Iris Fontbona Net Worth

Iris Fontbona was born in 1943 in Antofogasta, Chile, of Spanish (Catalan) descent, and is known for controlling Antofogasta Plc. Forbes magazine ranks Iris as the richest person in Chile, and the 82nd richest in the world in 2015.

So just how rich is Iris Fontbona? Forbes estimates that her net worth is over $14 billion most of her wealth having been inherited, and as a result of controlling the Antofogasta conglomerate.

Iris Fontbona Net Worth $14 Billion

Iris Fontbona is the widow of Andronico Luksic, who she married in 1961, and who had built a fortune in mining, beverages and more, and died of cancer in 2005. Luksic was the son of a migrant father from Croatia, and a Bolivian mother.

So Iris Fontbona’s story is mostly that of her husband: Luksic expanded his businesses, and left them to his wife and his three sons: Jean-Paul with Iris, and Andronico and Guillermo (who died in 2013 of lung cancer) with his first wife Ena who died in 1959. Two daughters to Luksic and Iris apparently have little involvement in running the businesses.

Iris Fontbona is certainly the matriarch of Chile’s richest family and, with her two sons, controls 65% of Antofagasta Plc, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange and which owns copper mines in Chile. The family also holds a controlling interest in Quinenco, a publicly-traded Chilean conglomerate active in banking – Banco de Chile; beer brewing – Compania Cervecerias Unidas SA, the largest brewer in Chile; transportation – Compania Sudamericana de Vapores, Latin America’s largest shipping company; as well as energy and port services. Other family assets include two chains of hotels in Croatia, Adriatic Luxury Resorts and Laguna Porec. Jean-Paul is the chairman of Antofagasta, and Andronico is the head of the financial department as well as being the chairman of Quinenco.

Naturally, since assuming control of the family businesses, Iris’ net worth has continued to grow steadily. When Luksic died in 2005, his net worth was estimated to be $15 billion, and despite global financial problems since then, Iris’ net worth has been maintained, and her sons also have significant amounts credited to them, totalling more than $20 billion.

All children and step-children of Iris have their own children, but otherwise the family’s private life is just that, and little is known of her or their personal lives outside of business.