Born Johann Peter Rupert on the 1st June 1950 in Stellenbosch, Western Cape South Africa, he is a businessman, best known to the world as the Chairman of the luxury goods company Richemont, and CEO of the luxury goods company Compagnie Financiere Richemont.
Have you ever wondered how rich Johann Rupert is, as of late 2017? According to authoritative sources, it has been estimated that Rupert’s wealth is as high as $7.54 billion, an amount earned through his successful career as a businessman, which began in the early ‘70s.
Johann Rupert Net Worth $7.54 Billion
Johan is the son of Anton Rupert, a South African business magnate and his wife, Huberte. Johann has a sister Hanneli and had a younger brother Anhonij, who passed away in 2001 after a car accident. He grew up in Stellenbosch and went to the Paul Ross Gymnasium. After matriculation, Johann enrolled at the University of Stellenbosch, where he studied economics and company law, however, his studies didn’t last long, as he decided to focus on a business career.
He found his first job at Chase Manhattan bank in New York City, effectively working on his business apprenticeship for two years, and then joined the financial services company Lazar Freres for three more years, before returning to South Africa and starting the Rand Merchant Bank. He served as its CEO until leaving the bank and focusing on other enterprises.
In 1988 he started the Compagnie Financière Richemont SA, spun from the Rembrandt Group, founded by Johann’s father in the ‘40s. Then by combining the Rembrandt Group and Rothmans International, he formed a group of subsidiaries that helped him launch his firm. Since then, he has developed the company into a conglomerate, which in its ownership has such luxury brands as Jaeger-LeCoultre, Officine Panerai, Peter Millar, Cartier, A. Lange & Söhne, Azzedine Alaïa, and many others. His net worth reached the point where Johann is one of the richest people in Africa, and one of the five richest Africans.
Thanks to his successful management, Johann has received numerous prestigious awards and recognitions, including the M.S. Louw Award from the A.H.I. in 1993, the 1999 Free Market Award by The Free Market Foundation of South Africa, Honorary Doctorate in Economics from the University of Stellenbosch in 2004, and in 2009 he was made Chancellor of Stellenbosch University, among many other recognitions.
Aside from his own company, Johann had other interests, including playing cricket and starting the Sports Science Institute with the help of his friends Tim Noakes and Morne du Plessis, while from 2001 he has been the owner of the L’Omarins wine estate, which was previously managed by his late brother Anthonij. Johann wanted to improve the farm to honor the memory of his brother.
Regarding his personal life, Johann is married to Gaynor Rupert with whom he has three children.
He is also a well-known philanthropist; he was a part of The South Africa Foundation as its council member, then was a trustee of the Southern African Nature Foundation, and several other organizations, and has also started the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation back in 1990, through which he has funded a number of projects that help underprivileged children.
