Among the richest people, Gianluigi Aponte saw his wealth grow the sixth fastest in the world for the 12-month period from March last year to last month, according to a new billionaires survey carried by Forbes.
The founder of Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC), a cruise giant as well as the world’s largest containerline, Aponte saw his net worth grow by $14.4bn in the 12-month period through to March 10, according to Forbes.
The 82-year-old is placed in joint 43rd on the Forbes billionaires index with his wife, Rafaela, both with an estimated net worth of $31.2bn each.
Originally hailing from Naples, the secretive Apontes, who keep the financial results of Geneva-based MSC private, are reportedly three times as wealthy as the second-placed family in the latest rich list compiled by local media in Switzerland.
Liner shipping, in which MSC has a leading 18.2% global market share, made a collective record net income significantly north of $200bn last year, dwarfing profits made by the FANG quartet – namely tech giants Facebook, Amazon, Netflix and Google.
