FORMER prime minister Kevin Rudd may no longer be A-list material, but his wife Therese Rein today joins one of the most exclusive clubs of all.

At $210 million, she elbows her way onto the Business Review Weekly Rich 200 list at 199.

Being a woman puts her in even rarer company. Only 16 women feature on the list, up from 15 last year. Rarer still, she's done it herself. BRW editor Kate Mills says most people on the list do it from inherited wealth.

Even Gina Rinehart, now said to be the richest woman in the world with $29.17 billion - she again tops the Australian list, with her wealth almost equalling the combined wealth of the bottom 100 people on the list - did it after inheriting $75 million and mining royalties.