Françoise Bettencourt Meyers

Françoise Bettencourt Meyers was born on 10 July 1953, in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France. She is the only daughter of the multi-billionaire businesswoman Liliane Bettencourt and French politician André Bettencourt. She is married to Jean-Pierre Meyers, who is the grandson of a rabbi who was killed in the Auschwitz concentration camp. She has two children; she raised them in the Jewish tradition. Her son Nicolas Meyers serves as one of the board members of L'Oréal.

Bettencourt Meyers is the only daughter of the late Liliane Bettencourt, the multi-billionaire majority shareholder of the world’s biggest cosmetic company L'Oréal. After the death of her mother on 21 September 2017, Bettencourt Meyers became the heiress to her mother’s estate. At the time of her death, Liliane Bettencourt had a net worth of US$44.3 billion and was the 14th richest person in the world. Upon her inheritance of her mother’s fortunes, Bettencourt Meyers became the richest woman alive on earth as well as one of the 20 richest persons in the world.

She is well known for her spiritual side and has published literature on Greek mythology and Jewish-Christian relations. She has written books on Judaism and Catholicism, the Tribes of Israel, and the family tree of Adam and Eve.

In 2008, her family got entangled in an ugly controversy. Françoise Bettencourt Meyers sued French photographer François-Marie Banier for duping her mother and taking money from her. According to her, Liliane Bettencourt was in a weak mental condition and Banier had exploited her emotional vulnerability to trick her into giving him money and gifts worth almost a billion dollars. The gifts included, among other items, numerous life insurance policies. Liliane Bettencourt considered Banier to be a good friend and was offended when Bettencourt Meyers sued him. As a result, the relationship between the mother and the daughter soured. After long-drawn court proceedings, Bettencourt Meyers settled out of court with both her mother and Banier.