Philippe Ginestet
Photo: Ze Jos, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Philippe Ginestet Net Worth

Founder of French discount chain GiFi
BillionaireBusiness
Estimated net worth
$1.9B
Source: Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, October 20, 2026. Updated October 30, 2026.

Philippe Ginestet’s net worth over time

$2.4B: Forbes World's Billionaires List 2019 estimate, 2019$2.4B2019$2.2B: Forbes World's Billionaires List 2020 estimate, 2020$2.2B2020$2.1B: Forbes World's Billionaires List 2021 estimate, 2021$2.1B2021$1.6B: Forbes World's Billionaires List 2022 estimate, 2022$1.6B2022$1.5B: Forbes World's Billionaires List 2023 estimate, 2023$1.5B2023$1.7B: Forbes World's Billionaires List 2024 estimate, 2024$1.7B2024$1.7B: Forbes World's Billionaires List 2025 estimate, 2025$1.7B2025$2B: Forbes World's Billionaires List 2026 estimate, 2026$2B2026$1.9B: Forbes Real-Time Billionaires estimate, Oct 2026. Forbes real-time estimate$1.9BOct 2026

Only dates with a published estimate are shown. Nothing is filled in between. Tap or hover a bar to see the source.

See the numbers as a table
DateEstimateSource
2019$2.4 billionForbes World's Billionaires List 2019
2020$2.2 billionForbes World's Billionaires List 2020
2021$2.1 billionForbes World's Billionaires List 2021
2022$1.6 billionForbes World's Billionaires List 2022
2023$1.5 billionForbes World's Billionaires List 2023
2024$1.7 billionForbes World's Billionaires List 2024
2025$1.7 billionForbes World's Billionaires List 2025
2026$2 billionForbes World's Billionaires List 2026
Oct 2026$1.9 billionForbes Real-Time Billionaires · Forbes real-time estimate

Where the money comes from

Retail stores

These are the main sources of wealth named in the reporting we cite. No published source breaks the total into exact amounts, so we do not show percentages.

Philippe Ginestet’s fortune in real-life terms

29,045 years
for the median full-time U.S. worker to earn this much, spending nothing
8,792×
the net worth of the typical U.S. family
0.2%
of Elon Musk's fortune, the biggest on Net Worth Lookup

Based on the Forbes Real-Time Billionaires estimate above. Median full-time U.S. pay is $65,416 a year ($1,258 a week, BLS, Q2 2026), before taxes. Typical (median) U.S. family net worth is $216,100 (Federal Reserve, 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances).

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Philippe Ginestet has an estimated net worth of $1.9 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Philippe Ginestet profile (figures as of October 20, 2026). That is down from a peak of $2.4 billion.

Philippe Ginestet is a French businessman and the founder, chairman and owner of GiFi, a discount chain known for low prices on household goods. He was born on 15 April 1954 in Sainte-Livrade-sur-Lot, in the Lot-et-Garonne department of southwestern France, and lives in Pujols. His home region in the southwest remains the base of his business life.

He founded GiFi in 1981 and still chairs it, while his son Alexandre Ginestet is the CEO. The name GiFi is a patronym that combines the first syllables of his last name and first name. Outside retail, Ginestet owns a chateau in France dating back to the 16th century, which he painted in various colors and reopened as a hotel.

Forbes describes him as self-made. He built his fortune from a single business idea, selling cheap everyday goods, and kept the company under family control. His son now runs the company day to day, while Ginestet remains chairman and owner.

How Philippe Ginestet made his money

GiFi sells household goods, the majority of which cost less than five euros. That simple formula helped the chain grow across France. Groupe Philippe Ginestet now runs over 700 stores in France and Belgium, and Forbes estimates GiFi's annual revenue at $2 billion. Its stores focus on decoration, household items and small everyday purchases at prices most shoppers can afford.

In 2017 GiFi acquired Tati, a famous French discount chain often identified by its bright pink logo. The deal brought one of the best known names in French discount shopping into his group. Because the company is privately owned, his fortune is a Forbes estimate of the value of his stake in the business.

How Forbes has valued Philippe Ginestet

Forbes valued Ginestet at $2.4 billion in 2019, $2.2 billion in 2020 and $2.1 billion in 2021. His figure dropped to $1.6 billion in 2022 and $1.5 billion in 2023.

It recovered to $1.7 billion in 2024 and 2025 and reached $2 billion on the 2026 World's Billionaires List. As of October 20, 2026, the Forbes real-time billionaires tracker showed $1.9 billion. The steady figures reflect a business that depends on everyday spending by shoppers looking for bargains. Since 2019 his figure has stayed within a fairly narrow range, never falling below $1.5 billion.

Career and money timeline

  1. 1954

    Born in Sainte-Livrade-sur-Lot, France.

  2. 1981

    Founded GiFi.

  3. 2017

    GiFi acquired the Tati discount chain.

  4. 2019

    Forbes valued him at $2.4 billion.

  5. 2026

    Forbes valued him at $2 billion.

Philippe Ginestet net worth FAQ

What is Philippe Ginestet's net worth?

Philippe Ginestet's net worth is an estimated $1.9 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Philippe Ginestet profile (October 20, 2026). It is an estimate, not an official figure.

How did Philippe Ginestet get so rich?

The main sources named in the reporting we cite are: Retail stores.

Is Philippe Ginestet a billionaire?

Yes. Forbes Real-Time Billionaires estimates Philippe Ginestet is worth $1.9 billion.

How has Philippe Ginestet's net worth changed?

The earliest published estimate we track is $2.4 billion (2019, Forbes World's Billionaires List 2019). The latest is $1.9 billion (October 20, 2026).

Where does the name GiFi come from?

It combines the first syllables of Philippe Ginestet's last name and first name.