Financial status is something that divides societies in every country, as no matter where you live in the world, there are always some people living on the poverty line and others who enjoy huge wealth. In the Netherlands, there are many people who have more in their bank account than most people can even dream of earning in a lifetime, including many billionaires. Here are the 10 richest people in the Netherlands, their net worth, and how they amassed their wealth.
10. Steven Schuurman Net Worth - $1.5 Billion
Steven Schuurman is a technology and media entrepreneur who co-founded Elastic, which is a data search and analytics company. He was the CEO of the company until 2017. Schuurman also co-founded SpringSource and Atlantis Entertainment. As of July 2021, Steven Schuurman’s net worth is $1.5 billion, making him the 10th richest person in the Netherlands.
9. Lesley Bamberger Net Worth - $1.6 Billion
Lesley Bamberger is the owner of the privately held real estate company Kroonenberg Group. The company was founded by his grandfather, and Bamberger inherited the company in 1996 on his grandfather’s death. Kroonenberg Group owns residential, retail, and industrial properties in both the Netherlands and the United States.
8. Kommer Damen Net Worth - $1.7 Billion
Kommer Damen is the chairman of Damen’s Shipyards, which is based in the Netherlands. The company was established in 1927 by brothers Jan and Marinus Damen, and it was based in the town of Hardinxveld-Giessendam. Kommer Damen is the son of Jan Damen, and he took over the company in 1969. Since he took over, Dame’s Shipyards have built more than 5,000 vessels. Damen lives in Noordeloos, Netherlands, with his wife, and the couple has four children.
7. John de Mol Jr. Net Worth - $2 Billion
John de Mol Jr’s real name is Johannes Hendrikus Hubert de Mol Jr. He was born in The Hague, Netherlands, on April 24, 1955. De mol is a media tycoon television producer who has become a billionaire with a net worth of $2 billion due to the success of his companies and television series. He is one of the leading forces behind the companies Talpa and Endemol.
De Mol is also known for being the creator of series such as ‘The Voice,’ ‘Fear Factor,’ and ‘Big Brother’. John de Mol Jr’s first wife was actress Willeke Alberti, and they had a son, actor Johnny de Mol, together. Between 1980 and 1984, De Mol was in a relationship with singer Marga Scheide.
6. Wim van der Leegte Net Worth - $2.3 Billion
Wim van der Leegte runs the Dutch company VDL Group, which is one of the largest privately-held car and bus manufacturers in Europe. The company was founded by Van der Leegte’s father in 1953. In 2016, Van der Leegte stepped down as the president of the company. Van der Leegte lives with his wife in Eindehoven, Netherlands. The couple has two sons and a daughter, and all three of their children own shares in the company and are members of the executive board.
5. Pieter van der Does Net Worth - $3.1 Billion
Peter van der Does is an Internet entrepreneur who is known for being the co-founder and chief executive officer of Adyen, which is an online payment system. The company was founded in 2006. Van der Does is married and lives in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Prior to co-founding this company with Arnout Schuijff, Van der Does and Schuijff both worked together for the e-commerce platform Bibit in 2000.
4. Hans Melchers Net Worth - $3.1 Billion
The founder of the Netherlands-based company Melchemie Holland BV is Hans Melchers, who was born in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, on May 18, 1938. His professional success means that Hans Melchers’ net worth is $3.1 billion. Melchers is a passionate bridge player and provided major funding for the world bridge championships in 2011. Although his wealth means that he lives a comfortable lifestyle, it is also led to a situation that put his family in danger. Melchers is married with two children, and his daughter, Claudia, was kidnapped in September 2005. After two days of confinement, she was released by the kidnapper.
3. Arnout Schuijff Net Worth - $4.1 Billion
Forbes lists Arnout Schuijff as the third richest person in the Netherlands. Schuijff is one of the co-founders of the online payment system, Adyen. He owns a 6.4% stake in the company, while his brother, Joost, also has a stake in the company, as does billionaire entrepreneur Pieter van der Does. In September 2020, Schuijff retired from his role as chief technology officer. Arnout Schuijff is married and lives in Amsterdam.
2. Frits Goldschmeding Net Worth - $6.4 Billion
Frits Goldschmeding is the second-richest person in the Netherlands and the 453rd richest person in the world overall. He was born on August 2, 1933, and achieved a doctorate from VU University Amsterdam.
In 1960, Goldschmeding founded the company, which later became Randstad Holding with Ger Daleboudt, a fellow economics student, while they were both still at university. The company was originally called Uitzendbureau Amstelveen, and it is a multinational human resource consulting firm that operates across 39 countries.
Initially, the company was run out of a dorm room, but there are now offices in various locations across the globe. The company went public in 1990, then merged with Dutch group Vedior in 2008. Goldschmeding currently owns a 35% stake in the company. Alongside running the company, Godlschmeding was also a professor at Nyenrode Business University’s Centre for Entrepreneurship.
1. Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken Net Worth - $18.4 Billion
According to CEO World, the richest person in the Netherlands is Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken. She is the daughter of Freddy Heineken and the great-granddaughter of Gerard Adrian Heineken, who founded the Heineken brewing company. Her mother is Lucille Cummins, who came from a family of bourbon whiskey distillers in Kentucky. Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken owns 25% of Heineken and she is an executive director of the company.
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