Johann Rupert: 10 Facts About Africa’s Richest Man

Forbes Magazine named Johann Rupert, a billionaire from South Africa, “Africa’s richest man”, on Friday, June 16. He replaced Nigeria’s Aliko Dangote, who had held the position for the past ten years. Rupert’s net worth was estimated at $12 billion by Forbes’ real-time Global Billionaires Ranking, while Dangote’s was estimated at $10.8 billion. The naira’s devaluation by the Central Bank of Nigeria auctioned the dollar at a price much below the official market price reason for Dangote’s net worth significantly decreased.

The dollar was roughly 30% cheaper on the central bank’s market.

Here are some details about Rupert Johann, Africa’s Richest Man.

1. Rupert, now 73, was born on June 1, 1950, to business mogul Anton Rupert and his wife, Hurberte, in Stellenbosch, South Africa. He is the oldest kid of his parents.
2. Rupert attended the University of Stellenbosch to study economics and company law but left early to start a business.
3. The same university conferred an honorary degree in economics on Rupert in 2004. Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University awarded him a second honorary doctorate in 2008.
4. Gaynor Rupert is the wife of Rupert. The couple’s three children are Anton Ruper Jr., Caroline, and Hanneli Rupert.
5. He spent some time in the US before returning to South Africa in 1979 to form Rand Merchant Bank, where he served as CEO until the business became RMB Holdings in 1984.
6. Rupert joined his father’s tobacco manufacturing firm, Rembrandt Group, after leaving RMB in 1948.
7. In 1988 Rupert founded Compagnie Financiere Richemont, a Swiss luxury goods holding firm. Rupert assumed the role of Non-Executive Director at Rothmans International plc and was honoured as the “Businessman of the Year” by the Sunday Times in 1988.
8. Rupert became vice chairman of his father’s firm in 1989 and chairman of the same company, Rembrandt Group Limited, in 1991.
9. Rupert became the Non-Executive Chairman of Gold Fields South Africa Ltd in 1997.
10. Rupert also enjoys golf. He started the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation in 1990. The foundation’s goal is to alleviate social concerns through sports, and it has assisted with around 675 initiatives worldwide.

cc: Punch Ng