Forbes’ 2010 list of the world’s billionaires released Wednesday again includes several locals.
Donald Bren, chairman and owner of Irvine Company, is the highest ranking local on the list at No. 45 at an estimated $12 billion in wealth.
That’s the same valuation the Business Journal listed Bren at in August on our list of OC’s Wealthiest. It also was unchanged from Forbes’ last evaluation of Bren’s wealth in September for the Forbes 400 list of the richest Americans.
James Jannard, founder of Foothill Ranch-based Oakley Inc., comes in at No. 316 among the world’s billionaires. Forbes estimated his wealth at $3 billion, up from $2.8 million in September on the Forbes 400.
Jannard ranked No. 6 on the Business Journal’s August list at an estimated $1.5 billion.
David Sun and John Tu, cofounders and owners of Fountain Valley-based Kingston Technology Co., rank No. 374 on the billionaires list at an estimated $2.5 billion each, unchanged from the magazine’s September rankings.
Sun and Tu were estimated at $1.75 billion each by the Business Journal in August.
Bill Gross, co-chief investment officer at Newport Beach-based Pacific Investment Management Co., ranks No. 488 on Forbes’ billionaires list at an estimated $2 billion, unchanged from September.
The Business Journal pegged Gross at $1.1 billion in August.
Forbes split on Irvine-based Broadcom Corp. cofounders Henry Samueli and Henry Nicholas.
The magazine put Samueli at No. 582 at an estimated $1.7 billion, up from $1.65 billion in September.
Nicholas came in at No. 655 at $1.5 billion, unchanged from Forbes’ September valuation.
In August, the Business Journal valued Samueli at $1.8 billion and Nicholas at $1.7 billion.
A pair of real estate investors also ranked at No. 655 along with Nicholas.
George Argyros also came in at $1.5 billion, unchanged from September.
In August, the Business Journal pegged Argyros at $1 billion.
Igor Olenicoff also tied with Nicholas and Argryos at $1.5 billion, same as in Forbes’ September ranking.
The Business Journal pegged Olenicoff at $1.2 billion in August.
Forbes’ list for 2010 marked the third straight year in which it found a new No. 1 for its rankings of the world’s richest person.
Mexican investor Carlo Slim Helu topped Bill Gates and Warren Buffett to become the wealthiest person with wealth estimated at $53.5 billion, up $18.5 billion from a year earlier.
