Nicolas Berggruen Founder and President of private investment company 'Berggruen Holdings' Date of Birth: 10.08.1961 Country: USA

1. Founder and President of Berggruen Holdings
2. Family Background and Education
3. Business Success
4. Early Career
5. Values Investing
6. Passion for Architecture and Art
7. Nicolas Berggruen Institute
8. Philanthropy and Political Engagement

Founder and President of Berggruen Holdings

Nicholas Berggruen is the founder and president of Berggruen Holdings, a private investment company, as well as the leader of the Nicolas Berggruen Institute, a major political research center.

Family Background and Education

Born into a prominent Jewish family, Nicholas is the son of renowned art collector Heinz Berggruen, the creator of the Museum Berggruen in Berlin. He obtained his higher education at New York University, where he graduated with a degree in finance and international business.

Business Success

Nicholas quickly applied his acquired skills in the business world and found success. According to Forbes, in 2010, his companies were valued at a total of $2.2 billion. He accumulated the majority of his wealth through his operational activities. He established Berggruen Holdings, Inc. in 1984, which served as an investment advisor for a family fund. Since its inception, the company has conducted 50 significant operations. In the same year, he also created Alpha Investment Management, a hedge fund manager, which was later sold to Safra Bank.

Early Career

Before venturing into his own business, Nicholas worked as a real estate analyst for Bass Brothers Enterprises, a family investment group. He also spent some time at Jacobson and Co., Inc.

Values Investing

Nicholas currently employs a strategy he calls "values investing." He invests his funds in wind energy centers in Turkey, wheat fields in Australia, and the redevelopment of impoverished areas in major cities.

Passion for Architecture and Art

Aside from his business ventures, Nicholas has a strong interest in architecture. He spends a significant amount of time with renowned specialists in the field, such as Richard Meier, Shigeru Ban, and David Adjaye. He has always been drawn to art and makes an effort to familiarize himself with the works of contemporary artists. Nicholas serves on the boards of the Museum Berggruen, the Los Angeles County Museum, the International Councils of the Tate Museum in London, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Nicolas Berggruen Institute

Nicholas is also dedicated to his namesake institute, a powerful research organization that promotes active political and intellectual thinking.

Philanthropy and Political Engagement

In 2010, Nicholas took over the German retail chain "Karstadt" to save it from bankruptcy. He has also expressed interest in personally sponsoring and developing non-partisan committees for the reform of California's government and has promised to help the state overcome its ongoing financial crisis.