Iris Fontbona (original) (raw)

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Chilean businesswoman

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Fontbona and the second or maternal family name is González.

Iris Balbina Fontbona González (born 1942/1943) is a Chilean mining magnate, media proprietor, billionaire businesswoman, the widow of Andrónico Luksic Abaroa, from whom she inherited Antofagasta PLC. She is the wealthiest person in Chile, the third wealthiest in Latin America, and the ninth wealthiest woman worldwide in 2022 according to Forbes.[2]

Fontbona acquired her wealth following the death of her husband, Andrónico Luksic Abaroa, in 2005 from cancer.[3][4][5][6]

The bulk of her husband's business went to their three sons, Guillermo, Jean Paul and Andrónico. Jean Paul manages Antofagasta, Luksic Group's copper mining group and one of the largest mining companies in the world.[7][3]

Fontbona and her family control Antofagasta, the Santiago-based mining company.[8] Through the publicly traded company Quiñenco, they control Banco de Chile, Madeco, a copper products manufacturer, the country's largest brewer, CCU, and a shipping company, CSAV.[9] CSAV is the world's 16th largest shipping company as measured by TEUs.[10] In 2013, she controlled 65% of Antofagasta.[11]

Following the death of her husband, business of her husband under her control, "Fontbona managed to make their family business grow and reach its new heights of success".[3]

This included turning the business in the second biggest bank in Chile, the biggest brewer in the world, manager of the largest copper mines in the world and controlling the world's largest shipping company.[7][11] Another one of her businesses is a pair of luxury hotel chains and a luxury resort in Croatia.[12] One of her first major actions following her husband's death was to acquire a 70% stake in Chilean television station, Canal 13.[13] Much of her power in the company appears to be indirect. Major business decisions impacting the company largely run by her son, Andrónico Luksic Craig, need to be approved of by Fontbona.[13]

In 2015, Fontbona donated a record CL$3.1 billion (approximately US$3.9 million) to the annual Chilean Telethon, which seeks to help children with physical disabilities.[14][1][4] She appeared on television for a telethon, which also takes place before a live audience.[4]

In 2016, she donated CL$4.4 billion (approximately US$5.5 million), which assisted in setting a record for the charity event in terms of funds raised.[15][16]

Fontbona was born in 1942 and attended a Catholic high school. When she was 17 she met Andrónico Luksic Abaroa, who was 15 years older than her, and who married him by the time she was 20.[4][17] Luksic had five children by his first wife, Patricia Lederer, who died before he did. Fontbona became the step-mother of Andrónico Luksic Craig when he was a 7-year-old.[4] Another of her sons was Guillermo Luksic, who died of lung cancer in 2013.[18][5] The couple had three children of their own.[19]

Fontbona spends time in three primary residences, including Vitacura, Santiago, Chile, Belgravia in London, and Liechtenstein.[1][20] She is a devout Roman Catholic. She keeps a low profile but garners much media attention annually during the Chilean Telethon. She does not grant interviews.[4]

1. ^ a b c "The World's Billionaires: Iris Fontbona & family". Forbes. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
2. ^ "10 richest Women according Forbes 2022". Visual Capitalist. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
3. ^ a b c Bongat, Maureen (12 January 2016). "Iris Fontbona: The Success Story of the Richest Latina". Latin Post. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
4. ^ a b c d e f Rosa del Pino, Andrea M. (7 November 2016). "La vida secreta de la latina más rica del mundo, la viuda Iris Fontbona". El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 March 2017.
5. ^ a b "The 10 richest women in the world aren't entrepreneurs, but heiresses". Washington Post. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
6. ^ Roper, Matt (24 May 2012). "Reclusive, clumsy... and the richest woman in the world: Meet the £18bn Iron Lady". mirror. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
7. ^ a b "Iris Fontbona: The Success Story of the Richest Latina". Latin Post. 12 January 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
8. ^ "Iris Fontbona & family". Forbes. Retrieved 2020-09-08.
9. ^ "Bloomberg Billionaires Index: Iris Fontbona". Bloomberg LP. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
10. ^ "Compañía Sud Americana de Vapores S.A. (CSAV)". BNamericas. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
11. ^ a b "Iris Fontbona: la vedova d'oro brucia 5 miliardi". ilsole24ore.com. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
12. ^ "Forbes' rich list: Meet the wealthiest person in 34 major countries". Financial Post. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
13. ^ a b Rosa del Pino, Andrea M. (7 November 2016). "La vida secreta de la latina más rica del mundo, la viuda Iris Fontbona". El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 March 2017.
14. ^ "Familia Luksic realizó gran aporte de 3 mil 100 millones de pesos". Chilevision. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
15. ^ "La histórica y multimillonaria donación que realizó la familia Luksic en Teletón 2016". El Dínamo (in Spanish). Retrieved 2017-03-10.
16. ^ "Familia Luksic hizo histórica donación en medio de pifias del público". Chilevision.cl (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 March 2017.
17. ^ "The world's 9 wealthiest women". Retrieved 10 March 2017.
18. ^ "Guillermo Luksic of Chile's Richest Family Dies of Lung Cancer". Bloomberg.com. 28 March 2013. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
19. ^ "World's richest 40 people worth $1 trillion". thestar.com. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
20. ^ "La hija de Al Bano y Romina se casa con un millonario latino-croata". ELMUNDO (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 March 2017.