Françoise Bettencourt is the richest woman in the world. She is the heiress of the beauty company L'Oréal and her wealth reaches 66 billion dollars. At 68, she lives a discreet life, far from the limelight.
After the death of her mother, Liliane Bettencourt, in September 2017, the main shareholder of L'Oréal, inherited about 39.5 billion euros, an amount that has increased by 50% in the last 5 years. In fact, her mother was also considered the richest woman in the world.
Françoise Bettencourt invests her money in scientific, artistic and cultural projects, such as the reconstruction of the Notre Damme cathedral, where she invested 226 million euros. Her life in Paris is said to be simple, enjoying French parks and not using private jets for travel.

Her passions are literature and art and relatives say she feels like she is in a "golden prison", not knowing what to do with so much money. Françoise Bettencourt has never given an interview and has always preferred to stay in the shadows.
Its philanthropic activities are carried out through the Bettencourt Schueller foundation, where it supports scientific, but also cultural and artistic projects. Each year, the Bettencourt Awards for Young Researchers are awarded to 14 young doctors of science or medicine to carry out their postgraduate studies. There is also the Bettencourt prize “Coups d'élan pour la recherche française”, which annually rewards public biomedical research laboratories for improving their infrastructure and working conditions for life science researchers. She has also supported research projects in neuroscience and autism, as well as invested in craft companies.
Françoise Bettencourt has two sons, Jean-Victor and Nicolás, who for several years have taken on a large part of the responsibilities in the company. In 2011, by the decision of a judge, Jean-Victor, the eldest grandson of Liliane, who is now 36 years old, became the guardian of the grandmother, who at the age of 88 already showed signs of suffering from Alzheimer's. A complex moment in the history of the family and the company because of the implications and accusations it had. Jean-Victor joined L'Oréal's board of directors in 2012, taking over from his grandmother. Jean-Victor created his own line of menswear called Examplaire although it seems the next heir also prefers to stay away from the cameras and fame.