These are the richest businessmen in Argentina

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Seven Argentines are among the richest people in the world, according to Forbes magazine’s traditional ranking of personal wealth.

The ranking includes 2,668 names that have a combined value of US$12.7 trillion, US$400 billion less than in 2021. Of course, the pandemic and the invasion of Ukraine by the Russians blew the financial scope of these personalities.

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The hardest hit country was Russia, where there are 34 fewer billionaires following the decision by the European country’s president, Vladimir Putin. China also felt the impact after its government cracked down on technology.

Still, the prestigious magazine found more than 1,000 billionaires richer than a year ago. And 236 “newcomers” who became billionaires last year. Topping the list is Elon Musk, founder of Tesla and Space X, followed by Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, and Bernardo Arnault, who heads the LVMH empire with its 70 or so fashion and cosmetics brands, rounds out the list.

As is widely known, the United States continues to dominate the world with 735 billionaires owning a combined US$4.7 trillion, including Elon Musk, who tops the global list for the first time. China (including Macau and Hong Kong) remains number two with 607 billionaires and a total wealth of 2.3 trillion dollars.

As for our country, it was confirmed that the seven Argentine billionaires are Marcos Galperin, Alberto Roemmers, Alejandro Bulgheroni, Eduardo Costantini, Eduardo Eurnekian and Gregorio Pérez Companc. They are joined by Italian-Argentine businessman and CEO of Techint Group, Paolo Rocca (who, according to Forbes, is among the richest only in Italy, where his family ranks 12th).

THE RANKING OF ARGENTINES:

1 – Marcos Galperin – US$3.9 billion

Marcos Galperin, the founder of Mercado Libre, tops the list of Argentines and is the only one who has made a jump and gained places, from 1,063th place in 2020 to 440th this year. This increase was driven by the valuation of the company, of which he is still president and CEO, against the backdrop of strong growth in e-commerce throughout the region.

The businessman has been living in Uruguay with his family since the end of 2019. His wealth decreased from US$6.1 billion in 2021 to US$3.9 billion this year.

He is ranked 764th in the world rankings.

2 – Paolo Rocca and family – US$3.9 billion

Paolo Rocca heads the Techint Group, a conglomerate that includes steel giants Ternium and Tenaris, in energy Tecpetrol and Tenova, in construction Techint Engineering & Construction and in healthcare Humanitas.

He has more assets than last year, but he has lost places in the world rankings: he has fallen from 807th to 764th. Forbes considers that the businessman is Italian (he has dual citizenship) and therefore is listed in that country and not in Argentina.

In total, the group has annual sales of more than US$22 billion and employs about 52,000 people worldwide.

3 – Gregorio Perez Companc and family – US$2.8 billion

The Perez Companc family has a diversified business with a strong presence in food, telecommunications and energy. Although it is a very diversified group, Molinos Río de la Plata employs more than 2,800 people with 14 industrial plants.

Gregorio Perez Companc built the energy conglomerate and sold it to Brazilian giant Petrobas in 2002 for US$1 billion,” according to Forbes magazine. It adds that in December 2009 he gave up his active participation in the company and transferred his 75% stake in food giant Molinos Río de la Plata to his children.

The businessman and his family group also increased their sales, rising in the rankings from 1,299th in 2021 to 1,096th in 2022, during which time his fortune increased by US$400 million.

4 – Alberto Roemmers – US$2.4 billion

According to the Forbes ranking, Alberto Roemmers has earned US$200 million since last year, rising from 1,444th to 1,292nd on the list.

“Alberto Roemmers is the majority owner of Laboratorios Roemmers, the largest pharmaceutical company in Argentina. The company was founded in 1921 by his father, Alberto J. Roemmers, a German immigrant. Laboratorios Roemmers, which remains a private family business, also has subsidiaries in Brazil, Uruguay and Mexico. It manufactures a variety of drugs, including antibiotics and anti-inflammatories,” his Forbes profile says.

5 – Alejandro Bulgheroni and family – US$1.9 billion

Alejandro Bulgheroni and his late brother Carlos “took over Argentine energy company Bridas Corp, founded by their father, in 1985,” according to Forbes’ biographical sketch.

Bulgheroni heads Pan American Energy Group, the country’s largest private oil company. PAE has a consolidated 16% share of Argentina’s hydrocarbon market, operates blocks in Mexico and wind power with Genneia in the south of the country.

The company was founded in 1948 by his father, Alejandro Ángel, who ran it for decades with his brother Carlos, who died in 2016.

The businessman rose from 925th place in 2021 to 1,579th this year with a loss of US$1.4 billion.

6 – Eduardo Costantini – US$1.9 billion

“After working as a stockbroker and financial manager, Eduardo Costantini founded the real estate development company Consultatio″ in 1991, according to the business newspaper.

He is the creator of Nordelta and Malba, the Museum of Latin American Art in Buenos Aires.

7 – Eduardo Eurnekian – U$1.5 billion

Eduardo Eurnekian is the president of Corporación América. “The son of Armenian immigrants in Argentina, he first worked in the textile industry. In the 1980s, he entered the cable television business. In the 1990s, he raised US$750 million in the sale of Argentina’s Cablevisión television company,” the magazine says.

It adds, “With Corporación América, Eurnekian owns more than 50 airports worldwide with reported revenues of more than $1.5 billion. In February 2018, Corporación América Airports went public on the New York Stock Exchange; his nephew, Martin Eurnekian, is CEO.”

Compañía General de Combustibles, another of his companies, is an oil and gas producer in Argentina that operates hydrocarbon fields and pipelines.

It is ranked 1,929th on the list and its equity increased by US$200 million in 2022, from US$1.3 billion to the US$1.5 billion published this year.