Fab Five Female Billionaires

In the spirit of the midnight release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, one might consider writing up a post on Joanne Kathleen Rowling and the creation of her billion dollar wizarding empire. Upon reading an article (ironically enough with Forbes) that mentioned J.K. is part of the top five self-made female billionaires in the world, I was curious to know who else rounded out the list. Being a self-made billionaire is the dream of all entrepreneurs. Have idea, will travel with it.

For many women and female business owners, it is difficult to sit with the knowledge that only five ladies make the cut in being worth billions. But I’d rather see five women than two or one or none. They made it. These five women defied the odds, created outstanding brands for themselves, and held a heavy hand in influencing lives with such an impact they might never know about.

Here are the others on this short list:




Oprah Winfrey
A shrewd businesswoman, Winfrey is a brand. She acts both as a television host and actress, serves as a co-author and magazine publisher, is a radio personality, a producer, and philanthropist. Born into poverty, Winfrey rose to fame by beginning a broadcasting career for herself post-college and became a star in the entertainment industry, well-known for her ability to build an instant rapport with her audience. The only African American on the list, Winfrey is yearly ranked one of the most influential women in the world.

Margaret Whitman
You might also know her better as being Meg Whitman, running as the Republican candidate for the Governor of California last year (in an election race that Democratic candidate Jerry Brown won). Before the election, she served as the president of eBay for 10 years, with an impressive work resume that included Disney, FTD (Florists’ Transworld Delivery), and Stride Rite. As CEO, Whitman turned the tiny start-up around into one of the most thriving online marketplaces in the world, winning dozens of awards and mentions for her work from Fortune magazine and the Harvard Business Review.

Zhang Xin

One of the forerunners in the Chinese real estate market, Xin is the CEO of SOHO China, the largest real estate developer in Beijing. Holding a master’s degree in developmental economics from Cambridge University and boasting work with Goldman Sachs, she also serves as one of the original co-founders to SOHO China and is consistently awarded and praised internationally for her innovative work vision by Forbes and the Financial Times. A multi-faceted business talent, Xin is a member of the World Economic Forum and the Asian Business Council.

Doris Fisher

A current board member for fashion retailer The Gap, Fisher also served as the woman behind the opening of the first Gap store location in 1969. It’s San Francisco-based roots would take the booming enterprise all through the world and expand on the brand’s line of clothing variety including BabyGap, Old Navy, and Banana Republic chain stores. Fisher ranks yearly on the Forbes world billionaires list and is worth $2.5 billion.

Source: Forbes (Deborah Sweeney, My Corporation)