By NEIL BEHRMANN
Only Brunei sultan, HK's Li Ka-shing, Kwok brothers on Sunday Times' list
THE Sultan of Brunei, Li Ka-shing and the Kwok brothers of Hong Kong are the only Asians listed in London's Sunday Times' top 50 richest individuals in the world.
The Sultan with estimated wealth of 7.7 billion (S$23.17b) is listed as number 21, Mr Li is number 25 with wealth of 6.7 billion and the Kwok brothers are ranked 29 with 6.2 billion of assets.
Individual wealth has increased substantially in the past year because of a sharp recovery in global stock markets and a further increase in property prices in selected areas of the world.
Americans dominate the wealthiest in the world, despite the slump of the US dollar. The five richest are: Robson Walton with wealth of 54 billion from Wal-Mart stores; Microsoft boss Bill Gates 25.3 billion; famed investor Warren Buffett 23 billion; Karl & Theo Albrecht, 22.3 billion, the supermarket kings of Germany, and Forrest and John Mars, confectionary magnates with 16.9 billion in estimated assets.
The list included at the top King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, Barbara Cox Anthony and Anne Cox Chambers, US media queens, Prince Alwaleed of Saudi Arabia and Paul Allen of Microsoft.
The main focus of the Sunday Times, which has a team devoted to delving into the fortunes of the super rich, is Britain.
Total wealth of the top 1,000 individuals in the UK has soared by 30 per cent to 202 billion. Included are expatriates who have settled in London. (The UK is an effective tax haven for the globally wealthy as offshore assets aren't taxed unless earnings enter the UK). Thirty billionaires featured on the list, nine more than last year. Owner of soccer club Chelsea, Roman Abramovich, who has made his money mainly from Russian oil, is listed at the top with 7.5 billion followed by The Duke of Westminster (property), Hans Rausing (food packaging), Philip Green (retailing) and Lakshmi Mittal, the steel tycoon.
Richard Branson, the Virgin empire boss, is now worth 2.6 billion. He shot up to sixth place from 15th a year ago.
Mr Mittal is the richest Asian in Britain with an estimated fortune of 3.5 billion. Sri and Gopi Hinduja, who are defending allegations of bribery over an arms trading case in India, are listed at 11 with assets of 2.1 billion. Anil Agarwal, who owns some of India's most valuable mining resources, is listed as the 69th richest British individual with assets of 540 million.
J K Rowling is the world's richest author with 435 million from the Harry Potter phenomenon.
The Sunday Times 'rich list' is by no means comprehensive as many of the super rich hide their assets in trusts, private companies and offshore havens.
There are several extremely wealthy Greek magnates living in London for example, but they aren't listed.
