According to global wealth rankings around March 2013, who was widely regarded as the richest professional investor in the world?

Introduction / Context:
Financial markets closely track the net worth of major investors and business leaders. Around March 2013, Warren Buffett, often called the Oracle of Omaha, was widely described as the richest professional investor in the world, thanks to his long term success with Berkshire Hathaway and his very high personal net worth. General knowledge questions sometimes focus on this description to test awareness of famous figures in global finance.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The time frame is around March 2013.- We are asked about the richest investor, not the richest overall person or richest entrepreneur.- Options include Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, Warren Buffett, George Soros, and Carl Icahn.- We assume standard financial media usage, which often distinguishes investors from founders of operating companies.

Concept / Approach:
Warren Buffett built his wealth primarily through investment decisions, acquisitions, and capital allocation at Berkshire Hathaway, making him the archetypal professional investor in modern finance. While other names on the list are also legendary investors, Warren Buffett s net worth has generally been significantly higher, placing him among the top few richest people in the world overall, and making him the richest among investors in particular around that period.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Compare the scale of wealth. Warren Buffett regularly appeared in the top three or four in global rich lists, whereas George Soros, Carl Icahn, and Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, although wealthy, were ranked lower.Step 2: Consider geographical context. Rakesh Jhunjhunwala was often called the Warren Buffett of India but his net worth was much lower than Warren Buffetts global ranking in 2013.Step 3: George Soros and Carl Icahn are major investors but their fortunes lagged behind Warren Buffetts by a wide margin in that period.Step 4: Therefore, the description richest investor as of March 2013 aligns best with Warren Buffett.

Verification / Alternative Check:
Exam notes and business news around 2013 habitually referred to Warren Buffett as one of the richest people in the world and the richest professional investor. Many general knowledge books present direct statements such as Warren Buffett is the richest investor in the world, particularly in reference to that time frame.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Rakesh Jhunjhunwala: A very successful Indian investor, sometimes nicknamed the Warren Buffett of India, but not comparable to Buffett in absolute net worth in 2013.George Soros: Famous for currency speculation and hedge fund management, but his fortune was smaller than Warren Buffetts around the period mentioned.Carl Icahn: A prominent activist investor, yet he also did not surpass Warren Buffett in net worth at that time.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse the richest investor with the richest person overall, leading to distraction by technology founders or other entrepreneurs not listed here. Another mistake is to pick a well known local figure like Rakesh Jhunjhunwala without comparing global scale. Remembering that Warren Buffett consistently ranks near the top of the worlds richest lists and is primarily an investor helps resolve such questions quickly.

Final Answer:
Warren Buffett was widely regarded as the richest professional investor in the world around March 2013.