The richest Latin American entrepreneurs

See the richest Latin American entrepreneurs according to Forbes.

It’s a list many aspire to.

What do the wealthiest billionaires do?

Who hasn’t dreamed of being part of an exclusive group of billionaires? Well, every year, Forbes magazine compiles a list of the world’s richest individuals.

Despite 2020 being a year many would like to forget economically, socially and employment-wise — and even though it affected the fortune of many millionaires around the world — it also rewarded others, such as Amazon’s owner, Jeff Bezos.

The list is mainly dominated by business figures from places like the United States, China and Europe, but several Latin American individuals also appear.

Globally, Carlos Slim and Joseph Safra ranked 12th and 39th respectively.

Richest Latin American entrepreneurs: Carlos Slim Helu is worth $59 billion

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Carlos Slim is one of the richest Hispanic entrepreneurs. Slim, who is from Mexico City is the richest person in Latin America.

He owns an empire linked to the communications industry in his native country and much of Latin America.

He graduated from the National Autonomous University of Mexico and, at 80 years old, he ranks 12th globally.

Slim is well-known in the telecommunications world as the owner of Telmex, the only company in this sector in Mexico belonging to América Móvil.

Joseph Safra was worth $19.9 billion

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The first Brazilian on the list, and second in Latin America, Joseph Safra was worth almost $20 billion. He occupied the 39th position on the list as of March 2020.

Safra was born in Beirut, Lebanon, and had dual nationality. He made his fortune as a banker.

He passed away at the age of 82 in Sao Paulo, Brazil on December 10, 2020.

The father of four children, Safra became the world’s richest banker and owner of the largest and most important bank in Latin American — Banco Safra. He was also owner of Banco J. Safra Sarasin, founded in 2013.

Ricardo Salinas Pliego is worth $13.5 billion

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Completing the top three richest Latin American entrepreneurs is another Mexican who, along with his family, was positioned at number 106 in the world in 2020.

Salinas, 75, with a fortune of almost $14 billion, is one of the richest men in Latin America.

A native of Mexico City and a graduate in Art Sciences from the Monterrey Institute of Technology, he is the second Mexican on the list, and his wealth comes mainly from the world of media.

He is the owner of the country’s second most important broadcaster, TV Azteca, and also has investments in the retail sector.

German Larrea Mota Velasco is worth $24.2 billion

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Another Mexican included in this list is German Larrea, 67, who was also born in Mexico City. He is the fourth richest Latin American and is at 118 worldwide.

German Larrea Mota owns Mexico’s most important copper mining company and the conglomerate Grupo México.

Grupo México has expanded its operations into other sectors beyond mining, such as railway transportation and infrastructure.

Although his wealth has fluctuated in recent years, Larrea has positioned himself as one of the richest individuals in the region.

A woman is among the richest Latin entrepreneurs: Iris Fontbona is worth $20.7 billion

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Who hasn’t dreamed of having a million dollars? Well, Iris Fontbona has $20 billion.

Iris is the first woman to appear on the list, and at 78 years old, she is considered the 124th richest person in the world.

Fontbona is not only the first woman on the list but also the first individual from somewhere other than Mexico or Brazil. This widow and mother of three made her fortune in the mining and beverage industry.

Fontbona and her family are part of one of the most important Chilean business conglomerates, with companies in the manufacturing and brewing industries.

Jorge Paulo Lemann is worth $18.4 billion

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With a net worth of $18 billion, the next individual on the list made is fortune in beer. Jorge Paulo Lemann is the 6trh richest Latin American entrepreneur.

Lemann, currently residing in Switzerland, is 129th in the world. He is the principal shareholder of the world’s largest beer company, Anheuser-Busch.

He also has investments in other areas. The 81-year-old son of Swiss immigrants, was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Jorge Paulo was a tennis player and graduated from Harvard University.

Luis Carlos Sarmiento has a net worth of $10.7 billion

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It might seem modest in a world of billionaires, but $11 billion is nothing to sneeze at. Luis Carlos Sarmiento, born in Bogotá, is the richest man in Colombia and one of Latin America’s wealthiest.

At almost 88 years old, Sarmiento Angulo is not only an influential billionaire in his native country but also owns one of Colombia’s most important newspapers, El Tiempo.

He also owns the most powerful financial conglomerate in Colombia, the Aval Group, which includes Banco de Occidente, Banco de Bogotá, Banco Aval and more.

A graduate in Art Sciences, Sarmiento Angulo has investments in the infrastructure sector.

Eduardo Saverin is one of the richest Latin American entrepreneurs with $15.6 billion

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The third Brazilian on the list and the youngest of the Latin American billionaires is Eduardo Saverin. At 38, this Sao Paulo native is worth nearly $16 billion.

Saverin is one of the co-founders of Facebook.

He currently lives in Singapore, graduated from Harvard and was a classmate of Mark Zuckerberg. He currently has a small stake in the tech giant.

Eduardo appears on other important lists, such as the richest entrepreneur in Singapore and the richest in the technology sector. He was depicted in the movie about Facebook, The Social Network.

Marcel Herrmann Telles is worth $10.8 billion

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Although $6 billion may not seem like much compared to others on this list, it makes Marcel Herrmann the 9th richest Latin American.

Herrmann, 71, is from Sao Paulo and appears at 230 on Forbes‘ list.

He graduated from Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and he is one of the largest shareholders of InBev.

This Brazilian, one of the wealthiest men in Latin America, is currently married and the father of two children.

Alberto Bailleres González is worth $9.9 billion

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Bailleres, 89, is from Mexico. He is one of the oldest individuals on the list and is one of the 200 richest people on the planet.

Originally from Mexico City, he is a lifelong entrepreneur and well-known in his country.

Today, still one of the country’s wealthiest and 10th in the region, Bailleres owns one of the country’s most important business conglomerates.

He owns a department store called Palacio de Hierro, as well insurance companies.

María Asunción Aramburuzabala has a net worth of $5.8 billion

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The second woman on the list is also Mexican. María Asunción Aramburuzabala is 286th worldwide.

She graduated from the Autonomous Technological Institute of Mexico and has been involved in beer and investing.

Asunción is divorced and the most recognized businesswoman in her country. She is known for being one of the owners of Grupo Modelo, which produces a beer of the same name.

Just like the popular Corona beer, Grupo Modelo was sold to AB InBev in 2013.

Carlos Alberto Sicupira has $8.3 billion

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What do being a billionaire and being linked to the beer industry have in common? Well, this Brazilian, like many billionaires on the list, has the answer.

Carlos Alberto Sicupira, 73, resides in Switzerland. He is at 349th place worldwide with $8 billion.

His fortune has almost doubled since the list was published in March 2020. Has beer consumption increased since the beginning of the pandemic?

He graduated from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and has shares Restaurant Brands International, which includes brands such as Burger King and Tim Hortons.

Alexandre Behring has $6.7 billion

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One of the youngest in the ranking is Brazilian, Alexandre Behring. At 53, he is one of the newest on this list and has a fortune of more than $4 billion.

This investor is co-owner of 3G Capital, a Brazilian company that operates in the North American market.

3G is an investment company with stakes in Restaurant Brands International.

Behring, born in Rio de Janeiro, currently livers in Greenwich, Connecticut, and earned an MBA from Harvard University.

Juan Francisco Beckmann Vidal is worth $7.6 billion

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Many people would say «tequila brings happiness,» but no one can knows this better than Mexican Juan Francisco Beckmann, who is president of the most important and famous distillery in Latin America that produces the José Cuervo brand.

This distillery, located in Mexico City, has been passed down through generations in Beckmann’s family and only went public in 2017.

At 80 years old, Juan Francisco Beckmann is relatively new to the stock market, though not in the business world.

Also, Beckmann Vidal’s factory started producing whisky after acquiring Bushmills in 2015.

Carlos Rodríguez-Pastor has $5.1 billion

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In a list dominated by Brazilians and Mexicans, Rodriguez-Pastor is the first Peruvian on the list.

Carlos Rodriguez-Pastor, born in the country’s capital, is the richest man in Peru.

Though $3.7 billion might seem a modest sum, in reality, thanks to his investments, he is among the 500 richest people on the planet today.

It should be noted that at 61 years old, Rodriguez-Pastor also has investments in the education, real estate and retail sectors, among others.

Jaime Gilinski Bacal and Juan Carlos Escotet are nearly tied at just over $3 billion

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To conclude the list of the richest Latin American entrepreneurs are Colombian Jaime Gilinski and Venezuelan Juan Carlos Escotet, tied at 565 globally.

Juan Carlos Escotet earned his fortune in the financial sector. He is founder of a banking group in Venezuela, operating in some Central American countries, Colombia and the United States.

As for Gilinski, who is from the city of Cali and resides in London, he also works in the financial sector.

While there are other significant figures on this list, including several Mexicans and Brazilians, Chilean President Sebastian Piñera is highlighted at 804 in the ranking.