The Newcomer Billionaires of 2012

Elon Musk
Elon runs a publicly traded electric car company, Tesla, whose shares were up at 30 percent in the past year. In the meantime, he is prepping two other companies for IPOs. SolarCity which is a full service solar power provider is expected to go public any day now, with a predicted valuation of $1.5 billion. SpaceX which is a space rocket innovation and engineering company could follow in 2013. He holds a net worth of $2 billion.
 

Silas Chou
Silas Chou entered the billionaire list after taking the fashion house public in November. The fashion group’s shares are up more than 75 percent since the IPO, increasing the partners’ holdings to a combined $2.9 billion. These are the same folks who helped build Tommy Hilfiger into a 1990s worldwide retail phenomenon. Chou comes from money; his father was on the billionaires list in early 1990s. He currently serves as President and CEO of the textile manufacturing group he inherited, Novel Enterprises. He currently owns a net worth of $2 billion.
 

Lawrence Stroll
Stroll made into the spotlight as he took over the fashion house public with Chou in November. The fashion group’s shares are up more than 75 percent since the IPO, boosting the partners’ holdings to a combined $2.9 billion. Stroll is a native of Canada but he currently resides in Switzerland. Apart from being a businessman he is a driving and racing enthusiast and collects vintage McLarens and Ferraris. He is the owner of Canada's Circuit Mont-Tremblant. He holds a net worth of $1.8 billion.