The telecommunications, banking, infrastructure, energy and mining mogul Carlos Slim heads the new Forbes magazine list of Mexico’s richest people.
Although the coronavirus pandemic and associated restrictions hit the global economy hard (Mexico’s GDP slumped 8.5% in 2020), Forbes México said that the average wealth of the 36 Mexican billionaires on its 2021 rich list increased by 20% over the past year.
The 10 richest people in Mexico are presented below. The full list will be published in Forbes‘s upcoming print edition.
1. Carlos Slim Helú (interests in the telecommunications, industrial, finance, retail, infrastructure, energy and mining sectors)
Slim’s net wealth increased 7.4% over the past year to US $55.93 billion. The 81-year-old tycoon owns a range of firms across numerous sectors, including Telmex, América Móvil and Grupo Carso, a conglomerate that runs such companies as Grupo Sanborns, Carso Infrastructure and Construction (CICSA), Grupo Condumex and Carso Energy.
Last year, CICSA was awarded an 18-billion-peso contract to build a section of the Maya Train railroad, the federal government’s signature infrastructure project.
2. Germán Larrea (mining, transport, infrastructure and entertainment)
Larrea’s wealth surged 146.5% over the past year to US $27.11 billion, Forbes said. The main driver of the 67-year-old’s vastly improved position was the performance of Grupo México, the country’s biggest mining company. The publication said that higher sales volumes and higher metal prices were behind the company’s good results.
3. Ricardo Salinas Pliego (Retail, banking, entertainment, telecommunications)
The net worth of Salinas, president of Grupo Salinas, increased 7% to US $12.52 billion. However, the 65-year-old, who describes himself as a “bitcoin businessman” on his Twitter account profile, dropped one spot on the rich list due to the incredible surge in Larrea’s wealth. His best-known business is Grupo Elektra, a retail and financial corporation.
4. Alberto Bailleres (mining, retail, insurance, beverages)
Bailleres, owner of the upmarket department store chain Palacio de Hierro, also saw his wealth surge over the past year, although his position on the rich list didn’t change. His net worth is now US $10.48 billion, according to Forbes, a 63.8% increase compared to a year ago.
5. Juan Francisco Beckmann Vidal (Beverages)
The wealth of the majority owner of the José Cuervo tequila brand increased 67% over the past year to US $7.18 billion. The sales of his beverage company Becle, which has interests in tequila, whisky, vodka, rum, mezcal, gin and ready-to-drink brands, increased 18% in 2020 compared to the previous year.
6. María Asunción Aramburuzabala (investment, real estate)
Aramburuzabala, whose grandfather was a founder of beer maker Grupo Modelo, retains her title as Mexico’s richest woman. The president of the private equity firm Tresalia and the real estate development company Abilia saw her wealth increase 1.1% over the past year to US $5.63 billion.
7. The Arango family (retail, investment)
The Arango family, which brought Walmart to Mexico, has a net wealth of US $4.3 billion. The family’s fortune neither increased nor decreased over the past year, according to Forbes.
8. The Servitje Montull family (food products)
The wealth of the owners of Bimbo, the world’s largest baked goods company, increased by 38.1% over the past year to US $3.59 billion. Forbes said that the company achieved record sales in 2020 but didn’t offer further details.
9. Antonio del Valle (chemicals, manufacturing, water, construction materials, finance)
Del Valle’s wealth increased 0.3% to US $3.01 billion over the past year. The 82-year-old’s most successful company is the chemicals firm Mexichem.
10. The Robinson Bours family (food products, telecommunications)
The wealth of the family, owners of the poultry producer Bachoco, increased 16.7% over the past year to US $3 billion. Bachoco’s sales increased 11.6% in 2020, Forbes said. One member of the family, José Eduardo Robinson Bours Castelo, was governor of Sonora between 2003 and 2009.
Source: Forbes México (sp)
