Meet the Mexican multi-billionaire who owns most of Latin America and a big chunk of the rest of the world

Carlos Slim Helú

Verizon Communications announced Monday that it was selling its interests in phone companies in Venezuela, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic for $3.7 billion, saying they no longer fit in with its business focus.

All three transactions involved América Móvil, a large cellular telephone service provider controlled by the Mexican multibillionaire Carlos Slim Helú that has grown steadily across Latin America as global telecommunications companies withdrew from some national markets.

Carlos Slim Helu

Born: 28-Jan-1940
Birthplace: Mexico City, Mexico

Nationality: Mexico
Executive summary: World's 4th richest man, 2005

Primarily invested in telephone industry, Carlos Slim Helu is Latin America's richest man. He runs Mexico's largest cellular phone company (América Movil), as well as the virtual monopoly on landlines (Telmex). But Slim's greatest asset is diversification: his investment group Grupo Carso owns an ISP (Prodigy), an online bank, department stores, a cigarette company (Cigatam), and a restaurant chain with hundreds of locations.

Member of the Board of Philip Morris
Member of the Board of SBC
New York Stock Exchange President, Latin-American Committee NYSE Administration Council
Lebanese Ancestry

Submit To Propeller
Tweet