Ferrero vs Ma Huateng

Ferrero Group and Tencent.

The differences

Forbes puts Giovanni Ferrero about $2.5B ahead of Ma Huateng.Forbes figures from 12 Sep 2026 and 15 Oct 2026.
Giovanni Ferrero: inherited and grew it. Ma Huateng: co-founded it.
Giovanni Ferrero is about 7 years older than Ma Huateng.
Giovanni Ferrero is from Italy; Ma Huateng is from China.
Ma Huateng has held a public or government advisory role; Giovanni Ferrero has none on record.

Put someone else on either side

Ferrero

Ma Huateng

Net worth, Forbes: $48BForbes, 12 Sep 2026; $45.5BForbes, 15 Oct 2026
Net worth, Bloomberg: $57BBloomberg, 17 Oct 2026; $50.3BBloomberg, 17 Oct 2026
Forbes rank: No. 40Real-Time list, 12 Sep 2026; No. 44Real-Time list, 15 Oct 2026
Billionaire since: 2018Forbes: first joined its World's Billionaires list in 2018, at $23 billion; 2008First on the Forbes World's Billionaires list in 2008 with $1.4 billion

How it started: Inherited and grew itForbes: he inherited the family candy business, became its sole leader in 2015 and expanded it through acquisitions (Nestlé's US confectionery in 2018, WK Kellogg in 2025); Co-founded itCo-founded Tencent in 1998; Forbes labels him self-made
Main source: Ferrero Group (Nutella, Kinder, Ferrero Rocher, Tic Tac)Forbes source of wealth: 'Nutella, chocolates'; Tencent Holdings stockBloomberg: 'the majority of Ma Huateng's wealth is derived from an 8% stake in Tencent Holdings'
Companies: Ferrero GroupFerrero Group: President of Ferrero Group and of Ferrero International S.A. (executive chairman); TencentTencent: Executive director, chairman and CEO
Biggest stake: Ferrero Group100% owned; Tencent8.85% owned

Born: 1964Turin, Italy; 29 Oct 1971Chaoyang, China
Country: ItalyLives in Brussels, Belgium; ChinaLives in Shenzhen, China
Education: Not statedStudied marketing at Lebanon Valley College (1980); honorary master's from the University of Parma (2015) and honorary doctorate from Lebanon Valley College (2022); Bachelor's degreeBS in computer and its application, Shenzhen University (1993)
Parents: His father Michele Ferrero led the family confectionery company and created Nutella; his mother Maria Franca Ferrero chairs the Italian Ferrero Foundation; His father, Ma Chenshu, moved the family to Hainan and later to Shenzhen, where he worked as a port manager

Giving Pledge: Not a signer; Not a signer
Foundation: Piera, Pietro and Giovanni Ferrero Foundation (Fondazione Ferrero)The family's foundation, chaired by his mother; not described as his personal giving vehicle; Tencent Foundation and a personal charity fundHe led the founding of Tencent Foundation in 2007 and in 2016 pledged 100 million Tencent shares to a charity fund; Ma Huateng Global Foundation Limited holds part of his Tencent stake
Lifetime giving: Not stated; Not stated

Role now: Runs the companyPresident (executive chairman) of Ferrero Group; Runs the companyChairman and CEO of Tencent
Successor: None namedLapo Civiletti became the first non-family CEO in 2017 and in 2026 moved to president of Ferrero Ice Cream and WK Kellogg Co; Alessandro Nervegna is CEO of Ferrero Core. No other family member holds an executive role in the cited materials; None namedTencent's annual report lists him as the only executive director; no family member is on the board
Public office: None found; Deputy to the National People's Congress (12th and 13th)2013-2023
Legal record: None found; None found