Francoise Bettencourt Meyers may no longer hold the crown as the world’s richest woman, but her financial ascent in 2025 remains striking.
With a net worth of $92.9 billion, the L’Oréal heiress has gained $18.5 billion year-to-date a 24.8% increase despite turbulence across sectors, including luxury and consumer goods.
Yet this rebound, while impressive, still leaves her below her previous peak net worth of $100 billion according to data from Bloomerberg’s real-time index.
As chairwoman of Tethys, the Bettencourt family’s holding company, Bettencourt Meyers controls 34.7% of L’Oréal’s share capital, according to its 2023 annual report.
The cosmetics giant reported €43.5 billion ($47B) in revenue last year and continues to assert dominance across global beauty markets, with brands like Lancôme, Garnier, and Kiehl’s anchoring its portfolio. Still, consumer pressures and shifting trends have caused some headwinds, particularly in sectors like laundry and household products, which have weighed on wider portfolio-linked investments.
Some context
Despite this, her wealth has managed to remain substantial, reinforced by strategic moves at L’Oréal. On July 5, the company announced an agreement to acquire Color Wow, one of the world’s fastest-growing professional haircare brands.
Founded in 2013 by Gail Federici, Color Wow has made its mark in the US and UK with standout products like the Dream Coat and XL Bombshell Volumizer. The brand’s prestige positioning and strong online following along with more than 130 beauty awards signal a savvy bet by L’Oréal on the booming, style-driven haircare segment.
The acquisition also highlights L’Oréal’s ongoing evolution under the guidance of stakeholders like Bettencourt Meyers. Though not involved in daily operations, her influence through Tethys and as a L’Oréal board member has helped keep the family legacy aligned with the company’s forward-looking strategies. Her son, Jean-Victor Meyers, has served on the board since 2012, further embedding the family’s presence in corporate decision-making.
What to know
Francoise Bettencourt Meyers inherited the family’s stake after the death of her mother, Liliane Bettencourt, in 2017.
Despite a very public legal battle in 2007 over her mother’s well-being and financial manipulation allegations, Bettencourt Meyers emerged as the family’s financial steward. French inheritance law ensured she received at least 50% of the estate, though the entire holding is now attributed to her due to her role as chair of Tethys.
Beyond business, she’s known for her intellectual pursuits, having authored a five-volume biblical commentary and academic works on Greek mythology and Jewish-Christian relations. Alongside her mother, she co-founded the Bettencourt Schueller Foundation, which supports science, arts, and humanitarian initiatives.
Despite a minor $291 million daily dip in early July, Bettencourt Meyers’ long-term trajectory remains upward. As L’Oréal positions itself with acquisitions like Color Wow and new consumer segments, the family fortune though not at its all-time high appears poised for continued expansion in a global beauty market still hungry for innovation.
