The 300 wealthiest residents of Switzerland are not immune to the global financial meltdown, according to annual survey published by Swiss business magazine Bilanz
Switzerland's 300 richest individuals and families lost a total of 6.6 billion euros this year as economic downturn soured businesses and weakened investment portfolios.
The business magazines says the losses were much less severe that in 2008, when world markets were hit hard by financial instability.
IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad was the richest person in Switzerland for the eighth straight year, with an estimated wealth of 35-36 billion Swiss francs. The wealth of founder of IKEA, Swedish maker of affordable furniture, remained intact by the global economic crisis.
The Hoffmann and Oeri families ranked second, based on a combined wealth of SFr16-17 billion from their stake in the Roche pharmaceutical and diagnostics company. That's SFr2 billion less than in 2007. The Brenninkmeijer family, founders of the textile company C&A, came third with SFr12-13 billion.
Among the worst hit were Russian tycoon Viktor Vekselberg, who lost SFr3 billion and the Geneva-based Latsis family, whose banking interests shrank by about SFr4 billion.