L'Oréal heiress becomes first woman to achieve $100 billion fortune

Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, heiress to the L'Oréal beauty empire, has achieved the distinction of being the first woman globally to gather wealth exceeding $100 billion.

This milestone resulted from the surge in L'Oréal S.A. stock, reaching a record high on Thursday, elevating her net worth to $100.1 billion. 

The 70-year-old, along with her family, holds a significant 35% stake in L'Oréal, establishing them as the company's predominant shareholders, a legacy from her grandfather's founding of the company in 1909.

As the world's wealthiest woman, Bettencourt Meyers inherited substantial assets, including mansions, upon the passing of her mother, Liliane Bettencourt, in 2017. The inheritance had been a source of family conflict between the two.

Known for her reclusive lifestyle, Bettencourt Meyers spends her days at home engaged in activities such as reading and playing the piano, according to Vanity Fair's 2017 report.

She is also an author, having penned two books, a comprehensive study of the Bible across five volumes, and a genealogy of Greek gods.

Despite reaching the $100 billion mark and ranking as the world's 12th richest person, Bettencourt Meyers trails behind French retail magnate Bernard Arnault in wealth. 

Arnault, founder of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, holds the position of the world's second-richest individual, with a substantial net worth of $179 billion.

In the realm of female wealth, the second-richest woman is American Alice Walton, inheritor of the Walmart retail empire, with a fortune valued at $70 billion.