The phenomenal speed of Chinese and Indian economic growth means that before mid-century these economies are expected to become the world’s largest. But America still holds many of the cards.

China’s insatiable appetite for resources and the impact this has had on the prices for raw materials has produced a boom for the wealthy in commodity-rich countries such as Brazil, Russia and many African nations.

Bill Gates already seems from a previous generation. Emergent technologies in the form of the internet, global media and the next generation telecommunications industries have created a new breed of billionaire.

Many statistics point to ever more women playing a role in wealth creation and business, but as our inspirational contributors reveal, there are still huge barriers to overcome.

Older people have always been richer than younger ones – but what has changed is the disparity between the generations. Here, West and East are diverging sharply. What does this mean for the future?

To be wealthy is to be mobile. And with so many international HNWIs now able to move around the globe at will, secure and culturally rich destinations like London are proving a magnet for wealth.