Wealth-X Data Shows Combined Net Worth of World's Most Powerful Women Surged 162%

SINGAPORE, Sept. 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The world's most powerful women are richer. The aggregate wealth of the most powerful and affluent women globally more than doubled this year, according to estimates by Wealth-X, the world's leading wealth intelligence and prospecting firm.

Heiress and art patron, Alice Walton, is the richest individual on the Forbes World's Most Powerful Women List, with a net worth of $20 billion (USD). That helped boost the combined fortunes of ultra high net worth (UHNW) individuals - those with a net worth of at least $30 million- on the list to $53.8 billion from $20.5 billion last year, Wealth-X estimates show. 61-year old U.S.-based Walton is a new entrant on the Forbes annual list of powerful women. Singapore-based Wealth-X estimates that 76 out of the 100 names who made it to the latest Forbes' World's Most Powerful Women List are UHNW. That's a slight drop from the 79 UHNW in last year's list.

Forbes did not include 35 of the 76 UHNW women on this year's Power Women list in 2010. Among the UHNW who made it to the 2011 list, but were left out of last year's power women list, are British author J.K. Rowling, who rose to fame and wealth from the Harry Potter series, with an estimated net worth of $250 million and Yingluck Shinawatra; Thailand's first female Prime Minister, with a net worth of $50 million. Zhang Xin & family; CEO and co-founder of real estate developer SOHO China, with a net worth of $1.4 billion, also joined the ranks of the most influential women globally.

Half of the top ten most powerful women in the world are UHNW individuals including CEO of beverage maker PepsiCo Indra Nooyi, with a net worth of $87 million, International Monetary Fund's Managing Director Christine Lagarde and U.S.' Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. Each has an estimated net worth of at least $30 million.

"It's evident that the story here shows that as once before, money is power,'' said Mykolas Rambus, CEO of Wealth-X. "It's clear that power has shifted back to those with the most means. The ultra affluent have the capacity to do more, whether in terms of growing their business, exerting political beliefs or even championing social causes. ''

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About Wealth-X

Wealth-X provides its members with qualified prospects and intelligence on ultra high net worth (UHNW) individuals, along with the privately held-companies they control. We work with 7 of the top 10 global private banks, leading educational institutions, not-for-profits and luxury brands. Our firm's online business development solution profiles individuals who represent $10.7 trillion of the world's net wealth. The Wealth-X database additionally offers exclusive details on ultra wealthy individuals, including their wealth, income, passions, philanthropic interests, affiliations, politics, advisors, families and biographies. Wealth-X is the global leader on UHNW individuals and the worldwide standard for professionals working with the ultra affluent.

SOURCE Wealth-X