps her achieve her goals.
Nikita graduated with an MBA from the Kyiv National University of Trade and Economics. She is an animal lover who put money behind the 2017 documentary The Last Animals as the executive producer. Kahn is a staunch supporter of the San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s Rhino Rescue Center, and her philanthropy goes to animals.
Melinda French is the wife of Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft. Their courtship began when Melinda joined Microsoft after graduating with an MBA from Duke’s Fuqua School of Business. As the general manager of information products, she was able to contribute to several Microsoft products like Publisher and Expedia.
Melinda cut her career short to raise a family after marrying Gates in 1994. She is now co-chair and operator of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation which was launched in 2000.The Gates have donated $28 billion to the foundation since 2014, establishing the Gates Cambridge Scholarships at Cambridge University.
Elon Musk and Grimes revealed that they were dating in May 2018. In May 2020, Grimes gave birth to their first child, named X AE A-XII.
Elon Musk is worth $209 billion. The Tesla magnate’s partner, Grimes, real name Claire Boucher, is an accomplished musician who has released five studio albums and won various awards. Boucher has a net worth of $3 million.
TV host, Bill Maher, used to date model Coco Johnsen as he was building his career. Maher was more of a comedian than a host or reporter, but his views were usually taken very seriously. He was almost canceled for a few questionable comments had it not been for Coco’s support. Bill is now worth $140 million, while Coco is around $1-5 million.
John McAfee helped bring out Janice from a different life, even reconnecting her with her son. The creator of McAfee Antivirus software helped Dyson rebuild her life. John married Janice in 2013, allowing her to influence him as tech moguls. She also influenced the creation of a new company called Future Tense Central.
Diana Taylor and former New York City Mayor and businessman Michael Bloomberg have been together for a long time. She was once called the “de facto First Lady of New York City.”
The couple met at a Citizens Budget Commission event in 2000. Diana graduated from Columbia Business School with an MBA, moving into the public sector working as the assistant secretary to then-Governor George Pataki. Taylor worked for the New York State Superintendent of Banks, taking charge of the New York State Banking Department, and becoming the chairwoman of the New York State Banking Board.
Taylor is also on several nonprofit and corporate boards. That includes he New York Women’s Foundation, YMCA of Greater New York, and Sotheby’s.
Wang Dan-ting is the wife of Ma Huateng, aka Pony Ma. He is the CEO of Tencent Holdings in China which is one of the largest internet and technology companies in Asia. Pony Ma is China’s richest man as of 2018, coming in at 14th wealthiest in the world, with a net worth of $51.1 billion.
The couple met on Tencent’s chatroom product, OICQ, after its launch in 1999. Wang and Ma chatted for months before meeting in person and getting married. She is a gifted musician who plays the erhu, a traditional Chinese instrument.
Sergey Brin and Anne Wojcicki have done well for themselves. The co-founder of Google made a lot of money and so did Anne, who co-founded 23andMe. She has a net worth of a little under $700 million. It’s not clear why they split but it didn’t seem to affect Brin, nor the company. He also married soon after.
George Lucas and Mellody Hobson dated for seven years before he proposed. They got married in 2013 and are still going strong. George Lucas’s success in the film industry is impressive. On the other hand, Hobson’s education at Princeton and post-collegiate advances, saw her become president at Ariel Investments. She then took a vice-chair role at Starbucks.
Yvette Prieto’s marriage to the NBA’s greatest player helped increase her net worth. She already had a healthy $5 million but the basketball legend and Charlotte Hornets owner’s overall worth of about $2 billion certainly does help matters.
Tamiko Bolton, third wife of billionaire philanthropist George Soros is a licensed pharmacist. She was once an education consultant and now serves as a partner for Soros Fund Management. Bolton helps her husband in all his business ventures. And that’s with an age gap of more than 40 years.
Sean Parker is a billionaire and the Napster co-founder and first president of Facebook has a net worth of $3 billion. Alexandra Lenas is a successful singer and songwriter who also appeared in Mr. Considerate in 2011. She’s quite the musician, appearing on MTV and several other engagements.
Jay-Z made history by reaching the billionaire club as a hip-hop artist. But he got there with the help of his wife, Beyoncé. She is worth $355 million working over the years as an actress, producer, and one of America’s most famous singers. She and Jay-Z have established their musical duo The Carters, boosting each other’s music careers immensely.
David Koch may be gone, but his widow Julia keeps his legacy alive. She is the president of the David H. Koch Foundation which donates money to science, medicine, education, public policy, and the arts. David died in 2019, leaving Julia and the three children with an inheritance of a 42% stake in Koch Industries. Julia is currently worth about $44.9 billion.
Apple co-founder Steve Jobs is survived by his widow Laurene Powell Jobs. The couple married in 1991. Laurene is the heiress to the Jobs fortune, while serving as the executive and founder of Emerson Collective and president of the board of College Track. She helps disadvantaged high school students prepare for college. Laurene has a net worth of around $19 billion.
Kanye and Kim, as controversial as they both are, made a lot of money together. Kanye himself is worth about $1.3 billion thanks his lucrative footwear company Yeezy. Kim is at approximately $900 million, thanks to her name and face in Keeping up With the Kardashians, the Kardashian Kollection, the Kardashian Beauty cosmetics line, and DASH.
American real estate investor and owner of the Irvine Company Donald Bren is currently worth $17 billion. His wife Brigitte is an entertainment lawyer. They have a 30 year age gap. Bren’s 30 years of experience practicing law in California had people calling her “very bright.”
Phil Knight is worth nearly $40 billion. He is the co-founder and chairman emeritus of Nike and the owner of the film production company Laika. The couple have many philanthropic endeavors together. They have invested $500 million into a scientific research campus at the University of Oregon. The Knights have also donated to the Marylhurst Knights Opportunity Scholarship Program at Marylhurst University.
Steve Ballmer married Connie Snyder in 1990. He was the CEO of Microsoft from 2000 to 2014. He owns the LA Clippers, with a net worth of $74.3 billion. The couple dedicate their time and energy to philanthropy. Connie herself is on the board of trustees at the University of Oregon,. The couple donated $50 million to the university in 2014.
Lakshmi Mittal is the CEO of ArcelorMittal, the largest steel company in the world. He is worth about $18 billion and was the third-richest person in the world in 2005. He is on Forbes’ list of most powerful people in the world.
Usha has been instrumental in Lakshmi’s success. His wife is so highly regarded at ArcelorMittal that the company passed a resolution entrusting her with management oversight if directors were absent.
For many of us, we believe that money can buy us happiness. We long for material goods and dream of lavish and luxurious experiences all the time. But for the wealthiest men in the world, they face a different reality. These ambitious people are so driven – they’ve worked so hard to build their wealth. But what happens to them once they’re able to buy anything they want and then some?
Well, they start to learn that money doesn’t always equal happiness.
The wealthiest men in the world may have the billions to spend on mansions, cars, and clothes but those mean nothing without the love of a good woman by their side. The wealthy men still need a support system just like everyone else. They long for companionship – it gets lonely the more wealthy you get as there are fewer and fewer people who can relate to you. That’s why these tycoons and moguls have met their matches with equally powerful women who have accomplished a lot in their own right.
Read on and meet some of the most powerful and influential women driving success forward with their famous husbands. They’ve given new meaning to the term power couple.
