The youngest billionaire in the world is Italian, Forbes says. Here’s who he is and how much he is worth.
In a world where the average age of the richest people in the world is around 65, becoming a billionaire at just 18 is incredible. Even more unusual is that the youngest billionaire in the world is Italian.
According to Forbes, the Italian Clemente del Vecchio broke all records by ranking as the youngest billionaire in 2023, but he is not the only Italian to re-enter the rankings. His brothers are also with him: Luca and Leonardo Maria.
The three are the children of Leonardo Del Vecchio, the founder of Luxottica - today EssilorLuxottica - who passed away on June 27, 2022. Del Vecchio in the years prior to his death was the richest shareholder of the Italian stock exchange and one of the richest people in Italy. His three sons inherited their father’s huge estate trying to follow his path - in due course. Here is who Clemente Del Vecchio is and how much his net worth is.
Who is Clemente Del Vecchio, the youngest billionaire in the world
If it is true that the average age of the richest people in the world is around 65, Forbes magazine wanted to point out that personal data is not all that essential: at least 15 people in the world can boast a billionaire fortune despite having less than 30 years of age and among these we find the Del Vecchio brothers.
Clemente is the last son of the founder of Luxottica Leonardo Del Vecchio - an exemplary entrepreneur who has been able to embody the myth of the self-made man - and of his partner Sabrina Grossi, a former member of the board of directors of Luxottica and former head of investor relations for the company. After his father’s death - which took place on 27 June 2022 at the age of 87 - Clemente therefore inherited a part of his father’s estate, winning the title of youngest billionaire in the world.
Currently, due to their young age, both Clemente and his brother Luca, 21, (also the son of Sabrina Grossi) don’t seem to hold a specific role within Luxottica, which today owns Sunglass Hut, Ray-Ban , and Oakley, among others.
On the other hand, someone who plays a fundamental role within the company is Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio, the son Leonardo Del Vecchio had from his second wife Nicoletta Zampillo - they married in 1997, after divorcing in 2000 the two they had decided to remarry in 2010. To date, the 27-year-old heads strategy for the Italian eyewear company.
Clemente del Vecchio net worth
Although at the moment Clemente Del Vecchio does not yet hold any role within Luxottica, he finds himself at just 18 years old as one of the shareholders of the family empire. According to Leonardo Del Vecchio’s will, each of his six children: Claudio, Marisa, Paola (children of his first wife Luciana Nervo), Leonardo Maria, Luca and Clemente, was entitled to 12.5% of the capital of Delfin, the Luxembourg holding which owns over 32% of EssilorLuxottica, instead leaving the company to his trusted collaborators who have helped Del Vecchio build his empire over the years.
Therefore, when his father died, Clemente del Vecchio found himself inheriting a huge sum that is now his net worth: 3,5 billion dollars. The same happened to the other brothers.
In fact, as we have said, his brothers have also found a place in the ranking of the youngest billionaires in the world, as can be deduced from the Forber list below.
| Billionaire | age | Citizenship | Source of income | Net worth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BenFrancis | 30 | U.K. | Gymshark | $1.2 billion |
| Palmer Luckey | 30 | U.S. | Virtual Reality | $1.7 billion |
| Mark Mateschitz | 30 | Austria | Red Bull | $34.7 billion |
| Michal Strnad | 30 | Czech Republic | Weapons | $2 billion |
| Gustav Magnar Witzoe | 29 | Norway | Fish farm | $2.7 billion |
| Ryan Breslow | 28 | U.S. | Ecommerce | $1.1 billion |
| Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio | 27 | Italy | Luxottica | $3.5 billion |
| Katharina Andresen | 27 | Norway | Investments | $1.5 billion |
| Wang Zelong | 26 | China | Pigment Production | $1.4 billion |
| Alexandra Andresen | 26 | Norway | Investments | $1.5 billion |
| Luca Del Vecchio | 21 | Italy | Luxottica | $3.5 billion |
| Kim Jung-min | 21 | South Korea | Online Games | $1.7 billion |
| Kevin David Lehmann | 20 | Germany | Groceries | $2.3 billion |
| Kim Jung-youn | 19 | South Korea | Online Games | $1.7 billion |
| Clemente Del Vecchio | 18 | Italy | Luxottica | $3.5 billion |
Original article published on Money.it Italy 2023-04-08 09:00:00. Original title: Chi è e quanto guadagna Clemente Del Vecchio, il più giovane miliardario del mondo
