BRW press release

The BRW Rich List goes public today. RetailBiz got a sneak peak of the movers and shakers in retail and who has the billions. 

The top five names to have made their wealth from retails on the BRW Rich 200 list are:

15 Soloman Lew $2.13 billion

19 Gerry Harvey $1.99 billion 

24 Jack Cowin $1.81 billion 

35 Russell Withers & family $1.34 billion

38 Nigel Austin $1.26 billion 

The headlines

Harry Triguboff tops the BRW Rich 200 for the first time in the list’s history. The property developer’s wealth reaches a record $10.62 billion.

• Anthony Pratt is #2 on the list with wealth of $10.36 billion

• Frank Lowy is #3 with wealth of $8.26 billion 

• Gina Rinehart falls from number one for the first time in five years, placing #4 with $6.06 billion.

• #5 on the list

• Triguboff and Pratt’s wealth both are above the $10 billion mark 

• Total wealth of the BRW Rich 200 list is up to $197.3 billion, from $193.61 billion last year. 

• The average wealth per person on the BRW Rich 200 list rises to $987 million, up from $974 million last year. 

• There are 19 new names on the list this year

• The 53 billionaires on the list is record number

• Departures from the BRW Rich 200 list include Ruslan Kogan and John Grill. They were unable to reach the record $303 million cut-off, which is up $17 million on last year.

• There are 24 women on the 2015 BRW Rich 200 list, compared with 17 last year

• There 6 female billionaires

Sydney apartment developer Harry Triguboff tops the BRW Rich 200 list for the first time in its history. Triguboff, the owner and head of Meriton Group, has appeared on all 33 Rich Lists. His wealth reaches a record $10.62 billion this year as Meriton surges in value thanks to the property boom.

Triguboff’s ascent to the top of the list means Gina Rinehart misses the number one position for the first time since 2011. Her wealth falls from $14.02 billion last year to $6.06 billion and fourth position, due to a combination of falling iron ore prices and her daughter Bianca Rinehart (#60, $905 million) also being on the list after taking control of 23 per cent of Hancock Prospecting after a legal dispute last year. 

Anthony Pratt and family are second spot with $10.36 billion wealth It has been another big 12 months for the family.

Anthony's US-based business, Pratt Industries, is the biggest Australian-owned employer in the United States and is rising quickly in value after the opening of a giant new box factory near Chicago. 

Third ranked Frank Lowy has grown his wealth by about $480 million to $8.26 billion, after a good year on the stockmarket for shopping centre giant Westfield.

Melbourne billionaire John Gandel rounds out the top five. His wealth rises about $1 billion – the biggest rise on the list – to $5.40 billion, mainly due to the strong performance of Chadstone Shopping Centre, the largest in the southern hemisphere and of which Gandel owns a 50 per cent share.

The highest ranked debutant is Manny Stul and family, owner of Moose Toys – the Melbourne private company responsible for the global hit Shopkins girls toy. Stul debuts at number 39 with $1.24 billion wealth.

There are 53 billionaires on this year's list – the most ever. They include another billionaire debutant in Jonathan Munz, whose family recently floated plumbing manufacturer Reliance Worldwide Corporation, at position 50 with $1.07 billion wealth. 

Several billionaires have suffered falls in wealth, James Packer. His wealth is down more than $1 billion to $5 billion thanks to a falling share price for Crown Resorts and a legal settlement that sees his sister Gretel Packer (number 77 with $739 million wealth) also debut on the list.

Property remains the dominant sector. Of the 200 people on the list, 54 make most of their money in the property sector. Many on the list that have made money in other industries have poured the proceeds into property development or management businesses.

Top 5

Harry Triguboff $1062 Property

Anthony Pratt & family $1035 Manufacturing

Frank Lowy $8260 Property, Investment

Gina Rinehart $6060 Resources

John Gandel $5400 Property

States

NSW 65

Victoria 61

Queensland 25

Western Australia 21

Overseas 21

South Australia 4

Tasmania 2

Australian Capital Territory 1

Industries – Top 5

Property 54

Retail 24

Investment 23

Resources 17

Financial Services 16

TOP 5 WOMEN

Gina Rinehart – $6.06 billion

Vicky Teoh – $3.08 billion*

Angela Bennett – $1.61 billion

Leonie Baldock, Alexandra Burt – $1.55 billion

TOP 5 MEN

Harry Triguboff – $10.62 billion

Anthony Pratt & family – $10.35 billion

Frank Lowy – $8.25 billion

John Gandel – $5.40 billion

Hui Wing Mau – $5.39 billion

OVERSEAS TOP 5

Hui Wing Mau – $5.39 billion (Hong Kong)

Ivan Glasenberg – $3.33 billion (Switzerland)

Huang Bingwen & family – $1.99 billion (China)

Ye Lipei – $1.52 billion (China)

Chau Chak Wing – $1.37 billion (China)