The Controllers

From the world wealth report 2009;

The number of high-net-worth individuals grew by 6% to 10.1 million worldwide. This is also a slower pace than the 8.3% increase seen in 2006, due to weakening global economic conditions. The combined wealth of these individuals is now estimated at over $40 trillion, with the average HNWI wealth surpassing US$4 million for the first time

The number of ultra-high-net-worth individuals (people with net assets of at least $30 million, not including their primary residence) grew by 8.8% to more than 103,000. This group also saw a 14.7% jump in their combined wealth to $15 trillion.

North America remains home to the highest number of wealthy people, with 3.3 million high-net-worth individuals, but the wealthy populations in some emerging markets continue to grow at impressive rates.

In 2007, India, China and Brazil saw the biggest increases in the number of wealthy people. India was the leader with an impressive 22.7% increase in the number of high-net-worth-individuals. China also saw a 20.3% jump in its population of high-net-worth individuals, while Brazil¹s population of millionaires increased by 19.1%.

The projection is 7.7% for the annual growth in the number of high-net-worth individuals globally until 2012.