Charles Koch vs Julia Koch

The two sides of the Koch family stake.

The differences

Forbes puts Julia Koch about $7.7B ahead of Charles Koch.Forbes figures from 22 Sep 2026 and 14 Oct 2026.
Charles Koch: inherited and grew it. Julia Koch: through marriage.
Charles Koch is about 28 years older than Julia Koch.

Put someone else on either side

Charles Koch

Julia Koch

Net worth, Forbes: $76.9BForbes, 14 Oct 2026; $84.6BForbes, 22 Sep 2026
Net worth, Bloomberg: $70.5BBloomberg, 10 Oct 2026; $78.5BBloomberg, 10 Oct 2026
Forbes rank: No. 28Real-Time list, 14 Oct 2026; No. 24Real-Time list, 22 Sep 2026
Billionaire since: Not stated; 2020Forbes named her the richest newcomer on its 2020 World's Billionaires list, at $38.2 billion, after David Koch died in 2019

How it started: Inherited and grew itHis father Fred Koch started the family business in 1940; Charles joined in 1961, became chairman and CEO in 1967 and grew it into a diversified group; in 1983 he and his brother David bought out two siblings; Through marriageShe and her three children inherited the 42% Koch stake of her husband David Koch, who died in 2019; they married in 1996
Main source: Koch, Inc. (Koch Industries), a private conglomerateForbes: pipelines, chemicals, software, automotive components and Dixie cups, some $125 billion in revenue; The family's inherited stake in Koch, Inc.Koch says it has diversified from energy into consumer, technology, communications, healthcare and real estate
Companies: Koch, Inc.Koch, Inc.: Chairman and co-CEO; Koch, Inc.Koch, Inc.: Board member
Biggest stake: Koch, Inc.38% owned; Koch, Inc.42% owned

Born: 1 Nov 1935Wichita, Kansas, United States; 1963Iowa, United States
Country: United StatesLives in Wichita, Kansas, United States; United StatesLives in New York City, United States
Education: Graduate degreeBS in general engineering (1957), MS in nuclear engineering (1958) and MS in chemical engineering (1959), MIT; Bachelor's degreeBachelor's degree, University of Central Arkansas
Parents: Father Fred C. Koch was an MIT-trained engineer who developed an oil-refining process and ran refining, engineering and ranching businesses; mother Mary's occupation not statedHis biography calls his upbringing 'comfortable'; Her family ran Flesher's, a used-furniture shop in Indianola, Iowa, where her father Frederic worked

Giving Pledge: Not a signer; Not a signer
Foundation: Stand TogetherFounded in 2003 and the hub of his philanthropy; he also founded the Charles Koch Foundation; Julia Koch Family FoundationFounded in 2023 with her children; she is also president of the David H. Koch Foundation
Lifetime giving: $1.8BForbes, 10 Oct 2023. Forbes' estimate of lifetime giving, excluding amounts not yet distributed; $1.3BJulia Koch Family Foundation, 17 Oct 2026. 'More than $1.3 billion' given by David and Julia Koch together, through the David H. Koch Charitable Foundation and personal giving; a joint figure, not hers alone. Date is when the page was read

Role now: Runs the companyChairman and co-CEO of Koch, Inc.; On the boardDirector of Koch, Inc.; chair of the Julia Koch Family Foundation and president of the David H. Koch Foundation
Successor: None namedDave Robertson became co-CEO alongside him in 2023; his son Chase Koch is executive vice president for origination and partnerships; No member of her family is named in a Koch executive role in the cited sources; Charles Koch is chairman and co-CEO with Dave RobertsonChase Koch is an executive vice president of Koch
Public office: None found; None found
Legal record: None found; None found