Rich lists do not matter to me: L N Mittal

NEW DELHI: Numerous rankings of the rich frequently brought out by publications like Forbes and Sunday Times do not matter to steel magnate Lakshmi Niwas Mittal, a permanent fixture on such charts.

"For me, this is not the news I focus on. These are all the valuations...It's good that people see me in a positive light... But these things do not really matter in your (my) life," Mittal, 59, Chairman and CEO of world's largest steel maker, ArcelorMittal said.

Mittal said he would rather prefer his company to be in news for its growth programmes and creation of shareholders' value.

PepsiCo's India-born chief Indra Nooyi had also said recently said the listings among the rich and influential persons of the world did not matter much to her.

"Selectively, we are focusing on how do we continue to grow and create value for our shareholders in ArcelorMittal," said Mittal, who topped the Sunday Times Rich List for sixth consecutive year in 2010.

According to the weekly, Mittal's fortunes stand at 22.45 billion pound, more than double of its last assessment at 10.8 billion pound.