- By Ridam Sharma
- Tue, 20 May 2025 12:38 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Executives Got Rich Working For Others: To your surprise, not all billionaires are founders or heirs. Some of the billionaires across the globe have created phenomenal wealth as executives. They have helped major companies in business dynamics to reach their full potential. Here’s a list of the richest billionaire executives, according to Forbes' 2025 "Hired-Hand Billionaires" list, which highlights the list of ten individuals who have built a financially strong portfolio while working for someone else and not by founding firms. These people worked in various fields, from executive or engineer to even top-manager level.
List Of Top 10 Richest Billionaire Employees Of 2025:
| Rank | Name | Title & Company | Net Worth ($ Billion) | Net Worth (Rs lakh crore) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Steve Ballmer | Former CEO, Microsoft | $130 | Rs 1,110 lakh crore |
| 2 | Eric Schmidt | Former Chairman & CEO, Google | $22.5 | Rs 192 lakh crore |
| 3 | Ramzi Musallam | CEO, Veritas Capital | $9.2 | Rs 79 lakh crore |
| 4 | Jonathan Gray | President & COO, Blackstone | $9 | Rs 77 lakh crore |
| 5 | John Brown | Former Chairman & CEO, Stryker | $8.4 | Rs 72 lakh crore |
| 6 | Charles Simonyi | Former Chief Software Architect, Microsoft | $7.8 | Rs 67 lakh crore |
| 7 | Jeff Rothschild | Former VP of Infrastructure Software, Facebook | $6.2 | Rs 53 lakh crore |
| 8 | Jeff Skoll | Former President, eBay | $5.2 | Rs 44 lakh crore |
| 9 | Jayshree Ullal | Chairperson & CEO, Arista Networks | $4.7 | Rs 40 lakh crore |
| 10 | Hamilton "Tony" James | Former Executive Vice Chairman, Blackstone | $4.6 | Rs 39 lakh crore |
Steve Ballmer (Ex-CEO, Microsoft) – $130B
Steve Ballmer was hired by Microsoft in 1980 as the firm's 30th employee and became CEO in 2000, overseeing the tech giant until 2014. Most of his wealth comes from Microsoft stock, which has catapulted to record levels since his retirement, making him the world's richest hired-hand billionaire.
Eric Schmidt (Former Chairman And CEO, Google) – $22.5B
Eric Schmidt joined Google in 2001 to offer Adult Supervision to the youthful founders. As chairman and then CEO, he took Google public and expanded it internationally, accruing a fortune in well-timed equity grants.
Ramzi Musallam (CEO, Veritas Capital) – $9.2B
Ramzi Musallam advanced from the ranks at Veritas Capital, which is a private equity company that deals in government and defence. As CEO, he has managed huge growth and has garnered massive net worth, which highlights his considerable contribution to the firm's success.
Jonathan Gray (President And COO, Blackstone) – $9B
Jonathan Gray came to Blackstone in 1992 and rose to the position of president and COO. He was the fundamental force in establishing Blackstone as a real estate giant, and his pay and equity have turned him into a billionaire employee.
John Brown (Former Chairman And CEO, Stryker) – $8.4B
John Brown headed medical equipment firm Stryker for almost thirty years, building it into a sector giant. His fortune is linked to long-term stock holdings built up under his tenure.
Charles Simonyi (Ex-Microsoft Chief Software Architect) – $7.8B
Charles Simonyi was responsible for creating Microsoft Word and Excel. Although not a co-founder, his technical early leadership and stock grants made him one of the wealthiest software programmers in history.
Jeff Rothschild (Ex VP of Infrastructure Software, Facebook) – $.2B
Jeff Rothschild came to Facebook in its formative years as an infrastructure specialist, playing a key role in scaling the site. His equity position, as a grant to him as an employee, increased exponentially with Facebook's IPO and subsequent expansion.
Jeff Skoll (Ex-President, eBay) – $5.2B
Skoll was eBay's initial president, leading the organisation through its early years. His salary and stock options became a multi-billion-dollar fortune after eBay went public.
Jayshree Ullal (Chairperson And CEO, Arista Networks) – $4.7B
Jayshree Ullal joined Arista Networks in 2008 and has led it to conquer the cloud networking market. Her equity awards and leadership have contributed to her being among the world's richest female CEOs.
Hamilton "Tony" James (Former Executive Vice Chairman, Blackstone) – $ 4 B
Hamilton James entered Blackstone in 2002 and played a key role in growing its alternative asset management business. His pay and stock have ensured he is one of the top billionaire employees even after his retirement.