Oppenheimer, Leviev, Steinmetz - Forbes Diamond Billionaires
March 12, 07On Forbes’ recently published list of the world’s richest people, the diamond industry has its fair share of representatives.
Ranked 158th of the Forbes list and leading the diamantaires is Nicky Oppenheimer and family of South Africa. Oppenheimer, 61, chairs De Beers, the diamond goliath. His net worth is estimated at more than $5 billion. Oppenheimer recently sold off a third of his family's interest in global mining giant Anglo American to Chinese billionaire Larry Yung with nearly $500 million in proceeds.
Lev Leviev, ranked 210th follows Oppenheimer. The 51-year-old self-made billionaire lives in Israel with a fortune estimated at over $4.1 billion. Leviev is the world’s largest cutter and polisher of diamonds. He holds a controlling stake in conglomerate Africa-Israel, a real estate firm also involved in fashion and transportation.
Chairman of the Steinmetz Group, 50-year-old Israeli Benny Steinmetz, ranks 583rd on Forbes list with an estimated worth of $1.7 billion. Steinmetz has 11 diamond-manufacturing licenses in Botswana and still others in the Congo, Sierra Leone, and Zambia. Steinmetz is reportedly De Beers’ largest customer.