Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos becomes world’s richest person

Variety.com: Jeff Bezos has again claimed the No. 1 spot on the list of the world’s wealthiest individuals, after Amazon investors pushed the stock up more than 11 percent on last week’s strong third-quarter earnings report.

Bezos, Amazon’s founder and CEO, had a net worth as of Friday morning of US $91.6 billion, according to Forbes’ real-time ranking of the world’s billionaires— surpassing Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, whose net worth stands at around US $90 billion. 

Bezos’ fortune increased nearly US $9 billion overnight, as Amazon stock was up more than 11 percent in Friday trading.

On July 27, Bezos had become the world’s richest person for a few hours morning, but Amazon shares declined in afternoon trading, putting Bezos back at No. 2 behind Gates.

Bezos, 53, founded Amazon.com as an online bookstore in 1994. In 2013, Bezos bought the Washington Post in a US $250 million deal. He’s also the founder of space-aeronautics company Blue Origin and has invested in more than three dozen companies through Bezos Expeditions.