Carlos Slik (Carlos Slim Helu) – Mexico’s Richest Man Life, Net worth, and Bio

Carlos Slik Aka Carlos Slim Helu

Carlos Slim Helu (Carlos Slik) is a billionaire Mexican businessman, socialite, and Investor. The Forbes business magazine named Carlos Slim the world’s richest person from 2010 to 2013. His fortune stemmed from his extensive holdings in many Mexican corporations through his multinational enterprise, Grupo Carso.

Carlos Slim Helu, Biography

Carlos Slik (Carlos Slim Helu) Age & Bio

Carlos Slik Helú was born in Mexico City on January 28, 1940. His parents were immigrants from Lebanon. When he was 14, his family relocated to Mexico. Carlos Slik is the fifth of his six siblings. His Father’s name is Khalil Salim Haddad Aglamaz. His Father was born on July 17, 1888, in Jezzine, Lebanon (then part of the Ottoman Empire). Haddad moved to Mexico alone at 14 in 1902, changing his identity to Julián Slim Haddad. During the Mexican Revolution of 1910-20, his Father amassed a fortune in real estate. His Father was a well-educated and wealthy man who wanted to see his children succeed, so he taught them the rules of earning and spending money from the start. Carlos Slim followed his Father’s advice and now stands where he deserved to be. Carlos Slim and his family own América Móvil, Latin America’s largest mobile telecom company. 

Carlos Slik and foreign telecom partners invested in Telmex, Mexico’s only mobile operator, in 1990. América Móvil has bought Telmex. In addition, he owns 17% of The New York Times and has assets in Mexican construction, consumer products, mining, and real estate. Fernando Romero, Carlos Slim’s son-in-law, founded the Soumaya Museum in Mexico City, which houses Slim’s vast art collection. Slik and his family own 79% of Grupo Carso, one of Latin America’s largest companies, and thus account for more than 8% of his income. He has assets in nearly every area of the Mexican economy, including telecoms, restaurants, tobacco manufacturing, hotels, and the construction industry. He also owns the largest mobile phone firm in Mexico (Telcel).

Carlos Slim Education

Carlos Slim earned a degree in civil engineering from Mexico’s National Autonomous University in the mid-1960s. He had a strong desire to start his own business. He was investing in and founding various companies that became Grupo Carso’s foundation. He became a millionaire after the 1982 economic meltdown when the Mexican government began nationalizing banks and driving away commercial investors after defaulting on international obligations due to a devalued peso.

Business Career of Carlos Slik

Carlos Slik began his commercial career as a stock trader in Mexico. After graduating from university in 1961, He frequently worked 14-hour days. Slik’s revenues from private investments totaled US$400,000 in 1965. This allowed him to establish the stock brokerage firm Inversora Bursátil. Later, He also purchased Jarritos del Sur, a Mexican bottling and soft drink firm. He owned the real estate brokerage and holding business Inmuebles Carso in 1966 with a net worth of USD 40 million. He grew his business activities in 1980 by establishing Grupo Galas. Grupo Galas are the parent company of a conglomerate. Its operations are in industrial production, building, mining, retail, food, and tobacco. 

Carlos Slim’s Business Growth Period

During Mexico’s economic collapse and before its recovery in 1985, Slik made significant investments by buying several well-known Mexican businesses for pennies on the dollar. He bought out all or a substantial portion of several Mexican companies. It includes Empresas Frisco, a mining concessionary and chemical manufacturer; Industrias Nacobre, a copper manufacturer; Reynolds Aluminio, a Mexican aluminum concern; Compaa Hulera Euzkadi (Mexico’s largest tire maker). And Bimex Hotels, a hotel chain. He also acquired a controlling stake in Sanborn Hermanos, a well-known Mexican food outlet, gift shop, and restaurant chain. In 1984, Slik invested US$13 million to purchase the Mexican insurance provider Seguros de México, which he eventually merged with Seguros Inbursa. After four spinoffs, his investment in Seguros eventually became worth US$1.5 billion by 2007. 

In 1999, Carlos Slim expanded his commercial operations outside of Latin America. However, most of his interests remained in Mexico. Carlos began looking for international investments in the United States. Slim’s most commercial development outside of Mexico was motivated by a running joke in Mexican business circles: “there was nothing left to purchase in Mexico.” Slim has worked in sports broadcasting outside of Mexico to larger markets such as the United States. América Móvil secured the Latin American broadcast rights to the Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014 and Brazil in 2016.

Carlos Slim’s Family & Personal Life 

Carlos Slim now resides in Mexico. He credits much of his life’s achievements to his wife, who has always been there for him. They had been married since 1966, and he titled his company “CARSO” by combining his and Soumaya’s initials. After she died in 1999, Carlos established “Museo Soumaya,” Latin America’s largest art museum, in her honor. Carlos, Marco Antonio, Patrick, Soumaya, Vanessa, and Johanna are Slim’s six children. His three oldest sons hold a vital role in Slim’s companies, with most of them engaged in the day-to-day operations of Slim’s business empire. Slim had cardiac surgery in 1999. Slim’s favorite subjects in high school were history, cosmography, and mathematics. Carlos and his wife went through a very successful marriage once he stated that he would not remarry. Carlos Slik doesn’t have a computer in his office, so he retains all his financial records in handwritten notes. According to reports, Slim had a COVID-19 attack on January 25, 2021.  

Carlos Slim’s Net worth

His success came from his enormous ownership of many Mexican corporations through his conglomerate, Grupo Carso. With a net worth of $78 billion as of June 2022, he was ranked 12th in the world by Bloomberg Billionaires Index, making him the wealthiest person in Latin America. On March 10, 2010, Forbes announced that Carlos Slim had surpassed Bill Gates as the world’s wealthiest billionaire, with a net worth of $53.5 billion. Although his net wealth is comparable to around 6% of Mexico’s GDP.

Fundación Carlos Slim ha beneficiado a millones de personas de todas las edades elevando su calidad de vida.

Carlos Slim Foundation has benefited millions of people of all ages by raising their quality of life.

At The End

Carlos Slik is a well-known name in business history. He started several enterprises at a young age. Carlos decided to keep hardworking and wisely follow his dad’s legacy and become the number one businessman. He is a true inspiration to young people who believe they can’t achieve anything. You will reach your objectives if you work hard.

Some Facts about Mexico’s Richest Man Carlos Slim/Slik

1. Carlos Slik is the first man from a developing country to be named “World’s Richest.”
2. Carlos Slim was born into a Lebanese family. 
3. He’s well-known for being frugal. 
4. Slim is known as “Mr. Monopoly” in Mexico.
5. He is an investor and famous philanthropist.
6. He has received several awards throughout his career.
7. She works out 2-3 hours daily and six days a week.
8. Carlos Slim is a serious art collector.
9. He is a baseball lover.

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