The wealth of billionaires grew three times faster in 2024, compared to the previous year, Oxfam reported this Monday in a report on inequalities. Belgium has six new billionaires.
The wealth of billionaires in Belgium increased by $19 billion last yearor 53 million per day, reports Oxfam this Monday in a report on inequalities released on the occasion of the opening of the Davos Forum, in Switzerland. Worldwide, the wealth of billionaires jumped by $2,000 billion in 2024, three times faster than the previous year, while the number of people in poverty has barely changed since 1990, regrets the organization.
Six new billionaires in Belgium
According to Oxfam, which relies on figures from Forbes magazine, six people became billionaires last year in Belgiumwhich now has ten.
This wealth is “largely undeserved”because 79% is inherited and 3% comes from monopolies, details the report. The richest 1% in Belgium also hold 24% of wealth, which is more than the least wealthy 70% of the population combined, deplores the organization.
“The government could finally put an end to this machine for perpetuating inequalities and work on an essential tax reform where the broadest of shoulders would contribute equitably,” argues Eva Smets, director of Oxfam Belgium. The report highlights that these inequalities are increasing in the world, with the second largest annual increase in the fortunes of billionaires since these data were recorded (from 13,000 to 15,000 billion).
The 10 Belgian billionaires and their fortune
Eric Wittouck, sweet fortune
At 77 years old, he has been well at the top of the ranking of the richest Belgians for several years, with assets of eight billion dollars. For the Wittoucks, fortune is a family affair. Eric inherited from his grandfather Paul, who founded several sugar refineries before acquiring that of Tirlemont in 1894. In 1987, Eric and his cousins sold Sucre de Tirlemont to the German company Südzucker, for a sum of almost a billion euros.
Ironically, Eric would then invest in the American health food company Weight Watchers. He owns or has owned shares in several well-known companies (Alibaba, Apple, Goldman Sachs, Google, IBM, LinkedIn and Wells Fargo). He also has shares in Jumbotail, one of India’s largest digital food wholesalers. Eric Wittouck has also invested in several biotechnology companies.
Nicolas D’Ieteren, the automobile empire
The 49-year-old heir has been the main shareholder and chairman of the board of directors of the D’Ieteren group since 2017. He has assets of $3.69 billion. The group is the exclusive importer and distributor of Volkswagen in Belgium. In addition to other automotive activities, the group bought shares in the Italian notebook company Moleskine, and acquired part of the TVH group, specializing in forklifts and industrial, agricultural and construction machines.
Fernand Huts, the valiant dechets of gold
He is the owner of the international logistics group Cotton Nationlogistics service provider and port operator. The group acquires Indaverleader in waste processing, in 2015. Fernand Huts also spent a time in politics with Open Vld, he is an art collector and owns the emblematic Boerentoren tower in Antwerp. He also recently bought a T-Rex skeleton for 5.6 million euros. At 74 years old, his fortune amounts to $3.3 billion.
- Alexandre Van Damme, the beer tycoon
He holds a large part d’AB InBev, the largest brewing group in the world (Corona, Stella Artois, Budweiser, Tripel Karmeliet, Hoegaarden, Leffe, etc.), which he inherited from his grandfather. Alongside AB Inbev, Alexandre Van Damme has also invested in Burger King and the Belgian investment company Ackermans & van Haaren. At 62, he joined the Belgian billionaires club with a fortune of $3.3 billion.
Gerald Brother, thank you dad
Son of Albert, who was for a long time the richest man in the country, he works within the family investment holding companies, CNP (Compagnie Nationale à Portefeuille) and GBL (Group Bruxelles Lambert). He shares the Frère-Bourgeois family holding company with his sister, Ségolène. At 74 years old, his assets, which amount to $3.2 billionallowed him to join the clan of the very rich.
Catheline Perier-D’Ieteren, former professor at ULB
Nicolas’ aunt owns 25% of the D’Ieteren group through a family holding company, SPDG. On the professional side, she is an international expert in the restoration and conservation of works of art. She was a professor at ULB. At 80 years old, she has a fortune of $3.08 billion.
Theo Roussis, the king of plastic
After the death of his father-in-law in 1993, Theo Roussis took over the family business. Ravagoa multinational plastics company. Today it is the world leader in recycling. The Roussis-Van Gorp family is also the largest private shareholder of the KBC bancassurance company, owning around 1% of the shares. At 70, he handed over management to his son but his fortune is worth 3 billion dollars.
Ségolène Frère-Gallienne, thank you dad (bis)
In the Brother family, I now ask for the sister. After the death of his father, Albert Frère, Gérald was given 75% control of NPM and 25% of GBL, and the Ségolène branch, the reverse. She and her husband, Ian Gallienne, established a wealth management firm, FG Bros. She sits on the board of directors of the Arnault family holding company, which controls LVMH. At 46, she has also just joined the club of the very rich with assets of 3 billion dollars.
Pierre Van Der Mersch, the neo-billionaire
The neo-billionaire is at the head of Brederode investment fundwhich has distinguished itself in several sectors (health, technology, energy). In 2023, he handed over to the economist Bruno Colmant. At 88 years old, his assets are estimated at $2.2 billionwhich earned him an entry among the billionaires.
Fabien Pinckaers, the youngest
At 46 years old, he is one of last year’s newcomers. This Walloon Steve Jobs created the company TinyERP, which became Odooduring his studies. It is now worth a billion euros. In 2021, Fabien Pinckaers was named personality of the year in the field of ICT by Data News magazine, a year after Trends-Tendances magazine awarded him the title of Manager of the Year. His fortune is estimated at two billion dollars.
Towards a next class of trillionaires…
“The control of a privileged elite over the global economy has reached previously unimaginable heights,” denounces Amitabh Behar, director general of Oxfam International. The free rein left to billionaires paves the way for the imminent emergence of a class of trillionaires. Not only are billionaires getting richer three times faster than a year ago, but their power has also increased.” The organization calls on states to reduce inequalities. She recommends taxing the richest and “super-inheritances”, or even abolishing tax havens.
