Ferrero vs Zeng

Ferrero Group and CATL.

The differences

Forbes puts Giovanni Ferrero about $2.2B ahead of Robin Zeng.Forbes figures from 12 Sep 2026 and 9 Oct 2026.
Giovanni Ferrero: inherited and grew it. Robin Zeng: founded it.
Giovanni Ferrero is about 4 years older than Robin Zeng.
Giovanni Ferrero is from Italy; Robin Zeng is from Hong Kong.

Put someone else on either side

Ferrero

Zeng

Net worth, Forbes: $48BForbes, 12 Sep 2026; $45.8BForbes, 9 Oct 2026
Net worth, Bloomberg: $57BBloomberg, 17 Oct 2026; $54.6BBloomberg, 16 Jan 2026
Forbes rank: No. 40Real-Time list, 12 Sep 2026; No. 44Real-Time list, 9 Oct 2026
Billionaire since: 2018Forbes: first joined its World's Billionaires list in 2018, at $23 billion; 2019Forbes listed him with $5.9 billion among the new billionaires on its 2019 China's 400 Richest list; his first global-list year isn't in the cited sources

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); Founded itFounded CATL in December 2011, spun off from Amperex Technology
Main source: Ferrero Group (Nutella, Kinder, Ferrero Rocher, Tic Tac)Forbes source of wealth: 'Nutella, chocolates'; CATL stockBloomberg: most of his fortune is his CATL stake
Companies: Ferrero GroupFerrero Group: President of Ferrero Group and of Ferrero International S.A. (executive chairman); CATLCATL: Founder, chairman, executive director and general manager
Biggest stake: Ferrero Group100% owned; CATL22.45% owned

Born: 1964Turin, Italy; 1968Ningde, Fujian, China
Country: ItalyLives in Brussels, Belgium; Hong KongLives in Ningde, 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); Graduate degreePhD in condensed matter physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Parents: His father Michele Ferrero led the family confectionery company and created Nutella; his mother Maria Franca Ferrero chairs the Italian Ferrero Foundation; Not stated

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; Not stated
Lifetime giving: Not stated; Not stated

Role now: Runs the companyPresident (executive chairman) of Ferrero Group; Runs the companyChairman, executive director and general manager of CATL
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; Not stated
Public office: None found; None found
Legal record: None found; None found