9 Things Swiss Billionaires Have in Common (2024)

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Ever wondered what it takes to become a billionaire? This moneyland.ch guide looks at the common traits of Switzerland’s richest residents to help you gauge your chances.

Switzerland is home to more than 30 billionaires, putting it at eleventh place globally behind major industrial powers like China, the United States, Russia and India. Having such a concentration of high-net-worth individuals among us not only provides a source of revenue, it also allows us to observe the habits and features of many of the world’s wealthiest people.

Here moneyland.ch lists 9 things which resident billionaires have in common:

1. They are men.
Whether home-grown or imports, the vast majority of Switzerland’s wealthiest residents are male. In fact, only around 5 women are part of the exclusive top 50 club, with several of them only making the grade as part of a family unit. One of the most prominent of the resident female billionaires is Heineken heiress Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken. Other women of wealth include BASF’s Traudl Engelhorn, Heidi Horton (widow of Helmut Horton), Bettina Würth and Picasso heiress Marina Picasso.

2. They are immigrants.
Attracting high-net-worth foreign residents and their money through favorable tax conditions has long been a Swiss tradition, so it is hardly surprising that many of the country’s billionaires are not of Swiss origin. Only around a third of Switzerland’s 50 richest people do not have a recent migration history. The remaining two thirds hail primarily from Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom, although numerous wealthy Russians, Swedish, Belgians and Dutch also call Switzerland home. Many have obtained Swiss citizenship. Curious fact: 4 of Switzerland’s wealthiest billionaires hail from Africa, namely: Alan Parker (Rhodesia), Ivan Glasenberg and Johann Rupert (South Africa) and Patrick Drahi (Morocco).

3. Most were born rich.
Switzerland is a prime destination for wealthy heirs and heiresses looking to squander their ancestors’ hard-won fortunes on expensive watches, leisurely ski trips and insanely-priced luxury housing. Around two-thirds of Switzerland's resident billionaires inherited at least part of their fortunes. But not all Swiss billionaires belong to the leisure class: around a third of Switzerland’s richest hail from average middle-class backgrounds and built their fortunes from scratch.

4. They are white.
Switzerland may be highly globalized, but as yet it has not been highly successful in attracting many non-Europeans billionaires. Only 1 of the top 50 residents is non-Caucasian. Perhaps billionaires from further afield feel more at home in tropical tax havens like Singapore or Hong Kong in Asia, Mauritius and the Seychelles in Africa or the U.S., Bahamas or Cayman Islands in America.

5. They seem to have good eyes.
Sure, there are a handful of billionaires that fit the stereotype of the dowdy old geezer peering at finely-printed stock quotes through thick glasses. But a full 40 of Switzerland’s 50 top billionaires appear to have functional eyes, with only 10 regularly wearing glasses.

6. They live in Geneva.
If you thought most billionaires soak up sun on the Gold Coast or hide out in Zug or Schwyz, you may be surprised to know that 12 of 50 richest people in the country call the Canton of Geneva their home (according to the Swiss business magazine Bilanz). That claim puts Switzerland’s westernmost canton far ahead of its nearest competitors – Schwyz (7 of the top 50), Vaud (6 of the top 50) and Bern (5 of the top 50).

7. They have unusually large numbers of children.
If there is one thing that the vast majority of billionaires have in common, it’s kids – and lots of them. While not all billionaires have families as large as that of Theo Müller (9 children), Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken or Curt Engelhorn (5 children each) the average rich far outdoes the average Swiss fertility rate of 1.5 children. A full 48 of the richest in Switzerland have children, with 2 being the most popular number, followed by 3, 4, 1 and 0, in that order.

8. They are active.
Long before he conquered the world of beer, Jorge Lemann was a tennis star in his own right. Bernie Ecclestone tried hard to become a Grand Prix racer before building a formula one empire instead, while former L’Oréal Chairman Lindsay Owen Jones ran a side career as a race car driver. Swatch Group president Nayla Hayek breeds horses in her time off, as does Eva-Maria Bucher-Haefner. Ineos CEO Jim Ratcliffe engages in motorcycle treks and polar expeditions in his free time.

9. They aren’t computer geeks.
In contrast to the U.S. top billionaire list, which reads like a who’s who in the world of ICT, the industries which created Switzerland’s richest billionaires are highly diverse, spanning from investment and banking to food and beverage processing, manufacturing, retail, wholesale, pharmaceuticals, commodities, hospitality, construction, sports, real estate, telecoms, fragrances and chemical production. Curious fact: Pharmaceuticals may have created the fortunes of 3 of the of 50 wealthiest families, but despite its high profile the pharma industry lags behind alcohol – 5 of the top 50 earn at least part of their wealth through beer or wine production.

Conclusion: If you are a white male immigrant with good eyes who is willing to seize the moment to build a self-made empire while engaging in extreme sports in your free time, your statistical chances of becoming a billionaire are a little higher than the next guy's. Moving to Geneva can probably wait until after you’ve made your first billion.

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9 Things Swiss Billionaires Have in Common (2024)

FAQs

What is something all billionaires have in common? ›

Billionaires are in the habit of spending money where it can eventually yield more profit, taking them to greater heights. This could even entail taking their entire teams on cruises, making memories with your business family, etc., in order to build loyalty and employee happiness.

What do all self-made billionaires have in common? ›

Millionaires, especially self-made millionaires whose wealth wasn't inherited, have five particular personality traits, according to new research. The five personality traits that are particularly standout are: risk-taking, emotional stability, openness, extraversion and conscientiousness.

What are the most common billionaire traits? ›

Researchers say traits like risk tolerance, emotional stability and extraversion were especially evident among self-made millionaires, and “less pronounced” in people who inherited their fortunes. The higher the wealth, the more pronounced those personality traits were, the study said.

What is billionaires most common source of income? ›

Many ultra-rich people have built their fortunes through business ownership and entrepreneurship. According to Forbes, 66% of billionaires' net worth comes from their ownership of private businesses.

What are 3 traits of billionaires? ›

In terms of becoming a billionaire, our research identified three personality traits essential to entrepreneurial success for both men and women: smart risk taking, an 'obsessive' business focus and determination.

What do all rich successful people have in common? ›

Millionaires have more in common with each other than just their bank accounts—for some millionaires, striking it rich took courage, salesmanship, vision, and passion. Find out which traits are most common among the seven-figure bank account set and what you can do to build some of these skills yourself.

What are the 7 traits of the millionaire next door? ›

The authors talked about the seven most common traits that showed up among those that have accumulated wealth. Those common traits are the following; high income, low expenses, frugal, wealthy, breaking even (Spartan), spender, broke, and breaking even (Lavish).

What is the mindset of a billionaire? ›

The billionaire mindset is a state of mind where focus, creativity and love are the major drivers , it is the state of natural blissfulness and urge to add value to the society and impact the lives around.

What skills will make you a billionaire? ›

12 MUST HAVE Skills of Every Millionaire
  • Communication. Millionaires send out thousands of emails every year. ...
  • Sales. In this world, you're either selling or being sold. ...
  • Marketing and Branding. ...
  • Emotional Intelligence. ...
  • Product and Service Innovation. ...
  • Organizing. ...
  • Goal-Setting and Planning. ...
  • Money Management.

What habits do rich people have in common? ›

Wealthy people avoid overspending by paying their future selves first. They save 20 percent of their net income and live on the remaining 80 percent. Among those who are struggling financially, almost all are living above their means. They spend more than they earn, and their debt is overwhelming them.

What do billionaires focus on? ›

Billionaires focus on making more money, rather than saving.

What are the common zodiac signs of billionaires? ›

Horoscope: What Zodiac signs boast the most billionaires?
  • Libra (September 24 to October 23) ...
  • Pisces (February 20 to March 20) ...
  • Taurus (April 21 to May 21) ...
  • Leo (July 23 to August 22) ...
  • Aries (March 21 to April 20) ...
  • Virgo (August 23 to September 23) ...
  • Gemini (May 22 to June 21) ...
  • Aquarius (January 21 to February 19)
Nov 17, 2022

What drives billionaires? ›

Financial freedom, personal freedom, having control over your life– these are all types of freedoms billionaires seek to help them find motivation. Oftentimes, freedom is one of their main drives right from the get to go.

What is the most common first job for billionaires? ›

Among 100 of the world's top billionaires, approximately 30% inherited or worked for family businesses, 53% worked for other businesses, and 17% actually started their own businesses. Around 75% obtained a college degree, with the mostly commonly pursued academic path being engineering (22%).

What are the 7 sources of income? ›

Read this blog to know more about the 7 most popular income streams for investors: Salary Income; Interest Income; Dividend Income; Capital Gains Income; Rental Income; Profit Income; Royalty Income. Find out how Cube Wealth makes it easier to invest in passive income-generating options.

How can you tell someone rich? ›

15 Subtle Signs a Person is Wealthy. How to Tell When Someone is Rich
  1. 15) They Work for Different Reasons. Most of us work in order to make money and pay our bills, right? ...
  2. 10) They Know Privacy Beats Fame Every Time. People who have become rich really prioritize privacy. ...
  3. 6) They Know Just How to Accessorize.

What are the 8 qualities of a wealthy woman? ›

But, what is true wealth? Suze defines it as internal riches not financial. She says when the eight qualities of harmony, balance, courage, generosity, happiness, cleanliness, beauty, and wisdom are smoothly working together, the money will surely follow.

What is a characteristic of a rich mindset? ›

Rich mindset seeks to spend their time, resources, and energy on work that continues to pay off long after the effort has been invested. Rich mindset is all about getting a flywheel spinning. Building momentum. Creating systems that continue to generate value on their own.

What is the #1 trait that successful people have in common? ›

Along with drive and patience, successful people also have discipline. Once they are motivated to accomplish something, they work hard to achieve it and are consistent in their efforts. Having a strong work ethic makes people more successful.

What do rich people tend to do? ›

Wealthy people take risks to learn new things, develop new skills, and expand their comfort zones. They are likely to start a business and invest in businesses and/or real estate. All of these actions require risk but can also offer substantial rewards. What wealthy people DON'T do is gamble!

What is the millionaires secret? ›

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What's the millionaire's secret on how do you build wealth? ›

Here are twelve things the millionaires next door do to gain their wealth.
  • They Set and Achieve Goals.
  • They Actively Save and Invest.
  • They Maintain Stable Employment.
  • They Surround Themselves With Experts.
  • They Protect Their Credit Score.
  • They Value Having Multiple Sources of Income.
  • They Believe in Keeping Busy.
Nov 15, 2021

What is The Millionaire Next Door rule? ›

The Millionaire Next Door formula multiplies your age times your pretax annual income divided by 10 to get your expected net worth—this excludes inheritances. You are wealthy if your net worth is twice as large as your expected net worth.

What is a billionaire morning routine? ›

What is a billionaire morning routine? A billion dollar morning routine is a list of activities you do when you first wake up. These activities are centered around self-love and self-care. They're designed to wake up your mind and prime you to go after everything you want to accomplish that day.

How is a billionaire lifestyle? ›

Being a billionaire takes an extreme work ethic and for many, quite a bit of patience. Billionaires are always learning and if you have the chance to ask them, they will almost always say they are the student, not the teacher. The most common traits among billionaires are work ethic and refusing to give up.

What is the first step of a billionaire mindset? ›

What are the habits of a millionaire mindset?
  • Focus on your goals. ...
  • Get comfortable with always learning. ...
  • Put yourself out there. ...
  • Be patient. ...
  • Accept mistakes as they come. ...
  • Don't forget about sleep. ...
  • Keep growth in mind. ...
  • Stop making excuses for yourself.

What is the best thing to make you rich? ›

The 5 Fastest Ways To Become Rich, According To Experts
  • Avoid (and Pay Down) Debt. Debt is not necessarily bad in all instances, but it is something to be avoided most of the time. ...
  • Spend Intentionally and Minimize Costs. ...
  • Invest as Much as Possible in a Diversified Portfolio. ...
  • Work On Your Career. ...
  • Find Extra Work.
Feb 21, 2023

What do most billionaires do to make money? ›

Billionaires generally derive most of their income from asset appreciation, rather than salaries or bonuses. Unlike ordinary income, asset appreciation is not taxed until a gain is realized through the sale of the asset.

Do billionaires work hard for their money? ›

Billionaires work hard -- sometimes harder than everyone else. In fact, they're known for their insane work ethic. "You just have to put in 80- to 100-hour weeks every week," Elon Musk told Vator.

What are the 10 rich habits? ›

16 Smart Financial Habits The Wealthy Follow (That It's Wise To Emulate)
  • Not Leaving Money Sitting Idle. ...
  • Focusing On The 'Signal,' Not The 'Noise' ...
  • Living Below Their Means. ...
  • Not Paying Interest. ...
  • Monitoring Income And Expenses. ...
  • Valuing Their Time. ...
  • Setting Life Goals And A Financial Plan. ...
  • Using Insurance Strategically.
Dec 20, 2022

What do rich people value? ›

These five values were stressed more while the wealthy were growing up: “academic achievement, financial discipline, work participation, family loyalty and civic duty.” 9. They love giving back: About two-thirds said their family had a strong tradition of philanthropy. 10.

What do billionaires do in their spare time? ›

Not all but some billionaires have completed an MBA in Business. They like to stay in shape and they incorporate it into their daily lives. Many invest in home gyms—and spend at least an hour most days a week in them. Others golf, sail, play basketball and soccer, or practice yoga regularly.

How do rich people think differently? ›

Rich Mindsets Believe in Saving, Investing, And Multiplying. Poor mindsets splurge on materialistic things. Poor people end up saving nothing to invest. Rich mindsets save, save, save.

Which zodiac is lucky in money? ›

Scorpio people regard money as a transformative and controlling force. Scorpios are more captivated by the power that money demonstrates. Work and determination are essential, but they are just half of the equation. These zodiac signs are born with excellent fortune and have many opportunities to make a lot of money.

Which zodiac makes more money? ›

Taurus belongs to the Earth element and Venus planet, which is known to be the best for money, wealth, and abundance. This makes them land in the top 5 zodiac signs that are good with money and accumulate worldly and materialistic success pretty naturally.

What astrological signs make the most money? ›

Zodiac signs most likely to be a billionaire
  • Libra - 12%
  • Pisces - 11%
  • Taurus - 10%
  • Leo - 9%
  • Aries - 8%
  • Virgo - 8%
  • Gemini - 8%
  • Aquarius - 7.5%
Feb 17, 2023

Why are some billionaires depressed? ›

Also, financially successful people like CEOs and high-powered attorneys may experience high rates of depression because they work long hours and sleep less. They may also feel the need to meet high expectations. “Being extremely wealthy can also cause feelings of disconnection,” Marcum says.

What do rich people study? ›

Study in economics produces a lot of millionaires, although as the Spear's and WealthInsight study pointed out, such high-net-worth graduates “have often left their degree behind in professional life.” Illustrious economics degree holders include former U.S. presidents Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and George H. W.

Why most of the billionaires are introverts? ›

Introverts are creative thinkers

There is a link between introversion and creativity. If you look at some of the world's preeminent inventors, writers, and entrepreneurs, most of them are introverts. That's because introverts enjoy expressing themselves creatively through their work.

Where is it easiest to become a billionaire? ›

The top 5 places in the world to grow your wealth
  1. Switzerland. Switzerland takes the top spot for expats looking to grow their wealth. ...
  2. Saudi Arabia. ...
  3. United Arab Emirates (UAE) ...
  4. Bahrain. ...
  5. Hong Kong.

What is the richest man occupation? ›

1) Jeff Bezos (Net Worth: $112 Billion)

Jeff Bezos is the founder of Amazon. It is one of the biggest and most popular online retailing companies in the world. Jeff Bezos became one of the richest men in 2018 after a whopping $40 billion were added to his net worth last year.

What field are most billionaires in? ›

In broader terms, the finance and investment profession has the most millionaires. It also has the most billionaires, with 371.

How can I make an extra $2,000 a month? ›

  1. Become a Blogger and earn with affiliate marketing. ...
  2. Offer Proofreading Services as a side hustle from home. ...
  3. Create Graphic Designs from Home as a Freelancer. ...
  4. Earn money by testing apps and websites. ...
  5. Complete paid online surveys for money. ...
  6. Transcribe videos, phone calls, and other recordings from home.
7 days ago

What are some characteristics of rich people? ›

The prototypical personality profile of the rich is marked by higher Risk tolerance, Openness, Extraversion, and Conscientiousness, and lower Neuroticism. Further, we provide initial suggestive evidence that this unique personality profile may contribute to wealth accumulation.

What is the billionaire mindset? ›

Drive and Focus

Billionaires are very focused; set challenging, but realistic and attainable goals; and generate big ideas. They believe in themselves and their ability to achieve their goals. By taking charge of their destiny and refusing to limit themselves, they never leave goal attainment to fate.

How billionaires are different from others? ›

Billionaires are different from millionaires in that they enjoy making money more than they enjoy spending it, according to Rafael Badziag in his book "The Billion Dollar Secret." Spending less than you make is the foundation to building wealth.

How to behave to look rich? ›

Keep scrolling to see the nine things that will always make you look richer than you are (without sending your bank balance into the red).
  1. Invest in a White Shirt—Keep It Crinkle-Free! ...
  2. Try Neutral Head-to-Toe Colours. ...
  3. Invest in Shoes. ...
  4. Wear Silk. ...
  5. Carry an Umbrella to Maintain Your 'Do. ...
  6. Keep Your Accessories Understated.
Apr 9, 2023

What qualities do rich men look for? ›

The woman is supportive and understanding.

A lot of millionaire men are attracted to women who are very understanding of their lifestyle and how busy they are and are willing to put his interests first when necessary. Many women think that playing hard to get is the way to land a wealthy man.

How do billionaires fund their lifestyle? ›

Billionaires generally derive most of their income from asset appreciation, rather than salaries or bonuses. Unlike ordinary income, asset appreciation is not taxed until a gain is realized through the sale of the asset.

What are the psychological effects of being rich? ›

Studies show that extremely wealthy people are more likely to show behavior tendencies towards “self-promotion, emotional coldness, duplicity, and aggressiveness” and that they possess a greater likelihood of engaging in various unethical behaviors.

Are billionaires born or made? ›

According to data: 27% of the ultra wealthy are self made: It defines them as people with a "middle-class or poor upbringing and no inheritance." 46% have a head start: Almost half the super rich people surveyed either had some inherited wealth or an affluent upbringing.

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