Beny Steinmetz

"Chairs Geneva-headquartered Steinmetz Diamond Group, which he inherited from his father. The company is De Beers' largest buyer of rough diamonds; as luxury sales contract, business faltering. His real estate holdings in Kazakhstan, Russia and eastern Europe down significantly as buyers dry up. Worth of mining assets, including privately held Cunico and publicly traded Katanga Mining, down 75% since last year. Remains opportunistic: won rights to world's largest undeveloped iron ore deposit in December, snagging it from Rio Tinto. The concession, situated in the turbulent West African nation of Guinea, could be worth $5 billion. With wife, oversees the Beny & Agnes Steinmetz Foundation, which donates to schools, hospitals, army units and the arts."

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