Hans-Werner Hector
Source of wealth: SAP
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The scale of their wealth
Health
The price of life
Let's compare Hans-Werner Hector's fortune with the healthcare spending of a massive country
Hans-Werner Hector could fund the entire healthcare system of DR Congo, with a population of over 105,800,000 people, for approximately 1.2 years.
But even if we compare their fortune with that of a rich country
On the other end, Hans-Werner Hector could cover the healthcare spending of Luxembourg, considered the most heavily funded healthcare system in the world, for 0.5 years.
Education
Buying the future
Let's also compare their fortune with education spending, first with a poor country
Hans-Werner Hector could cover the total cost of Nigeria's education system, the most populous country in Africa with over 243,000,000 inhabitants, for 0.8 years.
And yes, we can also compare it with a rich country
But they couldn't just cover the cost of a poor country; Luxembourg is considered the country with the highest per capita investment in education in the world, and Hans-Werner Hector could pay for it entirely for 1.0 years.
Research
The monopoly on progress
Coming full circle, we think it's also interesting to add another gigantic country
Hans-Werner Hector could fully fund the state research budget of Pakistan, the fifth most populous country in the world with over 260,000,000 inhabitants, for 4.4 years.
And of course, the country that invests the most per capita worldwide
But even if we compare the total wealth of Hans-Werner Hector with Israel, the country that invests the most per capita in research in the world, they could cover the total cost of the system for 0.1 years.
Gold
Everyday luxuries
Hans-Werner Hector's fortune is equivalent to 18 tons of gold. It's hard to process, since we don't usually keep a handful of gold bars in our piggy banks.
A standard gold ring usually weighs between 4 and 7 grams. Let's say this one weighs 5 grams. It's usually 18 karats.
Based on today's gold price (excluding the jeweler's commission, shipping, or anything else), that ring would be worth $546.86.
Hans-Werner Hector could buy 4,798,087 gold rings. That's a lot of fingers and way too many gifts!!
And if you're struggling to visualize that many rings, it would take 1 trucks to transport them. Although Hans-Werner Hector will almost certainly have enough money left over to pay for the gas.
Biography
One of five cofounders of SAP, Hans-Werner Hector built up the software giant's North American business.
In 1996, he transferred to a Jersey Islands trust SAP shares representing more than 10% of the company's voting rights.
When the shares were put up for sale, Hector's partners worried that their control of SAP could come under threat.
Hector wanted to diversify his portfolio for tax and money-management purposes, but the resulting rift led to him leaving SAP in 1997.
Financial Assets
Monthly wealth history
Fortune comparison
Historical data not available for comparison