Francoise Bettencourt Meyers (born July 10, 1953) is a French entrepreneur, philanthropist, author, and billionaire heiress. As of July 2025, she is the second-richest woman in the world, with an estimated net worth of US$88.2 billion (Forbes). She is the only daughter of Liliane Bettencourt and the granddaughter of Eugène Schueller, founder of L’Oréal. Following her mother’s death in 2017, Bettencourt Meyers’ fortune rose significantly due to strong performance of L’Oréal shares and strategic investments managed through her family holding company, Tethys Invest.
Personal Life
Raised in a Catholic household, Bettencourt Meyers authored several respected Bible commentaries and works on religious themes. She married Jean-Pierre Meyers, a business executive and grandson of a rabbi killed in Auschwitz. Upon her marriage, she converted to Judaism, and the couple raised their two sons, Jean-Victor and Nicolas, in the Jewish faith. Their union sparked public attention due to her grandfather Eugène Schueller’s past associations during World War II.
The Bettencourt Meyers family continues to hold a 33% stake in L’Oréal, maintaining significant influence within the global beauty company.
Legal Disputes and Public Controversy
In 2008, Bettencourt Meyers filed a lawsuit against photographer François-Marie Banier, accusing him of exploiting her mother. She also sought to have Liliane Bettencourt declared mentally unfit. Secret audio recordings used in the case contributed to what became known as the Woerth–Bettencourt scandal. By 2010, the parties reached an out-of-court settlement.
Her mother passed away in 2017 with a then-estimated net worth of $39.5 billion.
Philanthropy
After the 2019 fire at Notre-Dame de Paris, Bettencourt Meyers and L’Oréal jointly pledged $226 million toward the cathedral’s reconstruction—one of the largest private donations.
Publications
Bettencourt Meyers has written extensively on religious history and biblical scholarship. Her notable works include:
- Les Dieux grecs. Genealogies
- Regard sur la Bible (5 volumes), awarded the Prix des Lauriers Verts (Spirituality) in 2009
- Words and Expressions Originating in the Bible
- From One Testament to the Other: Judaism and Catholicism
- Family Tree of Adam, Eve, and the Tribes of Israel
- Animals, Plants, Measures, Money, and Numbers in the Bible
- Genealogy Section