What is Françoise Bettencourt-Meyers' Net Worth?
Françoise Bettencourt-Meyers, a French author and heiress, boasts a net worth of $102 billion. She holds the title of richest woman in the world and is the first woman to achieve a net worth of $100 billion. Françoise inherited her fortune from her mother, the late Liliane Bettencourt, who was a principal shareholder of L'Oreal. Today, the Bettencourt family retains a 33% stake in the company.
Despite inheriting her wealth, Françoise has carved out her own career as an author, focusing on Bible commentaries and books on Jewish-Christian relations. Raised as a strict Catholic, she later married the grandson of an Auschwitz survivor and raised her children Jewish.
Throughout her life, Françoise has faced controversies, including her grandfather's Nazi sympathies and her tumultuous relationship with her mother, Liliane. She once attempted to have Liliane declared mentally incompetent, accusing François-Marie Banier of taking money from her mother. This controversy contributed to the Woerth-Bettencourt scandal, alleging illegal financial contributions to Nicolas Sarkozy's government.
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Early Life
Françoise Bettencourt was born on July 10th, 1953, in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Paris, France, to Liliane Bettencourt and André Bettencourt. Her grandfather, Eugène Schueller, founded L'Oreal and was a known supporter of fascist, antisemitic groups in France. Her father, André, later became a French politician and served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Career with L'Oreal
Since 1997, Françoise Bettencourt-Meyers has served on L'Oreal's board and is the chairwoman of the family holding company. She took a more prominent role in L'Oreal in 2017 following her mother's death.
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Writing Career
Françoise is renowned for her writings, including "The Greek Gods. Genealogy" and "A Look at the Bible," the latter published in 2008 with an introduction by Alain Decaux and winning the Prix des Lauriers Verts. Her work explores a broad range of topics, such as Biblical expressions, Judaism and Catholicism comparisons, the family tree of Adam and Eve, and the Tribes of Israel.
Philanthropy
Besides her involvement in L'Oreal, Françoise presides over a philanthropic foundation initiated by her family. The foundation primarily supports scientific and artistic endeavors in France. Notably, in 2019, her family and L'Oreal pledged $226 million to reconstruct the Notre Dame Cathedral following its devastating fire.
Real Estate
Following Liliane's death, Françoise inherited various properties, including a mansion in Neuilly-sur-Seine and another overlooking the Brittany coast. Additionally, she owns a home in Paris, which was searched in 2010 in connection to the Woerth-Bettencourt scandal.
