1. Ingvar Kamprad and family

Net worth: $31 billion Citizenship: Sweden Kamprad peddled matches, fish, pens, Christmas cards and other items by bicycle as a teenager. He started selling furniture in 1947. His company Ikea, which sells hip designs for the cost-conscious, is now one of the most beloved retailers in the world, with an almost cult-like following. Ikea now has stores in 40 countries, from Sunrise, Fla., in the U.S. to Guangzhou in China. As egalitarian as his brand, Kamprad avoids wearing suits, flies economy class and frequents cheap restaurants, but he has been quoted as saying his luxuries are the occasional nice cravat and Swedish fish roe. He says his home is furnished mostly with his own Ikea products. Last May, he was awarded the Global Economy Prize by the University of Kiel for his contributions to society.