Francoise Bettencourt Meyers: The First Woman to Amass a $100 Billion Fortune

Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, the heiress of L'Oreal, has become the first woman to amass a $100 billion fortune, making her the 12th-richest person in the world. Despite her immense wealth, she maintains a private lifestyle and is involved in the management of the family's stake in L'Oreal. Her wealth is still lower than that of other French luxury goods founders, like Bernard Arnault. Bettencourt Meyers inherited her fortune after the death of her mother in 2017. France's dominance in luxury retail has led to the emergence of several ultra-rich families, including the one behind Hermes International and the Wertheimer brothers who own Chanel.

• Francoise Bettencourt Meyers is the first woman to accumulate a $100 billion fortune.
• She is the 12th-richest person in the world and is involved in managing the family's stake in L'Oreal, the beauty products empire founded by her grandfather.
• Despite her immense wealth, Bettencourt Meyers leads a private lifestyle, shunning the glitzy social life sought by many of the world's wealthy.
• Her fortune is still lower than that of other French luxury goods founders, like Bernard Arnault, who is second in the global ranking with $179 billion.
• Bettencourt Meyers inherited her wealth following the death of her mother, Liliane Bettencourt, with whom she had a sometimes contentious relationship.
• France's growing domination of luxury retail has led to the emergence of several ultra-rich families, including the clans behind Hermes International and Chanel.