Richard Desmond

Source of wealth: Publishing

74 years male Media & Entertainment 🇬🇧 GB

Net Worth

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Earnings per second

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The scale of their wealth

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Health

The price of life

Let's compare Richard Desmond's fortune with the healthcare spending of a massive country

Richard Desmond could fund the entire healthcare system of DR Congo, with a population of over 105,800,000 people, for approximately 0.9 years.

But even if we compare their fortune with that of a rich country

On the other end, Richard Desmond could cover the healthcare spending of Luxembourg, considered the most heavily funded healthcare system in the world, for 0.4 years.

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Education

Buying the future

Let's also compare their fortune with education spending, first with a poor country

Richard Desmond could cover the total cost of Nigeria's education system, the most populous country in Africa with over 243,000,000 inhabitants, for 0.6 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 Richard Desmond could pay for it entirely for 0.8 years.

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Research

The monopoly on progress

Coming full circle, we think it's also interesting to add another gigantic country

Richard Desmond could fully fund the state research budget of Pakistan, the fifth most populous country in the world with over 260,000,000 inhabitants, for 3.3 years.

And of course, the country that invests the most per capita worldwide

But even if we compare the total wealth of Richard Desmond 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.

While billions of people struggle to access basic healthcare, education, and research, a single individual could fund entire national systems for centuries.

Gold

Everyday luxuries

Richard Desmond's fortune is equivalent to 13 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.

Richard Desmond could buy 3,587,468 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 Richard Desmond will almost certainly have enough money left over to pay for the gas.

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Biography

Richard Desmond founded Northern & Shell, which published the Daily Express newspapers, OK! and Star magazines, and operates UK's Health Lottery.

Desmond was raised by his secretary mom in a garage apartment. His parents divorced after his dad, an advertising executive, gambled away their savings.

Desmond cofounded his first magazine, International Musician and Recording World, at age 22, then became Penthouse's UK licensee.

He expanded to titles like Asian Babes and Posh Housewives, then sold some holdings and went mass market, launching OK! and buying Express Newspapers, including the Daily Express, Sunday Express and Daily Star from United News & Media.

In 2018 he sold N&S' publishing arm, including its newspaper and magazine titles, to rival Trinity Mirror (now Reach PLC) for about $177 million in cash plus shares.