8. John Fredriksen (Net Worth: $9.3 billion)
With $9.3 billion of estimated net worth, John Fredriksen is in the world’s top 150 richest people list. And he is the richest man in Cyprus. He gained his wealth mostly from the world’s largest oil tanker fleet he owned.
Today, his fleet has more than seventy oil tankers. He also controls other companies through his own investment companies. So, how did he start his role as a shipping magnate?
John was born to a blue-collar working class family. His father was just a shipyard welder. And he spent his childhood in a simple life in Oslo, Norway. He crossed path with shipping overseas when he ran cargo business in fishing industry.
As he grew older, his interest on business also grew. He decided to be an oil trader in Beirut. And he saw a great opportunity in oil shipping industry. So, he took great risks by picking up oil during the Iran-Iraq wars back in the 1980s. Those risks he took have taken him to where he is today.
