A Closer Look at Forbers Billianaries in Tecnology




Bill Gates tops Forbes' list The definition of billionaire is not limited to the numerical instance of wealth, it describes the very essence of an individuals drive to effect what drives commerce.	A Closer Look at Forbes' Billionaries in Technology By Olayinka Arowolo, MBA The March 27 2006 issue of Forbes magazine is an ode to the world’s billionaires. The list comprises of mostly risk convening prodigies and move makers. All 793 members of this ultra elite club are from all around the world and earned their fortunes in various business ventures. A staggering percentage of these titans made their fortune in technology. Their initiatives have essentially changed the global landscape for decades to come. The definition of billionaire is not limited to the numerical instance of wealth, it describes the very essence of an individuals drive to effect what drives commerce. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates topped the list for a record 12th year in a row with a net worth estimated at $50 billion followed by; #6 Paul Allen $22.0, #12 Michael Dell $17.1, #14 Sheldon Adelson $16.1, #15 Lawrence Ellison $16.0, #24 Steven Ballmer $13.6, #25 Azim Premji $13.3, #26 Sergey Brin $12.9, #27 Larry Page $12.8, #129 Eric Schmidt $4.8, #140 Steven Jobs $4.4, #240 David Filo $2.9, #317 Jerry Yang $2.4, #486 Thomas Siebel $1.6, #645 Theodore Waitt $1.2 and 746 Charles Simonyi $1.0 billion. A more noteworthy aspect than the enormous wealth these entrepreneurs have amassed is the considerable impact their ventures have had globally. Gates, Allen, Ballmer and Charles Simonyi are all Microsoft billionaires. Page, Brin and Schmidt are Google billionaires, Filo and Yang are Yahoo billionaires. Their impact in the marketing business is astounding and permanent. Azim Premji started Wipro. Michael Dell has Dell computers and Steve Jobs is behind the iPod revolution. Ted Waitt founded Gateway and Thomas Siebel made his money from Siebel CRM software used globally in all fortune 500 companies. Technology billionaires have a common philosophy to their business model, faster, smaller, accessible and relevant. This attitude towards product deployment and process development has mass appeal on a universal scale and that is the very quintessence of the phenomenal wealth they have generated and will continue to proliferate well after they are gone. Any applicants into this illustrious club have to at a minimum understand their business philosophy and incorporate into all ventures. Olayinka Arowolo is president of Atlanta-based Aroviz Online and Associates, LLC. Aroviz is a provider of video mail and audition automation software platforms. What do you think? Feedback here. back to the top	More Headlines... On the Ethanol Bandwagon, Big Names and Big Risks Brazil Leading World in Effort to Boost Use of Ethanol A Closer Look at Forbes' Billionaries in Technology Lawyer for Scrushy sees Skilling, Lay as 'doomed' 5 Audit Red Flags Internet Censorship A New Threat To Your Credit Rating H&R Block Gets Its Own Taxes Wrong Will Wireless Technology Bridge the Digital Divide? Miami Beach gains a new heavy hitter The Man Who Saved Richard Scrushy Cut Down the Phone Tree Print this issue here!