Latin America is now home to some of the richest people in the world, emerging from a wide range of backgrounds. From self-made entrepreneurs, heirs, and magnates that have transformed local industry, the region’s economic landscape has changed forever through many of their business ventures. Meet the richest people in Latin America.
The richest people in Latin America
8. David Velez (Colombia), Net Worth $10.78B
At 43 years old, David Velez is one of the youngest members of our list. Born in Medellín in 1981, the co-founder and CEO of Nubank has revolutionized banking in Latin America, as the purple bank has become one of the largest in the region.
7. Jaime Gilinski (Colombia), Net Worth $11.2B
Gilinski is Colombia’s top investor, banker, and real estate developer. Currently, he is leading the Nutresa group, and is looking to expand the food conglomerate into markets like the Middle East. Gilinski, 67, was the driving force behind the privatization deal in the 90s that concluded with the creation of Bancolombia, one of Colombia’s main banks.
6. Jorge Paulo Lemann (Brazil), Net Worth $16.35B
“Estude, fique cercado de gente boa, corra riscos. O Brasil precisa de gente querendo fazer acontecer.” Jorge Paulo Lemann, que hoje faz 81 anos. pic.twitter.com/XksSUUzDLV
— Ricardo Amorim (@Ricamconsult) August 26, 2020
85-year-old Lemann is one of the oldest billionaires on the list. He is a legendary Brazilian investor and a founding partner of 3G Capital, a private investment firm. 3G Capital’s portfolio includes Burger King, Heinz, and Kraft Foods. His fortune primarily comes from his work in the beverage industry through Ambev and Inbev, two major brewing companies.
5. Iris Fontbona (Chile), the wealthiest woman in Latin America
Chilean Iris Fontbona is the wealthiest woman in Latin America. Her net worth is approximately $25.8 billion. The 80-year-old mining magnate and media proprietor inherited her wealth after the death of her husband, Adronico Luksic Abarao, in 2005. She has overseen a diversified business empire for almost 20 years.
3. German Larrea (Mexico), Net Worth $27.8B
No da entrevistas.
No aparece en medios.
Pero controla minas, trenes, cines… y mueve miles de millones cada año.
Es el segundo hombre más poderoso de México, según Forbes 2025. 💼💰
Esta es la historia de Germán Larrea. 👤 pic.twitter.com/tak9hnOv6H
— FinanzasMx 🇲🇽 (@FinanzasMx_) July 31, 2025
71-year-old German Larrea is the CEO of Grupo México, one of the country’s largest mining and infrastructure companies. During his tenure as CEO, Grupo Mexico has become a juggernaut in copper mining and is crucial for Mexico’s industrial complex. His fortune largely stems from his mining management and investments in infrastructure.
2. Eduardo Saverin (Brazil), Net Worth $30B
Saverin, 43, is a Facebook co-founder and has made headlines for his early investments into the social media company. He now leads venture capitalist group B Capital Group, investing in startups in Southeast Asia and India, two emerging markets.
1. Carlos Slim (Mexico), Net Worth $80.57B
85-year-old Carlos Slim is Latin America’s wealthiest person. The self-made magnate transformed Mexico’s telecommunications infrastructure, acquiring Telmex during Mexico’s key privatization period, and expanding into mobile networking with America Movil. He has also diversified his investments beyond telecom, as he also owns Grupo Carso, which spans construction, retail, and real estate. He is known for buying devalued assets during economic crises and flipping them into valuable properties and IPs.