How these lucky women met their billionaire husbands

1 Views

The wives and girlfriends of some of the richest men in the world are considered to be very lucky because they do not only have access to stupendous wealth, they get to sleep beside some of the world’s most enigmatic men.

It would surprise you to know that most of these women met their partners in the most mundane ways and some married them ‘broke’ but look at God.

As huge as the personality of their spouses are, some of these women also have their own remarkable achievements.

1. Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez

After his $38 billion divorce in 2019 with long-time wife Mackenzie Scott, Jeff Bezos, founder and chairman of Amazon, is currently engaged to Lauren Sánchez, a former television anchor and licensed helicopter pilot. The couple began dating in 2018 while both were separated from their respective spouses.

Sánchez has three children: one from her previous relationship with Tony Gonzalez and two from her marriage to Patrick Whitesell. Sanchez is also the founder of Black Ops Aviation, an aerial film and production company. She has also worked as a consultant on Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk and Catherine Hardwicke’s Miss Bala and she’s done some aerial shots for Bezos’ aerospace company, Blue Origin.

2. Bernard Arnault and Hélène Mercier

Arnault, who is the chairman and CEO of LVMH, an empire that spans brands from Louis Vuitton to Marc Jacobs, is married to Canadian concert pianist Hélène Mercier. Hélène Mercier first met the French fashion tycoon at a dinner party in 1989 — and insisted he play the piano for her on a New Year’s date later that year. Mercier told The Wall Street Journal

The pair wed in 1990 in a private ceremony in France. Despite her busy schedule — she performs at around 20 concerts a year and practices two to six hours a day.

3. Larry Ellison and Nikita Kahn

Larry Ellison, co-founder and CTO of Oracle Corporation, has been in a long-term relationship with Nikita Kahn, an actress, model, and animal rights activist. Ellison owns almost all of Hawaiian island Lanai and once sat on the board of Tesla. In 2013, he opened Malibu restaurant Nikita — yes, named after his girlfriend — with Mediterranean/Italian fare like Kobe beef sliders and lobster salad. The couple does not have children together.

4. Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan

Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder and CEO of Meta Platforms, met Priscilla Chan in a bathroom at a fraternity party during his sophomore year at Harvard University in 2003. They married in 2012 and have three daughters, Maxima and August and Aurelia. Chan eventually quit her job as a pediatrician to devote her time to the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Together, they founded the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, focusing on philanthropy in education, healthcare, and scientific research.

5. Mukesh Ambani and Nita Ambani

Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries, married Nita Ambani in 1985. They were introduced by Mukesh’s father, Dhirubhai Ambani, who attended a dance performance where Nita was performing. Impressed by her talent, he arranged a meeting between them. The couple has three children: Akash, Isha, and Anant, all of whom hold positions within the family business.

She’s a formidable businesswoman herself, serving as a board member of the family business, Reliance Industries as well as East India Hotels and she is a co-owner of cricket team Mumbai Indians. She’s also a founder and chairperson at Dhirubhai Ambani International School — one of India’s top international schools — and Football Sports Development Limited, an organization that aims to develop sports in India through grassroots programs.

6. Warren Buffett and Astrid Menks

Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, met Astrid Menks in the 1970s when she was working as a waitress. At the time, Buffett was married to Susan Thompson, who had moved to San Francisco to pursue a singing career. Susan approved of Astrid and even introduced her to Warren. After Susan’s passing in 2004, Warren and Astrid married in 2006. Buffett has three children from his first marriage: Susan, Howard, and Peter.

7. Larry Page and Lucinda Southworth

Larry Page, co-founder of Google, married Lucinda Southworth in 2007. They met through mutual social circles in the early 2000s. Lucinda, a researcher and scientist, holds a Ph.D. in biomedical informatics. Southworth, who has a PhD in Biomedical Informatics from Stanford and holds degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and Oxford, is a research scientist and philanthropist. The couple founded the charitable Carl Victor Page Memorial Foundation in 2004 and donated $15 million to fight Ebola in West Africa in 2018.

8. Wendy Schmidt and Eric Schmidt

This interior designer turned investor and philanthropist has been married to former Google CEO Eric Schmidt since 1980.The couple has been busy founding organizations to carry out their philanthropic goals. That includes the Schmidt Family Foundation (which focuses on sustainability), the Schmidt Ocean Institute (which promotes oceanographic research) and Schmidt Futures (which funds efforts to advance society through tech).

Wendy remains president of the Schmidt Family Foundation and is also a competitive sailor. She founded oceans solutions initiative 11th Hour Racing in 2010. Eric left the board of Alphabet in 2019 and retired from his position as technical advisor in 2020.