How These Lucky Women Met Their Billionaire Husbands

The wives and girlfriends of some of the wealthiest men in the world are often seen as incredibly fortunate—not just because they have access to immense riches, but also because they share their lives with some of the most fascinating and influential figures.

You might be surprised to learn that many of these women met their partners in the most ordinary ways, and some even married them when they had little to their names.

However, fate had other plans. While their spouses are renowned for their accomplishments, many of these women have impressive achievements of their own.

1. Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez

Following his highly publicized $38 billion divorce from MacKenzie Scott in 2019, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos became engaged to Lauren Sánchez, a former TV anchor and licensed helicopter pilot. Their relationship began in 2018 while both were separated from their previous partners.

Sánchez is a mother of three—one child from her relationship with Tony Gonzalez and two from her marriage to Patrick Whitesell. She is also the founder of Black Ops Aviation, an aerial production company. Her work includes consulting on films like Dunkirk and Miss Bala, and she has contributed to aerial cinematography for Bezos’ aerospace company, Blue Origin.

2. Bernard Arnault and Hélène Mercier

The CEO and chairman of LVMH, Bernard Arnault, is married to Canadian concert pianist Hélène Mercier. Their love story began in 1989 at a dinner party, and Mercier later invited Arnault to play the piano for her on a New Year’s date. Though nervous, he played through his fear, determined to impress her.

The couple married in 1990 in an intimate ceremony in France. Despite her husband’s massive business empire, Mercier maintains a busy career, performing in around 20 concerts a year and practicing for several hours daily.

3. Larry Ellison and Nikita Kahn

Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison has been in a long-term relationship with actress, model, and animal rights activist Nikita Kahn. Ellison, who owns most of the Hawaiian island of Lanai and once served on Tesla’s board, named his Malibu restaurant Nikita after her. Though they do not have children together, the couple has been together for years.

4. Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg met his wife, Priscilla Chan, in 2003 at a Harvard fraternity party—of all places, in a bathroom line! They married in 2012 and now have three daughters: Maxima, August, and Aurelia.

Chan left her career as a pediatrician to focus on philanthropy through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, which she co-founded with Zuckerberg. Their organization is dedicated to improving education, healthcare, and scientific research.

5. Mukesh Ambani and Nita Ambani

Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani married Nita Ambani in 1985. Mukesh’s father, Dhirubhai Ambani, arranged their match after being impressed by Nita’s performance in a dance recital. The couple now has three children: Akash, Isha, and Anant, all playing roles in the family business.

Beyond being Mukesh Ambani’s wife, Nita is a powerful businesswoman in her own right. She serves as a board member of Reliance Industries and East India Hotels, co-owns the cricket team Mumbai Indians, and founded Dhirubhai Ambani International School, one of India’s top schools. She is also involved in sports development through her organization Football Sports Development Limited.

6. Warren Buffett and Astrid Menks

Billionaire investor Warren Buffett met Astrid Menks in the 1970s while she was working as a waitress. At the time, Buffett was still married to his first wife, Susan Thompson, who had moved away to pursue a singing career. Interestingly, Susan herself introduced Astrid to Warren, approving of their relationship.

After Susan’s passing in 2004, Warren and Astrid tied the knot in 2006. Buffett has three children—Susan, Howard, and Peter—from his first marriage.

7. Larry Page and Lucinda Southworth

Google co-founder Larry Page married researcher and scientist Lucinda Southworth in 2007 after meeting through social circles in the early 2000s. Southworth holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Informatics from Stanford and has degrees from Oxford and the University of Pennsylvania.

A dedicated philanthropist, she and Page established the Carl Victor Page Memorial Foundation in 2004 and donated $15 million to fight Ebola in West Africa in 2018.