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Isabel Dos SantosAngolan entrepreneur and investor, daughter of Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos
Country:
 Angola |
Content:
- Biography of Isabel dos Santos
- Early Life and Education
- Business Ventures
- Philanthropy and Recognition
- Controversy
Biography of Isabel dos Santos
Isabel dos Santos, an Angolan entrepreneur and investor, is the daughter of Angolan President José Eduardo dos Santos. According to Forbes magazine, Isabel is the richest and most influential woman in Africa, with a fortune estimated to exceed three billion dollars in 2013. However, there have been critics who question the transparency of the origins of the Santos' wealth.
Early Life and Education
Isabel dos Santos was born in 1973 in Baku, Azerbaijan SSR, to Angolan President José Eduardo dos Santos and his first wife, Tatiana Kukanova, a Russian. She studied electrical engineering at King's College, London, where she met her future husband, Sindika Dokolo, the son of a millionaire from Kinshasa, Congo. The couple got married in a lavish ceremony that cost four million dollars, with half of the 800 guests being relatives of Isabel and Sindika. They have three children together.
Business Ventures
In the early 1990s, Isabel returned to Luanda, Angola from London, where her father started working with a German processing company and later ventured into the transportation business. In 1997, Isabel decided to start her own business, opening the first nightclub and beach restaurant in Luanda called "Miami Beach Club." She also worked as an engineer-receiver for "Urbana 2000," a subsidiary of "Jembas Group," which won a contract for sanitation and disinfection works in Luanda.
Over the next twenty years, Isabel established several holding companies in Angola and abroad and made significant investments in prestigious enterprises, mostly in Portugal. She owns shares in the cement company "Nova Cimangola" and the media company "ZON Multimedia." She is also a board member of "Banco BIC Português" and holds a significant stake in "Banco Português de Investimento." Additionally, she is the main shareholder of "ZON" through "Unitel International Holdings BV."
Philanthropy and Recognition
Isabel dos Santos is actively involved in philanthropic work and serves as the president of the Angolan Red Cross. She is a devoted follower of the Roman Catholic Church. In December 2014, she was recognized as the "African Woman of the Year" by Togolese magazine. She has been praised for her entrepreneurial skills and business acumen by various publications, including the Financial Times, despite facing criticism for her wealth accumulation.
Controversy
There have been allegations regarding the origins of Isabel dos Santos' wealth. Critics claim that she amassed her fortune by acquiring shares in companies seeking business opportunities in Angola. Dos Santos has vehemently denied these claims, dismissing them as false. She has also faced criticism for her association with George Soros, whom some consider responsible for the collapse of the Bank of England.
Despite the controversies surrounding her, Isabel dos Santos continues to be a prominent figure in the business world and a major player in Angola's economy.
