Even in the economic crisis year of 2023, the richest Dutch people became richer again

This article was last updated on October 29, 2024

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Even in the economic crisis year of 2023, the richest Dutch people became richer again

2023 was a moderate year for the Dutch economy, but the richest Dutch people can look back with a good feeling. The wealth of the very rich once again broke records, according to the annual list from the monthly magazine Quote.

The estimated wealth of the 500 richest now amounts to 252.7 billion euros, roughly the same as that of all residents of Slovakia combined. Moreover, the sum of money is almost 5 percent higher than a year earlier. This means that the wealthy Netherlands will beat both economic growth (+0.2 percent) and inflation (+4.1 percent) in 2023.

Heineken and Bunq

That does not mean that the Quote list only has winners. The richest, beer brewing couple Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken, saw her estimated fortune drop. She still remains the leader with a capital of more than 12 billion euros.

The assets of about sixty others also shrank, but the vast majority actually received additional money. Of all those risers, Bunq bank director Ali Niknam earned the most in 2023. According to Quote, he received an additional 800 million euros, mainly due to a smart IT investment in Belgium.

This brings Niknam to a total asset of 2.5 billion euros. He is therefore one of the 52 billionaires in the Netherlands according to Quote, one more than a year earlier.

The lower limit also rose again. To be among the 500 richest, someone must now have a fortune of 130 million euros.

A harsh climate?

Despite all the broken records, there are also grumblings among the rich. Quote writes that “many entrepreneurs doubt whether the Netherlands is still the right base for them”.

The most striking example is tech billionaire Robert Vis, who announced his departure from the Netherlands in July LinkedIn. “Successful entrepreneurs are often viewed with suspicion,” he writes. “Entrepreneurship is not rewarded and a lot of shooting or trying to change things creates an aversion. And I’m done with it.”

The political climate is also against the top entrepreneur. “Geert Wilders and Baudet – really? Is this the country of 16 million people where freedom and inclusivity have always been at the forefront?” He also called bureaucracy an obstacle to innovation and, according to him, the tax burden makes it difficult to reward his employees.