Iris Fontbona Net Worth

What Is Iris Fontbona's Net Worth?

Iris Fontbona is a Chilean businesswoman who has a net worth of $24 billion. Iris Fontbona earned her fortune by marrying Andronico Luksic, who built one of the biggest copper mining companies in the world, Antofagasta. She became the majority stockholder in Antofagasta when her husband passed away in 2005. At the time of his death, Andronico Luksic was the richest person in Chile, a title Iris continues to hold today. She is one of the 100 richest people in the world and one of the 10 richest women in the world.

Irish Fontbona owns 65% of the ninth-largest copper producer in the world, Antofagasta. Her family's shares are credited to her, including those owned by her son Jean-Paul Kuksic. The family also owns 81% of Quinenco and the Croatian resort chain Playa Laguna. Quinenco includes Banco de Chile, copper product maker Madeco, shipping company CSAV, and brewer CCU. They are investors in Canal 13 television network.

Early Life

Iris Fontbona was born in 1942 or 1943 in Santiago, Chile. She attended a Catholic high school. When Iris was 17 years old, she met Andronico Luksic Abaroa, who was 15 years her senior. They married the following year when she was 18 and he was 33.

Family Wealth

For much of her early life and marriage to her husband, Fontbona's involvement in the world of business was primarily behind the scenes. It wasn't until her husband's death in 2005 that she acquired her massive wealth and also gained control of Antofagasta, the Santiago-based mining company that her husband had started. She manages it with her sons, Guillermo, Jean-Paul, and Andronico. Under her management, Fontbona made the family business grow and reach new heights of success.

Fontbona and her family also control, through the publicly-traded company Quinenco, Banco de Chile, Madeco, a copper products manufacturer, the country's largest brewer, CCU, and a shipping company called CSAV. CSAV is one of the world's largest shipping companies. Iris also owns a pair of luxury hotel chains and a luxury resort in Croatia. She also acquired a 70% stake in the Chilean television station Canal 13. Her power in the station is largely indirect. In general, most major business decisions affecting any of the companies she has a management interest in need to be run by Fontbona, even if her sons primarily run the day-to-day affairs of the businesses.

In addition to her work in the business world, Iris is a philanthropist. In 2015, she donated a record $3.9 billion to the annual Chilean Telethon, which aims to help children with physical disabilities. She appeared on television for the telethon, which also takes place before a live audience. In 2016, she donated even more money—$5.5 million. This donation assisted in setting a record for the charity event in terms of overall funds raised.

Personal Life

After marrying Abaroa when she was 18, Iris became the stepmother to his five children born to him by his first wife, Patricia Lederer. The couple also had three children of their own. Fontbona spends time in three primary residences: one in Vitacura, Santiago, Chile, one in Belgravia in London, and one in Liechtenstein. She is a devout follower of the Roman Catholic faith. She generally keeps a low profile, though she does participate in the Chilean Telethon. She usually does not grant interviews.