In this article, we will look at the 30 wealthiest people in Switzerland. But before that, let’s take an overview of the country’s economy.
Overview of Switzerland’s Economy
Switzerland ranks among the top economies by GDP per capita ranking in the world, standing at $92,000 as of 2022. The country remained resilient during the uncertainties of the pandemic, geopolitical tensions, and shifts in the energy marks across the globe. Inflation and unemployment in the country are low, with its residents boasting some of the highest living standards among OECD countries. This is primarily due to the country’s skilled workforce and market-based economy.
According to estimates by the International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s World Economic Outlook released in April 2024, the country’s real GDP growth per annum stands at 1.3% as of 2024, with a GDP of $938.46 billion. With a 1.5% inflation rate and a 2.3% unemployment rate, Switzerland ranks among some of the most prosperous nations in the world. According to the latest OECD Economic Survey of Switzerland, the gross domestic product growth in the country is expected to remain moderate in 2024 at 0.9%, before eventually increasing to 1.4% in 2025.
Although inflation is presently down in the country, especially when compared to 2022 levels, it is anticipated to rise during 2024, driven primarily due to hikes in electricity and rent prices, along with fluctuations in value-added tax rates. However, inflation is expected to decline in early 2025 after this temporary hike. Switzerland’s fiscal position is also strong, driven by its strong fiscal framework. The country has a public debt-to-GDP ratio of 37% as of 2023, which is low when compared to international standards. You can also look at 12 Cheapest Places to Retire in Switzerland.
Switzerland’s Banking and Finance Sector
Switzerland’s banking and finance sector makes it a leader in the domain. According to the latest study by BAK Economics, the financial sector makes up for 5.4% of the total jobs in the country, which translates to around 234,600 positions. It also accounts for 9.3% of the gross value added in the country, coming up to around CHF 70.9 billion. 7.6% of Switzerland’s public revenue comes from banks and insurers, which translates to approximately CHF 7.8 billion. Several other industries also benefit from Switzerland’s banking sector, primarily due to its demand for upstream services such as consulting, employee consumer spending, and IT. The industry employed around 213,600 employees from industries outside the financial sector, bringing in CHF 30.2 billion in additional value. This comes up to around 91 extra employment positions in other industries for every 100 jobs in the financial sector. All in all, the industry resulted in a gross value addition of CHF 101.1 billion in 2022, driven by a total workforce of around 448,200 people.
Estimates by the Swiss Banking Outlook survey published by the Swiss Bankers Association (SBA) show positive and improving economic circumstances for Swiss banks in 2024. The survey projects growth of 1.5% in 2024, with inflation standing at 1.6%. These positive trends are driven by prosperous banks in the country, such as UBS Group AG (NYSE:UBS), which is one of the largest banks in Switzerland. Headquartered in Zürich, the institution boasts a prominent position in all the major financial centers across the globe and is considered the largest private bank in the world.
UBS Group AG (NYSE:UBS) recently digested one of the largest acquisitions in the banking industry with its takeover of Credit Suisse AG, in 2023. The historic deal gave the bank a balance sheet two times larger than the size of the Swiss economy, quickly obliterating one of the two domestic giants in the Swiss banking industry. While numerous technical challenges related to the acquisition remain, UBS has successfully completed the initial stages of the merger, allowing the bank’s stock price to recover. Although the bank’s IT integration process is underway, the acquisition has made history in the country’s finance and banking industry.
Apart from this acquisition, UBS Group AG (NYSE:UBS) has also been integrating Artificial Intelligence into its services to remain on top of the changing industry trends. The bank went live with its pilot for instant credit in 2023, focusing on small and mid-sized companies that often require urgent liquidity. This AI-infused pilot holds the power to traditional credit officers, expediting and streamlining the otherwise tedious process for standard credit products. According to the Swiss bank, this pilot is only the first of the many AI-integrated advancements under focus by the bank.
UBS Group AG (NYSE:UBS) also releases annual wealth reports, highlighting global wealth trends. In the annual UBS Global Wealth Report 2023, Switzerland held the top spot with the average wealth of a Swiss adult coming up to $709,612. The report also showed that global wealth grew by 4.2% in US dollar terms across all wealth segments around the world in 2023. It fell by 3% in 2022, primarily because of dollar strength and volatile currency effects. The changed 2024 trend arose amid declining inflation, with experts at the Swiss bank expecting a continuing trend of the rise of individuals into higher wealth brackets across the globe in the long term.
Now that we have taken an overview of the Swiss economy, let’s look at the 30 wealthiest people in Switzerland. You can also look at 30 Wealthiest People in Australia and 30 Wealthiest People in Brazil.
Pixabay/Public Domain
Our Methodology
In order to compile a list of the 30 wealthiest people in Switzerland, we utilized the real-time billionaires data from Forbes and ranked the wealthiest people in Switzerland in ascending order of their real-time net worths as of 10th July, 2024.
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30 Wealthiest People in Switzerland
30. Alberto Siccardi
Real Time Net Worth as of 10th July, 2024: $2.6 billion
Alberto Siccardi ranks in the 30th spot on our list of the 30 wealthiest people in Switzerland. He is the founder of Medacta, the medical device company that made him a billionaire after it went public on Switzerland’s stock exchange in April 2019.
29. Maja Oeri
Real Time Net Worth as of 10th July, 2024: $3.1 billion
Maja Oeri is a direct descendent of Fritz Hoffmann-La Roche, who founded Roche, the Swiss pharmaceutical giant. Maja is a controlling shareholder of the company, and holds around 7.5% of its voting equity.
28. Eva Maria Bucher-Haefner
Real Time Net Worth as of 10th July, 2024: $3 billion
Eva Maria Bucher-Haefner inherited about 50% of her father Walter’s stake in CA Technologies after his death in June 2012. Her net worth majorly stems from this former share in the company that was acquired by Broadcom in 2020.
27. Martin Ebner
Real Time Net Worth as of 10th July, 2024: $ billion
Martin Ebner has a net worth of $3.1 billion as of 11th July, 2024, ranking him on our list of the 30 wealthiest people in Switzerland. He founded Swiss bank BZ Bank in 1985, and holds stakes in several companies through Patinex, his investment vehicle.
26. Urs Wietlisbach
Real Time Net Worth as of 10th July, 2024: $3.3 billion
Urs Wietlisbach co-founded Partners Group along with Alfred Gantner and Marcel Erni. Urs is also a member of the board of trustees of Blue Earth Foundation, and the board of directors of Entrepreneur Partners AG.
25. Karl Scheufele III
Real Time Net Worth as of 10th July, 2024: $3.1 billion
Karl Scheufele, III is the owner of Chopard, the renowned Swiss watch and jewelry brand. Chopard is considered one of the most famous luxury accessory brands in the world, with 11 Oscar winners having won while wearing the brand.
24. Alfred Gantner
Real Time Net Worth as of 10th July, 2024: $3.3 billion
Alfred Gantner is the cofounder of Partners Group, along with cofounders Urs Wietlisbach and Marcel Erni. The three own around 5% of the company’s stock each. Alfred has a net worth of $3.3 billion as of 10th July, 2024.
23. Walter Frey
Real Time Net Worth as of 10th July, 2024: $3.4 billion
Walter Frey is the founder of the Emil Frey Group, which began in humble circumstances as an automotive repair shop. Today, the company is spread across Europe and manages operations in dealerships, service, and financing.
22. Marcel Erni
Real Time Net Worth as of 10th July, 2024: $3.3 billion
Marcel Erni is the cofounder of Partners Group, and owns around 5% of its stock. Partners Group is a Switzerland-based private equity firm that holds more than $131 billion in assets under management.
21. Hans Peter Wild
Real Time Net Worth as of 10th July, 2024: $3.4 billion
Hans Peter Wild owns Capri Sun, the famed fruit juice brand that is consumed in more than 100 countries across the globe. He has a net worth of $3.4 billion as of 10th July, 2024.
20. Markus Blocher
Real Time Net Worth as of 10th July, 2024: $3.7 billion
Markus Blocher ranks in the 20th spot on our list of the 30 wealthiest people in Switzerland. He has a net worth of $3.7 billion, which he owes to Switzerland-based Dottikon ES Holding and EMS-Chemie.
19. Matthias Reinhart
Real Time Net Worth as of 10th July, 2024: $3.8 billion
Matthias Reinhart is the co-founder, CEO, and majority shareholder of VZ Holding Ltd., which is a Switzerland-based financial services company that went public in 2007. Matthias has a net worth of $3.8 billion.
18. Peter Spuhler
Real Time Net Worth as of 10th July, 2024: $3.7 billion
Peter Spuhler is well-known in the railcar-making industry across Eastern Europe as the former CEO of Stadler Rail. The company was initially founded by his wife’s grandfather about five decades ago before he finally bought it from her grandmother for $6 million in 1989.
17. Peter Grogg
Real Time Net Worth as of 10th July, 2024: $4.5 billion
With a net worth of $4.5 billion, Peter Grogg ranks 17th on our list. He founded Bachem Holding AG in 1971, serving as its CEO until 2002 and chairman until 2012. Peter is the majority shareholder of Bachem Holding AG, which manufactures and develops active pharmaceutical ingredients.
16. Willy Michel
Real Time Net Worth as of 10th July, 2024: $5.1 billion
Willy Michel founded Ypsomed Selfcare Solutions, which is a Switzerland-based pharmaceutical company that manufactures and develops diagnostic and self-injection systems. He has a net worth of $5.1 billion as of 10th July, 2024.
15. Hansjoerg Wyss
Real Time Net Worth as of 10th July, 2024: $4.8 billion
Hansjoerg Wyss made his fortune by selling Synthes, a medical device manufacturing company that he founded, to Johnson & Johnson in 2012 for $20.2 billion. He also holds stakes in biotech companies Molecular Partners and NovoCure, and is known for his philanthropic activities.
14. Michael Pieper
Real Time Net Worth as of 10th July, 2024: $4.4 billion
Michael Pieper is the CEO and sole shareholder of the Franke Group, which is a Switzerland-based manufacturer of industrial-grade kitchen equipment and sinks. He runs the group through his Artemis Group holding company, and has a net worth of $4.4 billion as of 10th July, 2024.
13. Margarita Louis-Dreyfus
Real Time Net Worth as of 10th July, 2024: $5.5 billion
Margarita Louis-Dreyfus is the chairwoman and majority owner of Loius-Dreyfus, the agricultural commodities giant. She received a 69.6% stake in the business after her husband, Robert Louis-Dreyfus, died in 2009.
12. Martin Haefner
Real Time Net Worth as of 10th July, 2024: $5.3 billion
Martin Haefner ranks 12th on our list with a $5.3 billion net worth as of July, 2024. A big chunk of his wealth comes from his former stake in CA Technologies, an IT management software maker that was acquired by Broadcom in July 2018.
11. Thomas Straumann
Real Time Net Worth as of 10th July, 2024: $4.9 billion
Thomas Straumann has a net worth of $4.9 billion as of 10th July, 2024. He is the owner of a 17% stake in Straumann Holding, the largest manufacturer of dental implants across the globe. The company was initially founded by his grandfather. He presently chairs Medartis, a medical device outfit he founded in 1977.
10. Dona Bertarelli
Real Time Net Worth as of 10th July, 2024: $6.2 billion
Dona Bertarelli serves as the co-chair of the Bertarelli Foundation, founder of Global Fishing Watch Marine Manager, co-founder of the Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy, and founder of Sails of Change. The majority of her wealth comes from the sale of her family-owned biotech business Serono in 2007.
9. Magdalena Martullo-Blocher
Real Time Net Worth as of 10th July, 2024: $7.4 billion
Magdalena Martullo-Blocher’s net worth of $7.4 billion majorly stems from her stake in EMS-Chemie, the Switzerland-based chemical and polymer manufacturing giant. She took control of the company when her father Christoph Blocher left for a seat on the Swiss federal council in 2004.
8. Rudolf Maag
Real Time Net Worth as of 10th July, 2024: $5.8 billion
With a net worth of $5.8 billion as of 10th July, 2024, Rudolf Maag ranks in the eighth spot on our list of the 30 wealthiest people in Switzerland. He is the former chairman of Straumann Holding, a maker of dental implants, with almost all of his fortune coming from medical devices.
7. Rahel Blocher
Real Time Net Worth as of 10th July, 2024: $7.4 billion
Rahel Blocher owes her fortune to EMS-Chemie, the Switzerland-based chemical and polymer giant run by her family for generations. Her sisters Miriam and Magdalena, along with her brother Markus, are also billionaires. Although Rahel does not take an active part in EMS-Chemie’s functioning, she is a stakeholder in the company.
6. Thomas Schmidheiny
Real Time Net Worth as of 10th July, 2024: $7 billion
Thomas Schmidheiny has a net worth of $7 billion, a majority of which comes from Lafarge Holcim, a building materials and cement giant. The company was formed in 2014 after a mega-merger, with Thomas serving as its chairman until 2003, when he retired from his position after two decades.
5. Guillaume Pousaz
Real Time Net Worth as of 10th July, 2024: $7.8 billion
With a net worth of $7.8 billion, the founder of Checkout.com, Guillaume Pousaz, ranks fifth on our list. Guillaume came up with the idea of Checkout.com in 2012 to combat the hassle of online payment processing for shoppers and shops across the globe. His idea eventually made him a billionaire.
4. Ivan Glasenberg
Real Time Net Worth as of 10th July, 2024: $11.6 billion
Holding the largest individual stake in Glencore, Ivan Glasenberg ranks on our list of the 30 wealthiest people in Switzerland. He has a net worth of $11.6 billion as of 10th July, 2024. Glencore is one of the biggest commodities traders in the world, and Ivan served as its CEO from 2002 until his retirement in 2021.
3. Ernesto Bertarelli
Real Time Net Worth as of 10th July, 2024: $11.1 billion
Ernesto Bertarelli ranks third on our list as a wealthy heir: he inherited the biotech behemoth Serono after the death of his father in 1998. Serono is famous as the manufacturer of Rebif, a multiple sclerosis drug. Ernesto has a net worth of $11.1 billion as of 10th July, 2024.
2. Rafaela Aponte-Diamant
Real Time Net Worth as of 10th July, 2024: $35.2 billion
Rafaela Aponte-Diamant is the wife of Gianluigi Aponte and owns a 50% stake in the largest shipping company in the world, the Meditteranean Shipping Company (MSC). While her husband is the executive chairman of the company, Rafaela decorates ships for MSC Cruises.
1. Gianluigi Aponte
Real Time Net Worth as of 10th July, 2024: $35.2 billion
Gianluigi Aponte ranks first on our list of the 30 wealthiest people in Switzerland with a net worth of $35.2 billion as of 10th July, 2024. He is the founder, owner, and chairman of the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), the largest shipping line in the world. He and his wife Rafaela Aponte each own a 50% stake in the company. Gianluigi Aponte entered the shipping industry hand in hand with his wife when the duo purchased a single vessel shipping cargo between Africa and Europe. The company expanded over the years, eventually becoming the largest in the world. Based in Geneva, the Mediterranean Shipping Company operates a giant fleet of around 700 vessels.
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