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Top 10 Outstanding Facts about Liliane Bettencourt

Liliane Bettencourt was a French heiress, socialite and businesswoman. She was born Liliane Henriette Charlotte Bettencourt. Liliane was born on 21st October 1922 in Â鶹APP.

She was the only child of Louise Madeleine Berthe and Eugene Schueller. Her father, Eugene Schueller was the founder of L’Oréal which is one of the world’s largest cosmetics and beauty companies. Unfortunately, the mother of Liliane Bettencourt died when she was five years old.

She then formed a close and strong bond with her father who later married Liliane’s British governess. When she reached fifteen, Liliane joined her father’s company as an apprentice. Her duties were mixing cosmetics and labelling bottles of shampoo.

She married French politician Andre Bettencourt who served as a cabinet minister of the French government. Her husband was a member of a violent French fascist pro-Nazi group that was once funded by Liliane’s father. After the death of her father, Liliane inherited the L’Oréal fortune and became the principal shareholder.

Liliane had a daughter who she had some differences with before they reconciled later. She invested in various departments making her one of the world’s most powerful females. By the time of her death, Forbes had named Liliane Bettencourt the 14th richest person in the world with a net worth of US$44.3 billion.

Here are the Top 10 Outstanding Facts about Liliane Bettencourt:

1. Liliane Bettencourt was born into a Rich Family

Liliane Henriette Charlotte Schueller was born in Â鶹APP and was the only child in her family. Louise Madeleine Berthe was her mother and her father was Eugene Schueller.

Liliane was born into a very rich family. Her father was the founder of L’Oréal. L’Oréal is one of the world’s largest cosmetics and beauty companies.

2. She had a Close Bond with her Father after her Mother Died

Liliane Henriette was not a very lucky girl as she was growing up. At the age of five, the worst thing happened to her life.

Her mother, Louise Madeleine Berthe passed away when she was five years old. This made Liliane form a close bond with her father as he was the only closest family remaining. Her father later married her British governess.

3. Liliane joined her Father’s Company at the Age of 15

With the close bond with her father, Liliane began gaining more interest in her father’s cosmetic and beauty company. At the age of fifteen, Liliane Henriette had already been introduced to their company.

She joined her father’s company, L’Oréal as an apprentice. After joining the company, her major role was mixing cosmetics and labelling bottles of shampoo. This is how she gradually learnt more about their family business.

4. She Inherited her Father’s Company after his Death

Eugene Schueller continued preparing Liliane Bettencourt for the future of L’Oréal as she was the heir to all the fortunes. In 1957, her father passed on and she had to take over L’Oréal.

Liliane inherited the L’Oréal fortune and became the principal shareholder in 1957. However, in 1963, the company went public although Liliane continued being the majority stake owner.

By 1974, Liliane began having fears that the company would be nationalised after the French elections. She decided to exchange almost half of her stake for a three per cent stake in Nestlé S.A.

5. Liliane was Married to one Husband and had one Child

Liliane married French politician Andre Bettencourt in 1950. Andre Bettencourt served as a cabinet minister in the French governments of the 1960s and 1970s.

He rose through the ranks and became the deputy chairman of L’Oréal. Previously, Andre was a member of a violent French fascist pro-Nazi group that Liliane’s father had already funded. Liliane and Andre Bettencourt had one daughter, Francoise who was born in 1953.

6. She Founded a Foundation alongside her Family

The influence of Liliane was growing wider every day. In 1987, Lilian and her family, husband and daughter founded the Bettencourt Schueller Foundation.

This foundation was to support and develop medical, cultural and humanitarian projects. Bettencourt Schueller foundation is based in Neuilly-sur-Seine.

It benefits from assets of €150 million and an annual budget that is approximately €15 million. 55% of its funds are devoted to scientific education and research while 33% to humanitarian and 12% to culture and arts.

7. Liliane had an Art Collection

Liliane had several interests in other things outside L’Oréal and her family’s foundation. Her attention was always drawn in by art and other cultural things.

Liliane had an art collection which was popular across French and Europe. The art collection is said to have included Matisse, Picasso, Fernand Leger, Derain, Soutine, Mondrian and Ruhlmann furniture.

8. Forbes Ranked Liliane in the List of World’s Richest

After inheriting the fortune from her father, Liliane became among the richest. Her influence was recognised and acknowledged worldwide.

Forbes ranked Liliane Henriette Charlotte Bettencourt on the list of the world’s wealthiest persons. She was estimated to have a fortune of US$38.8 billion as of 28th June 2016.

In the same year, Lilian was also the top female billionaire in the world and also the richest person in France. Previously in 2005, Forbes had judged her to be the 39th most powerful woman in the world.

9. Liliane was Caught up in Madoff’s Scheme

Being ranked among the richest people in the world, Liliane was an easy target to fraudsters. She was among the most high-profile victims of Bernard Madoff’s Ponzi scheme where she lost €22 million.

Liliane became the first investor in a fund which was managed by Access International Advisors. The leaders of this Ponzi scheme did not last long as one of them committed suicide on 22nd December 2008.

10. She is a Benefactor to a French Artist who was Gifted €1.3 Billion

Liliane was always ready to lend a helping hand to people close to her. She met Francois-Marie Banier, a French writer, artist and celebrity photographer who was commissioned to photograph her in 1987.

Lilian later became a benefactor to the artist who was gifted several gifts. The gifts are estimated to be worth €1.3 billion. Some of the gifts included life insurance policies and 11 works of art in 2001 valued at €20 million.