The American magazine Forbes published its annual list of the richest people in the world in 2023. Among the more than 2,000 people who collected the list, there are 14 Mexican millionaires who have stood out for their wealthy assets.
The 5 richest in Mexico maintain the most important fortunes in the country. In addition, they have built their empires through a good variety of companies, which come from various types of industries.
These are the businesses of the 5 richest people in Mexico:
Carlos Slim
- Age: 83 years
- Fortune: 93,000 million dollars
- Predominant sector: Telecom
- world #: 8
Photoart: Andrea Velázquez
The tycoon Carlos Slim Helú is recognized for his career in the telecommunications business and the construction sector. According to Bloomberg, most of his fortune comes from his stake in América Móvil, the major conglomerate that runs companies like Telmex, Telcel and Claro.
According to data from the biography on his official site, Carlos Slim started in business at the age of 25, when he founded Inmobiliaria Carso. Over time, he was diversifying his investments. In 1991, he started in the telecommunications business when he acquired Teléfonos de México, in the midst of the privatization of government companies.
Carlos Slim also owns other businesses, such as Grupo Sanborns, the retail arm with which he operates brands such as Sanborns, Sears, iShop and Mixup. In addition, he operates the Inbursa Financial Group, with which he established himself in the banking sector. Similarly, he owns a publicly traded mining company called Frisco.
German Larrea Mota Velasco
- Age: 69 years
- Fortune: 26.6 billion dollars
- Predominant sector: Mining
- # world: 54
Photoart: THE CEO
Germán Larrea is one of the Mexican millionaires who owe their fortune to the mining industry. According to Bloomberg, most of his assets come from the Grupo México conglomerate. Through this company, Larrea operates the largest copper producer nationwide. In addition, he has several businesses in the rail transportation industry.
According to the official site of Grupo México, it has three different business focuses. The mining subsidiary operates companies such as Americas Mining Company, Arsaco and Southern Copper Corporation. Its transport division owns Ferromex, Ferrosur and Intermodal México, among others. Similarly, its infrastructure section has subsidiaries such as Perforadora México, Grupo México Autopistas and GM Engineering Services. He even owns Cinemex, a movie theater chain.
Germán Larrea acquired his fortune from his father, Jorge Larrea, who started the business and was known as “El Rey del Cobre”. According to several biographies, Grupo México had one of its most important moments in 1988, when it acquired Minera de Cobre and Minera de Cananea, in a privatization process.
Ricardo Salinas Pliego
- Age: 69 years
- Fortune: 26.6 billion dollars
- Predominant sector: Banking and retail
- world #: 161
Photoart: Andrea Velázquez
Salinas Pliego owns Grupo Salinas, a business empire whose roots he inherited from his father. Among the companies he owns are a chain of department stores, the bank with the most branches in the entire Mexican Republic, and a television station.
Most of Ricardo Salinas Pliego’s fortune comes from Grupo Elektra, the conglomerate with which he manages Banco Azteca, Elektra Stores, Italika and other financial subsidiaries, such as his Afore and insurance company. Bloomberg explains that the tycoon owns 74% of this company, with a stake valued at 9.590 million dollars.
His site details that, through his television station, TV Azteca, Salinas Pliego operates 4 national television channels, as well as two stations in Honduras and Guatemala. It also runs its own television studios, a world-class golf competition, and the Mazatlán soccer club.
Alejandro Bailleres Gual
- Age: 62 years
- Fortune: 6,900 million dollars
- Predominant sector: Mining
- world #: 344
Photoart: THE CEO
The representative of the Baillères family appears on the Forbes list of millionaires. According to the magazine, he is identified as the person who continued with the family business after the death of Alberto Baillères in 2022. As detailed, the Baillères family owns the Grupo Bal conglomerate, with which they manage several companies.
On its website, Grupo Bal explains that it manages several leading companies in its field. Among them are the Peñoles and Fresnillo mining companies which, Bloomberg points out, are the main value generators for the family. In addition, the financial businesses of GNP Seguros and Profuturo operate.
Another important business of the Baillères is El Palacio de Hierro, the luxury clothing store with a value of 18,520 million pesos at the end of 2022, according to data from Investing.
Maria Asuncion Aramburuzabala
- Age: 59 years
- Fortune: 6,200 million dollars
- Predominant sector: Beverages
- world #: 411
María Asunción Aramburuzabala is the richest woman in Mexico. According to Forbes, most of her fortune stems from her family’s involvement in Grupo Modelo. According to the outlet, she and her family inherited shares in the company after the death of her father.
Aramburuzabala sold Grupo Modelo to the beer giant AB-InBev. After that, he acquired shares in the Belgian company, which currently operates well-known Mexican brands such as Corona and Victoria.
María Asunción also has other businesses. According to the Public Registry of Commerce of the Ministry of Economy, she is a shareholder of the company Tresalia Capital. On her LinkedIn profile, she details that the millionaire has been her CEO since 1996. According to her site, it is a company with diversified investments and a real estate subsidiary called Abilia.
