
South Africa’s richest man Johann Rupert loses $1.1 billion, net worth drops below $16 billion
Since the start of March, Richemont’s shares have dropped more than 11 percent, bringing the value of his stake down from $12.5 billion to $11.5 billion.
Since the start of March, Richemont’s shares have dropped more than 11 percent, bringing the value of his stake down from $12.5 billion to $11.5 billion.
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This follows a strong start to the year, when his net worth surged by $3.32 billion, rising from $13.7 billion to $17 billion by early March.
This reinforces Fairtree’s commitment to investing in high-quality South African businesses while expanding its footprint in the country’s equity market.
Revenue climbed to $730 million, while profit surged to $63 million, reflecting strong execution across key segments.
With February’s gains, Rupert’s year-to-date increase now stands at $3.19 billion, making him the only African billionaire to have gained more than $3 billion so far in 2025.
The drop followed a wave of profit-taking by investors, which pushed down the share price of Richemont, where Rupert holds a significant stake.
Rupert owns a 10.18 percent equity stake in Richemont and controls 51 percent of its voting rights through 6.26 million “A” shares and 522 million “B” shares.
From luxury goods to mining and fintech, they shape economic trends and investment flows across Africa and beyond.
The $2.67 billion increase in January alone far exceeds the $1.3 billion he added throughout 2024.
PIC lowers voting rights in Reinet to 14.956%, reflecting strategic portfolio adjustments post-Reinet's $1.5 billion BAT divestment.
Its portfolio includes stakes in Pension Insurance Corporation Group Limited, British American Tobacco (BAT), and other diversified assets.
Forbes' real-time billionaire rankings still list Rupert as Africa’s richest person, with a net worth of $13.1 billion.
The boost in Johann Rupert's wealth is tied to the performance of Richemont, the Swiss-based luxury conglomerate he chairs.
Richemont posts $16.7 billion nine-month sales, driven by record-breaking Q3 and resilience despite challenges, with Japan leading 25% regional growth.