BILL Gates, the chairman of Microsoft, has now apparently been toppled from his position as the world's wealthiest businessman if one is to believe a survey in the latest issue of USA Today. In July Forbes magazine said that Gates had a net worth of £8.6 billion, mostly from his 141 million shares in Microsoft.

However USA Today this week bestowed the top personal wealth accolade on the less well known US investor Warren Buffett, chief executive of investment grouping Berkshire Hathaway which has share holdings in a variety of large US corporations.

With Hathaway shares trading at around $34,700 on the New York stock market Buffett, holding half a million shares in addition to other personal investments, commands a net worth of £10.4 billion. Buffett, famed for his ability to pick investment winners, was ranked behind Gates in the Forbes survey. The smart money is still on computer nerd Gates to beat off the competition when the dosh is counted next time around.