5 Ways the Richest Woman in the World Made Her Billions
Written by
J. Arky
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Zuri Anderson
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You might be familiar with the names Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and Warren Buffett, some of the richest men in the world, but can you name the richest woman?
The answer is Rafaela Aponte-Diamant. Her financial success did not happen overnight-there were many steps on Aponte-Diamant’s journey to wealth, all of which had their ups and downs, as well as plenty of surprises.
Here are the five ways that the richest woman in the world made her billions.
The Co-Founding of a Major Shipping Company
Rafaela co-founded the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) in 1970, along with her husband Gianluigi Aponte, who was the captain of the first cargo ship in the business, the MV Patricia. The couple used a $200,000 loan to purchase the vessel and start their empire.
MSC took up routes to Europe and Africa that other shipping companies would not, leading Aponte-Diamant to buy additional secondhand ships at lower prices and starting a major fleet of carriers that included 17 boats by 1979.
Creating a Cruise Line
By the time 1988 rolled around, Aponte-Diamant decided it was time to diversify along the high seas by founding a cruise line, MSC Cruises. In nearly 40 years, MSC Cruises has grown in scope and scale with a total of 24 luxury cruise ships traveling to over 250 destinations worldwide year round.
Adding Transportation and Logistics to the Portfolio
At the same time that Aponte-Diamant was setting up MSC Cruises, she and Aponte were also operating a new venture on land: MEDLOG, a transportation and logistics company for importers and exporters around the world. Their supply chain operation now operates out of 80 countries worldwide and while it is privately owned, it is estimated to bring in close to $20 million in revenue annually.
Getting Into the Container Business
Aponte-Diamant had a massive shipping company and a supply chain operation, so it was only natural to move on to add containers into the fold. In 2000, she and her husband created the TiL Group to expand their empire and wealth, which according to the company’s website, is “positioning itself to become the leading port operator in the world.”
Claiming Half a Stake in the Business
In 2022, Maersk, a Danish competitor to MSC, was bought out by Aponte-Diamant and her husband, leading to MSC taking the crown for the biggest shipping container company in the world. That move led to Aponte-Diamant and Aponte each being valued at $8.4 billion, according to AS.
The couple made sure to take a 50% controlling stake in MSC, which has only increased their wealth. As of September 2025, Forbes lists Aponte-Diamant’s net worth at $38.8 billion, making her the richest woman on earth.
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