Today in history: Anthony Edward Rupert is born
His first business enterprise was to set up a dry-cleaning shop. Later, he decided to concentrate on the sale of tobacco and alcohol.
Anthony Edward Rupert was a South African billionaire businessman, philanthropist and conservationist.
He was born in the small town of Graaff-Reinet in the Eastern Cape on 4 October 1916, and grew up there.
He enrolled at the University of Pretoria for a medical degree; however, due to lack of funds, he converted his studies to a chemistry degree.
His first business enterprise was to set up a dry-cleaning shop. Later, he decided to concentrate on the sale of tobacco and alcohol.
He also had interests in the mining, banking, media, beverage, food and healthcare sectors and later moved to Stellenbosch, where he formed the Rembrandt Group in the 1940s. In 1972, the group was renamed ‘Rothmans’.
Since 1964, his companies have been prominent in funding the fine arts and he used part of his profits in the promotion of education, art, music and the conservation and restoration of historical buildings.
He was once credited with having 35 companies on six different continents, with a yearly profit of US$10 billion.
In 2004, he was voted 28th in a list of the Top 100 greatest South Africans.
His eldest son, Johann Rupert, is the Chief Executive Officer of Richemont and the chairperson of Remgro.
Anton Rupert died peacefully in his sleep on 18 January 2006 in his home in Stellenbosch. Tributes poured in from across the country.
Information sourced from: South African History Online.
