Here are the 10 richest healthcare and biotech execs

Net worth: $12.8 billion

Home country: India

Dilip Shanghvi started Sun Pharma in 1983. Though the company had some up and downs with FDA approvals and standards for its drugs, the company said last August that it was on track to gain $300 million from a deal with Ranbaxy.

Net worth: $11.9 billion

Home country: South Korea

Seo Jung-jin co-founded and now is the CEO of Celltrion, a biopharmaceutical company which develops drugs to treat cancer, influenza and rheumatoid arthritis, among others. The company is also known for making biosimilars and has recently partnered with Teva to develop migraine drugs.

Net worth: $9.6 billion

Home country: USA

Thomas Frist Jr. and his father founded Hospital Corporation of America in 1968. HCA, in addition to having hospitals and surgery centers, also has several subsidiaries that branch out into different healthcare businesses.

Net worth: $9.1 billion

Home country: India

Cyrus Poonawallae founded Serum Institute of India in 1966, which is now one of the world's largest vaccine makers.

Net worth: $8.9 billion

Home country: Switzerland

Ernesto Bertarelli inherited biotech giant Serono in 1998, which makes the drug Rebif to treat multiple sclerosis and is now owned by Merck.

Net worth: $8 billion

Home country: USA

Carl Cook is the CEO of medical device manufacturer Cook Group, which makes things like filters, catheters and stents.

Net worth: $7.9 billion

Home country: Italy

Massimiliana Landini Aleotti inherited pharma giant Menarini from her late husband in 2014, and it is now one of Italy's leading drug companies. The company does drug research in the areas of cancer, analgesia, and gastro-intestinal conditions.

Net worth: $7.8 billion

Home country: USA

Patrick Soon-Shiong invented the pancreatic cancer drug Abraxane, which became a blockbuster drug. He now owns a series of health and biotech startups like NantHealth, NantKwest, and NantWorks. He also owns the Los Angeles Times.

Net worth: $7.7 billion

Home country: China

Sun Piaoyang turned formerly state-led Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine into one of China's largest producers of anti-infection and cancer drugs.

Net worth: $7.3 billion

Home country: Sweden

Frederik Paulsen inherited small drugmaker Ferring Pharmaceuticals in 1983, which makes infertility, obstetrics, urology, gastroenterology and endocrinology drugs. The company recently made a heat-stable drug that could prevent excessive bleeding in women after childbirth.