The richest man of Brazil, Lebanese-Brazilian billionaire banking tycoon Joseph Safra passed away on Thursday at the age of 82.
Safra was born in Beirut in 1938 to a Jewish-Lebanese family with a rich history in banking that dates back to the times of the Ottoman Empire.
In 1952, he and his family moved to Brazil, where his father set the foundations of what would become one of Brazil’s largest financial institutions, Banco Safra.
Safra was regarded as “the richest banker in the world” by Forbes magazine, which estimates that his net worth at the time of death was $23.2 billion.
The billionaire banker ran the Brazilian banking and investment empire Safra Group, an international network of companies controlled by the Safra family.
It comprises banking and financial institutions, industrial operations, real estate, and agri-businesses, and is present in the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, Asia, and the Caribbean.
He was the Chairman of all Safra companies, which include Safra National Bank of New York, and Banco Safra headquartered in São Paulo, Brazil.
His sons are also involved in the banking business.
It’s safe to say his ancestors would be proud that he kept the family legacy.
He is survived by his wife, four children, and 14 grandchildren. He passed away from natural causes.
For more about his exceptional journey, read: Meet The Lebanese-Brazilian Billionaire And Richest Banker In The World.