Net Worth
$92B
Global Rank
#16
Source
Telecom
Country
Mexico
$How Carlos Slim Built Their Fortune
Carlos Slim Helu is the honorary chairman of America Movil and Grupo Carso, and one of the most successful businessmen in Latin American history. Born in Mexico City to Lebanese immigrant parents, Slim demonstrated extraordinary business acumen from childhood, buying shares in a Mexican bank at age 12. Through decades of shrewd investing, he built a vast business empire spanning telecommunications, banking, construction, mining, retail, and media that has made him the wealthiest person in Latin America.
Slim's most transformative business achievement was his acquisition and transformation of Telmex, Mexico's national telephone company, when it was privatized in 1990. He modernized the aging infrastructure, expanded service dramatically, and used Telmex as a platform to build America Movil, now the largest telecommunications company in Latin America with operations in 25 countries and over 300 million mobile subscribers. His ability to see value where others saw risk, particularly during economic crises, has been the hallmark of his investment philosophy.
Known for his disciplined value investing approach and remarkable capital allocation skills, Slim has often been compared to Warren Buffett. His conglomerate Grupo Carso encompasses interests in construction, real estate, retail, mining, and hospitality. Through the Carlos Slim Foundation, he has invested billions in education, healthcare, sports, and cultural programs across Mexico and Latin America, including the Soumaya Museum — a stunning architectural landmark in Mexico City housing his extensive art collection, offered free to the public.
vs$92B in Perspective
To put Carlos Slim's $92B fortune into context, here's what that wealth could buy:
Median U.S. household incomes
At $59,384/year
Median U.S. homes
At $420,000 each
Tesla Model 3s
At $38,990 each
Four-year college degrees
At $108,000 average
NFL franchises
At $4.7B average
Private islands
At $15,000,000 each
Key Wealth Milestones
1965
Founded Grupo Carso as an investment vehicle, beginning to acquire undervalued companies during periods of economic uncertainty in Mexico.
1990
Acquired Telmex when the Mexican government privatized it, securing the national telephone monopoly and the foundation for his telecommunications empire.
2000
Spun off America Movil from Telmex to focus on mobile telecommunications across Latin America, building it into the region's dominant carrier.
2009
Invested $250 million in The New York Times Company during the financial crisis, providing crucial support and earning a substantial return as the company recovered.
2011
Opened the Museo Soumaya, a spectacular free museum in Mexico City, donating his personal art collection and creating a cultural treasure for the people of Mexico.
Where Carlos Slim Ranks
Top 90% of the world's wealthiest · 167 tracked
Nearest by Rank
Richest People in Mexico
Carlos Slim on Wealth & Success
“When there is a crisis, that's when some are interested in getting out and that's when we are interested in getting in.”
“Courage taught me no matter how bad a crisis gets, any sound investment will eventually pay off.”
“I always say that the best investment is not in a company that is doing well, but in a company that will do well in the future.”
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AI-Generated Content — This profile was created using AI and publicly available sources. While we strive for accuracy, details may contain errors or be outdated. Quotes may be paraphrased or taken out of context. Achievements and figures are based on public reporting and may not be precise. This profile does not imply endorsement by the individual featured. Not financial advice.