Business

Here are the top Mass. residents on Forbes’ billionaires list

No one from Massachusetts cracked the top 10 wealthiest billionaires, but the Bay State was well-represented in this year's roundup.

By Abby Patkin

April 3, 2024

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Several Massachusetts moguls cracked the Forbes World’s Billionaires List for 2024, landing them among the likes of Taylor Swift, Jeff Bezos, and “Law & Order” creator Dick Wolf.

Released Tuesday, the list features 2,781 billionaires holding an aggregate $14.2 trillion in wealth — 141 more billionaires and $2 trillion more than last year, according to Forbes.

And while countries around the world contended with persistent inflation and a cost of living crisis over the past year, Forbes reported that two-thirds of the billionaires on the 2024 list are worth more than they were a year ago; only one-fourth are poorer.

No one from Massachusetts made the top 10 wealthiest billionaires, an honor reserved for folks like luxury goods magnate Bernard Arnault and Tesla CEO Elon Musk — the first and second richest people on the list, respectively.

Still, the Bay State was well-represented. Here’s who made the 10-figure cut:

Abigail Johnson (No. 58)

Johnson has served as CEO of Boston-based Fidelity Investments since taking the reins from her father, Edward Johnson III, in 2014. Her wealth jumped from $21.6 billion in 2023 to $29 billion in 2024, making her — once again — the wealthiest Massachusetts resident on the Forbes billionaires list. 

Lives in: Milton, Mass.

Edward Johnson IV (No. 168)

Edward Johnson IV is Abigail Johnson’s brother and fellow Fidelity heir. According to Forbes, he’s the president of Pembroke Real Estate, which is owned by Fidelity parent company FMR. His net worth leapt from $6.8 billion in 2023 to $11.8 billion in 2024. 

Lives in: Boston, Mass.

Robert Kraft (No. 188)

Around these parts, Kraft — the longtime owner of the New England Patriots — needs no introduction. Chairman and CEO of The Kraft Group, the 82-year-old is now worth $11.1 billion, up from $10.6 billion in 2023. In recent years, Kraft has put some of his considerable wealth toward combating antisemitism.

Lives in: Brookline, Mass.

Elizabeth Johnson (No. 228)

Like her siblings Abigail and Edward Johnson IV, Elizabeth Johnson also draws her wealth from Fidelity. Her 2024 net worth is $9.9 billion, up from $5.3 billion in 2023. According to Forbes, Johnson founded Louisburg Farm — a Florida-based stable of show jumping horses — in 2013. 

Lives in: Boston, Mass.

Jim Davis and family (No. 498)

Davis and his wife, Anna, serve as the chairman and vice chairman of New Balance, respectively. Davis and his family own around 95% of the private company, according to Forbes. His wealth has fluctuated in recent years, dipping in 2020 before skyrocketing in 2021 and dropping steadily in 2022 and 2023. However, his net worth climbed back up to $5.9 billion in 2024, an increase of $1 billion over last year. 

Lives in: Newton, Mass.

Robert Hale Jr. (No. 563)

The founder and CEO of Quincy-based Granite Telecommunications, Hale grew his wealth from $5 billion in 2023 to $5.4 billion in 2024. The billionaire made waves last spring when he presented each 2023 graduate of the University of Massachusetts Boston with $1,000 cash — $500 to keep, and $500 to give to charity as they saw fit. 

Lives in: Boston, Mass.

John Henry (No. 597)

Though he technically counts Florida as his official residence, Henry has an undeniable presence around Boston. After all, he’s the principal owner of the Boston Red Sox and Boston Globe Media Partners, parent company of Boston.com and The Boston Globe. Henry’s net worth jumped from $4 billion in 2023 to $5.1 billion in 2024. 

Lives in: Boca Raton, Fla.

Stéphane Bancel (No. 835)

If you’ve gotten a Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, Stéphane Bancel is partly to thank as CEO of the Cambridge-based biotech firm. While a majority of billionaires on the Forbes list grew their wealth year over year, Bancel’s net worth has taken a dip in recent years, dropping from $4.6 billion in 2022 to $4.4 billion in 2023 and $3.8 billion in 2024. 

Lives in: Boston, Mass.

Amos Hostetter Jr. (No. 920)

According to Forbes, Hostetter made a fortune in the 1990s as a cable TV pioneer. He’s now mostly active in philanthropy and is co-founder and trustee of the charitable Barr Foundation, as well as chairman and CEO of Pilot House Associates. His net worth saw modest growth year over year, climbing from $3.4 billion in 2023 to $3.5 billion in 2024. 

Lives in: Boston, Mass.

Frank Laukien (No. 949)

Laukien is chairman and CEO of Billerica-based scientific instruments manufacturer Bruker Corp., a company founded by his father in 1960. His wealth grew from $2.7 billion in 2023 to $3.4 billion in 2024. 

Lives in: Boston, Mass.

Also on this year’s list were: