Alexander Soros
Net Worth: $20 billion Source: George Soros (Father) The son of billionaire philanthropist and business George Soros, next up is Alexander Soros. His father George, born in Hungary, he emigrated to the United Kingdom and attended the London School of Economics. He began his first hedge fund, Double Eagle, in 1969, which gave him the seed money to start Soros Fund Management. Double Eagle, which became Quantum Fund, was estimated to hold assets worth over $25 billion US. Amazing. With a father who’s known as “The Man Who Broke the Bank of England” (because his short sale turned him a profit of $1 billion during the infamous 1992 Black Wednesday UK currency crisis), Alexander sure has a lot to live up to… or not.
The NYU and Berkeley alumnus earned a Ph.D. in history, and then he was sat on the board of the Open Society Foundation, his father’s philanthropic agency. Did you know that as of Feb 2018, George Soros was worth $8 billion, having donated over $32 billion to this agency? Aside from being deputy chair, the playboy son of Soros is actually a successful writer, having bene published in Politico, The Guardian, The Forward and many othrs. Like his father, Soros has the giving gene, contributing to the Jewish Funds for Justice, which is an American charity helping Jewish causes. He also is on the board of Global Witness, which campaigns against human rights abuses by multinational companies in poor countries. His work with environmental activists has seen a few trips to the Amazon rainforest, but it seems in general, Soros is giving back to the world, what the world gave his family!
Teresa Heinz Kerry
Net Worth: $750 million Source: Heinz Ketchup Now Teresa Heinz Kerry has quite the story. Born in the colony of Portuguese Mozambique, her father was a Portuguese oncologist and her mother a Portuguese and British national. After earning a BA in Romance Languages and Literature from the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, she completed further studies in Geneva before moving to the U.S. to be an interpreter at the United Nations. In 1966, just three years after leaving Switzerland, Teresa married future U.S. Senator John Heinz, an heir to the H.J. Heinz Company. With Heinz, Teresa had three boys, however a sad turn of events was going to tear the family apart. In 1991, Senator Heinz died in a plane crash. However Teresa Heinz had met someone just a year earlier whom she would begin dating in 1993. Sure, some would say it was too soon, but hey, you can’t turn love away.. right?
Anywho, the lucky man was none other than Senator John Kerry, and the pair were married a short while later, tying the knot in 1995. Heinz Kerry, upon her ex-husband’s death, was set to inherit a fortune, just shy of $800 MILLION. The accomplished polyglot (she speaks Portuguese, English, Spanish, French and Italian) is also a humanitarian, and chairs Heinz’s charities, as wall as founding her own charity, Second Nature, which helps bring sustainability and environmental consciousness to college campuses. She also founded the awards program The Heinz Awards, which celebrates contributions to the environment and ecology. It seems that Heinz Kerry has had quite the wild ride, and now spends her time with her husband John and their grandchildren.
Clare Bronfman
Net Worth: $500 million Source: Seagram’s The heiress to the Seagram Liquor fortune, next up is former equestrian Clare Bronfman. The now 40-year-old Bronfman is the youngest daughter of billionaire philanthropist Edgar Bronfman Sr. But whilst things seem pretty a-okay, she has had her time in hot water too – she is notable for her involvement in NXIVM, a controversial “personal development” company which has been described as (for lack of a better word) a cult!
The New York-born Bronfman began her equestrian career at 17 and discovered a great talent: three years later she was qualifying and competing at the highest level! After winning a number of domestic and international competitions (as well as some prize money!). Despite her successes, including winning the equestrian Grand Prix twice, there was something else which caught her eye, and led her down a more uh… questionable path. Bronfman and her sister Sara came under scrutiny for their participation in the NXIVM Group, which purportedly helped people to achieve “personal success.” The mysterious group has been the object of a federal investigation, with Bronfman recently pleading guilty to charges of illicit activity. Wouldn’t you think – gee, if I had all that money why would I go into a multi-level marketing scam? Like come on, seriously!
Cindy McCain
Net Worth: $200 million Source: Hensley & Co. The Phoenix, Arizona-born Cindy McCain is famous for more than having been married to the U.S Senator and 2008 Republican presidential nominee John McCain. A businesswoman, philanthropist and humanitarian in her own right, she is in fact the daughter of wealthy beer distributor Jim Hensley! So yep, she’s a direct heiress to the Hensley & Co. fortune. She studied at the University of Southern California, and soon after married John McCain. After they moved to Arizona, John McCain was elected to the U.S Congress – and re-elected five more times!
Following her father’s death in 2000, she inherited the controlling stake, becoming the chair of Hensley & Co. With her inheritance behind her, McCain is an active philanthropist and serves on the boards of Operation Smile, Eastern Congo Initiative, CARE and HALO Trust. More recently, McCain was vocal in the fight against human trafficking. Despite negative scrutiny during her husband’s presidential campaigns, McCain kept it cool, calm and classy. Tough when the public eye falls on you and all that you do. Since her husband’s passing last year, she focuses on philanthropy and spending time with her children.
Susan Alice Buffett
Net Worth: $3 billion Source: Warren Buffett Warren Buffett has to be the biggest name in investment - and the fact he’s worth over $80 billion US really speaks about him and his career. A business magnate, investor, speaker and philanthropist, the now 88-year-old still serves as the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. He’s considered one of the most successful investors in the world and is the third-wealthiest on the planet! He famously founded The Giving Pledge with Bill Gates, whereby billionaires pledge to give away at least half of their fortunes! Now that’s a worthy cause! His daughter, Susan Alice Buffett clearly got a tip off from her dad, and sure, he was looking out for her, by giving her shares – as such, she’s making her wealth through her ownership of shares in the famous investing firm.
A philanthropist herself, she operates the Sherwood Foundation, which provides grants that help children from lower-income households. The grants go to education, social justice and human services, with a focus on improving the wellbeing and standards of living of all. A board member of Girls, Inc. and the Buffett Foundation, as well as the Buffett Early Childhood Institute, she has a finger on the pulse of the youth and the disadvantaged. Some of this is exampled through her assistance in combating the AIDS crisis internationally and particularly improving the standards of living for the disadvantaged in Africa. You go, girl!