3. Hans Rausing ($12 billion): The packaging magnate took over his father’s business and earned a fortune
Net Worth: 101 billion SEK ($12 billion)
Company: Tetra Laval, packaging
Residence: Wadhurst, UK
Hans Rausing took over the family business from father and founder Ruben Rausing after his death in 1982 – and grew the company’s global profile further. Hans Rausing has sold most of his stake in Tetra Pak to his nephews and reinvested the money in Ecolean, a sustainable packaging company.
The Rausing family makes up one of Sweden’s most influential family dynasties together with the Wallenberg’s. However, has not been spared its fair share of tragedy and family drama: In 2012, the wife of Hans-Kristian Rausing, Hans’ son, died of a drug overdose in the couple’s London home.
2. Stefan Persson ($16.10 bn) took his father’s clothing empire and made it into the global brand it is today.
Net Worth: $16.10 billion
Company: H&M (clothing retailer)
Residence: Stockholm
Global retail chain H&M’s family patriarch Stefan Persson is Sweden’s second-richest. Before growing H&M into a global fashion empire, his father, Erling Persson, opened the first store in 1947, expanded in Sweden, and took the company public.