Ever heard of the world’s richest men? Well Carlos Slim Helu is one of the top
three richest men globally. Slim is a 20th century style American
entrepreneur who have faith in monopoly as well as old factory system and
economies of scale rather than technology and innovation. He is a Mexican
business magnate, philanthropist and investor. Between 2010 and 2013 he ranked
top of billionaires as the world’s richest man being branded “the Warren
Buffett of Mexico”
Early life and Education
Carlos Slim Helu was born of Linda Helu and Julian Slim
Haddad on January 1940, 28 in the city of Mexico. Slim grew up wanting to
become a great businessman. In fact he started to advance his investments and
business skills at a very tender age.
He learnt the value of financial literacy, accountability and
management from his father Julian who also taught him financial statement
reading techniques as well as importance of financial records keeping, a
practice he carries out in his daily chores up to date.
Slim made is first investment at 11 years of age in a
government’s saving bond. This taught him compound interest concept and then he
began saving all the business and financial transactions he ever made in his
ledger book that still exists till today. When he was 12, he purchased shares
in one of the Mexican banks, being his very first stock purchase. He earned 200
pesos weekly while working in his father’s company at the age of 17.
Slim proceeded to National Autonomous University of Mexico
to study civil engineering. During his time there, he also taught algebra and
linear programming, so he was a student and a lecturer at the same time. He
majored on civil engineering because of the interest he had in numbers, but he
also displayed his fascination for economics. After his engineering degree, he
went to Chile to pursue economics.
Achievement in Business
In 1965, Slim incorporated Inversora Bursatil and became the
chairman of the Board of Directors. He also acquired Jarritos del Sur and
integrated Carso, establishing the foundation of what later became the Grupo
Carso.
In 1967, he founded and headed Promotora del Hogar, a real
estate company in South America. A year later, Slim also acquired Mina el
Volcan SSG Inmobiliaria, S.A. In 1969, three of his new companies Bienes Raices
Mexicanos, S.A, Invest Mentor Mexicana and Nacional de Arrendamientos started
to operate.
In 1980, he formed Grupo Galas which is known as Grupo Carso
today. From 1982-1984, there was economic crisis in Mexico, but Slim continued
investing in companies like Sanborns, Reynolds Aluminio, General Tire and many
others.
In 1884, Carlos Slim Helu acquired 40 percent of British
American Tobacco, Bimex, S.A, 33 percent of Anderson Clayton and Hulera El
Centenario Firestone. He also managed to buy Seguros de Mexico, currently known
as Seguros Inbursa and then incorporated Seguros de Mexico, Casa de Bolsa
Inbursa and Fianas La Guardiana to form Grupo Financiero Inbursa.
His Fundacion Telmex was established in 1995, an organization
that enlightens Mexico in terms of health, nutrition, education, culture
justice, opportunities, disaster relief and environmental conservation among
other issues.
In 1996, Grupo Carso split into 3 different companies, Carso
Global Telecom, Invercorporacion and Grupo Carso. Slim bought Sears Roebuck in
1997. He continued to be very active in business, but his major focus on
employment, education and health in Mexico.
Mr. Slim lectured in both public and private institutions and
also in international organizations like Economic Commission for Latin America
(ECLA). He served as Vice Chairman in the Mexican Stock Exchange and the
Chairman of Mexican Association of Brokerage Firm.
His business achievements is just an endless list. Other than
business and work, Slim is a lover of history, nature and art. He is a great
fanatic of baseball. In fact, he has written lots of articles on sports. His
staggering success has achieved him so many awards and recognitions. Currently
Carlos Slim Helu has a projected net worth of 76.4 billion.
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