Forbes’ real-time billionaire rankings, these are the wealthiest Black individuals globally. Their investments span various industries, including telecommunications, technology, cement, media, and oil. While they have gained significant wealth, these billionaires also hold influence in sectors that are critical to economic growth, particularly in Africa and the diaspora. Here’s a roundup the world’s richest Black people as of October 2024. Read: The Top 10 Richest Black People In The World 2025 David Steward Net Worth: $11.4 billion Country: USA Industry: Information TechnologyDavid Steward co-founded World Wide Technology (WWT), a provider
Vista Equity Partners, led by billionaire Robert F. Smith, is partnering with Blackstone to acquire Smartsheet, the popular enterprise work management platform. The all-cash deal values Smartsheet at approximately $8.4 billion, marking one of the largest recent acquisitions in the software space. Under the terms of the agreement, the two firms will pay $56.50 per share, a 41% premium to Smartsheet’s 90-day average stock price. Smartsheet’s Continued Growth With New Partners Smartsheet has been a key player in the enterprise work management sector, serving millions of users, including 85% of
Vista Equity Partners (Vista), under the leadership of Robert F. Smith, has acquired JAGGAER, a global leader in enterprise procurement and supplier collaboration software. This acquisition comes on the heels of Vista’s recent milestone—a record $20 billion raised for its eighth flagship fund, marking the largest fundraising in the firm’s history. A Strategic Acquisition in the AI-Driven Procurement Space JAGGAER, known for its AI-enabled procurement solutions, serves over 1,400 customers worldwide, offering a platform that optimizes sourcing, spend management, and supply chain visibility. This acquisition aligns with Vista’s strategy of
internXL has announced a partnership with FYI (Focus Your Ideas), an AI-powered productivity app for creatives co-founded by will.i.am and tech founder Sunil Reddy. The partnership aims to connect college talent, particularly from underrepresented communities, with career opportunities in the AI and prompt engineering industry. internXL and FYI Collaborate An initiative of Robert F. Smith’s Fund II Foundation, internXL is an AI-driven platform that matches top employers with skilled entry-level candidates. The platform’s s AI-generated recommendations consider the educational background, career aspirations, cognitive abilities, learning style, and personality to ensure a fair evaluation.
Robert F. Smith’s Vista Equity Partners has raised over $20 billion for its latest fund, making it the largest in its history. This new fund, known as the eighth flagship fund, passes the previous record of $17 billion raised in 2019. Embracing AI for Strategic Growth Vista Equity Partners, known for its investments in technology companies, will leverage AI to improve efficiency and performance across the firm and its portfolio companies. “You will also hear more about how we have adopted generative artificial intelligence not just as a tool but as
