Forbes recently released its 2013 list of billionaires, and topping the chart weren’t many surprises: Bill Gates, Warren Buffett… But the whole thing got me thinking, what about the women who are married to billionaires? More specifically the black women who are married to billionaires? There had to be some. So I started doing some research and what do you know? There are in fact quite a few black women who’ve married billionaires (and some who might soon). Not many, but enough to mention, and certainly enough to form their own exclusive group of what I’m calling The Billionaire Black Wives Club. Check them out.
Janet Jackson
Some time last year Janet Jackson secretly married Qatari business tycoon Wissam Al Mana, whose net worth is an estimated $1 billion. The source of Wissam’s fortune? He’s heir to his father’s billion dollar retail empire and one of the richest investors in the Middle East.
Source: Vogue
Precious Moloi-Motsepe
Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe is married to $2.65 billion mining mogul Patrice Motsepe, the richest black man in South Africa. But aside from this, Precious is also the Chairperson for African Fashion International, the company that owns and hosts fashion week events in South Africa.
Source: AP
Hania Ibrahim
Hania Ibrahim, a former consultant radiologist, is married to Sudanese-born mobile communications entrepreneur Mo Ibrahim, the $1.1 billion man behind Celtel and the Mo Ibrahim Foundation.
Angela Gisela Brown
In 2000, Angela Gisela Brown married Prince Maximillius, a European business manager and member of the Liechtensteiner Princely family who has a net worth of $2 billion. The union made Princess Angela and her son with Maximillius, Prince Alfons, extremely rich yes, but also the highest ranked black members of a reigning European dynasty.
Titi Adenuga
Titi Adenuga is the second wife of Globacom and Conoil owner Mike Adenuga, who’s worth $4.7 billion.
Sheila Johnson
Before divorcing BET founder Bob Johnson in 2002, the couple shared in their success as billionaires (Bob was actually the first African-American billionaire). But after the split, Sheila was awarded a portion of Bob’s fortune that nullified his status as billionaire and hers as billionaire wife: $400 million.
Source: BET Blogs
Naomi Campbell
Naomi Campbell may still be just “the girlfriend” but her billionaire beau Vladislav Doronin (worth nearly $2 billion) remains adamant that he will marry her – eventually. He’s already purchased Naomi a vacation home in Turkey, built her another in Moscow and funds much of her luxurious lifestyle, so who knows? He may just be in it for the long run — if these rumors that they broke up aren’t true.
Source: Getty
Mellody Hobson
Ariel Investments President Mellody Hobson and Stars Wars creator George Lucas (worth $7 billion) became engaged this past January after 7 years together.
Source: AP Images
Beyonce
OK, she’s not one yet but give Jay-Z another five years (or less) and we guarantee she’ll be on this list. Plus, Beyonce and Jay have already been named the first billionaire couple, so it’s only a matter of time before they each hit that milestone individually.
