Esther Koplowitz

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Esther Koplowitz (2008)

Esther Koplowitz , full name Esther María Koplowitz y Romero de Juseu, Marquesa de Casa Peñalver , (born August 10, 1950 in Madrid ) is a Spanish businesswoman. She is still significantly involved in the Spanish construction company Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas (FCC) and is considered one of the richest women in Spain.

Life

She is the daughter of Ernst (Ernesto) Koplowitz , a German Jew born in Gleiwitz , Upper Silesia , in 1908 , and Esther Romero de Juseu y Armenteros , daughter of the Marquesa de Casa Peñalver, who married in 1946. She has a younger sister named Alicia.

After extensive travels, Ernst Koplowitz settled in Spain in the early 1930s , where he got a position at AEG . Before the Spanish Civil War, he evaded to France , but went back to Spain before the German invasion in World War II , where he was at least safe from Nazi persecution. In 1952 he bought a small construction company called Construcciones y Reparaciones , which he renamed Construcciones y Contratas (Cycsa) .

Esther and Alicia attended the French high school in Madrid (Liceo Francés de Madrid). Her father died in a riding accident in 1962, and her mother died six years later. A family friend, Ramón Areces, founder of the El Corte Inglés department store chain , continued the construction company.

Esther married Alberto Alcocer in 1969, six months later her sister Alicia married his cousin Alberto Cortina. The cousins, known as los Albertos , joined the company, which they took over in 1972, while Ramón Areces retired to the position of president. The company grew considerably. In 1987 Ramón Areces left the company because of disagreements with the Albertos , which in turn had to leave the company at the end of the 80s. Both sisters filed for divorce shortly thereafter. From her marriage to Alberto Alcocer, Esther Koplowitz has three children named Esther, Alicia and Carmen Alcocer Koplowitz.

Esther and Alicia Koplowitz initially ran the company together after the divorces. In 1998 they separated, however, Esther bought her sister's share. A few months later, it sold 49% of FCC to Vivendi (which later became Veolia ).

In 2003 she married Fernando Falcó, Marqués de Cubas. The marriage was divorced in 2009.

Her father's small company had meanwhile become the globally active company Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas (FCC), one of the largest construction groups in Europe with around 92,000 employees and an annual turnover of 12.7 billion euros in 2009. However, it participates She has not been directly involved in the management for a long time, but instead defends her interests through her position as Vice President of the Board of Directors.

After the Spanish financial and economic crisis, FCC implemented programs to reduce costs and debt in 2013 and 2014. In 2013, Microsoft founder Bill Gates acquired 6% of the shares. Even George Soros participated in the end of 2013 with a 3% stake in the company. In December 2014, Carlos Slim Helú acquired 25.6% of the shares as part of a capital increase. Their share has since fallen to around 20%.

Her daughter Esther Alcocer Koplowitz is president of the 15-person board of directors (Consejo de Administración). Her two other daughters Alicia and Carmen Alcocer Koplowitz are also on the Board of Directors. Carlos Slim and persons delegated by him have 7 seats. Another 4 seats are taken by Pablo Colio Abril, the Consejero delegado (CEO) and 3 persons who are independent according to the statutes.

With her Fundación Esther Koplowitz, Esther Koplowitz is involved in a wide variety of social projects, awards grants to students and runs retirement homes in Madrid, among others.

Awards

Esther Koplowitz has received numerous awards, including

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Antonio Luque García: Grandezas de España y títulos nobiliarios. Manual de procedimientos administrativos: Tramitación, legislación y jurisprudencia . Ministerio de Justicia, Madrid 2005, ISBN 84-7787-825-0 ( limited preview in Google book search).
  2. ↑ Koplowitz Romero de Joseu, Esther María (1950-VVVV) on mcnbiografias.com
  3. ↑ Esther Koplowitz on forbes.com
  4. ↑ Las proezas empresariales y sentimentales de Ernst Koplowitz. Article in El Mundo of February 10, 2013
  5. ↑ On the title of nobility cf. Marquesado de Casa Peñalver
  6. ↑ Luis Español: Alumnos ilustres del Liceo Francés.
  7. ↑ Stefanie Müller: Esther and Alicia Koplowitz. The determined sisters. Article of July 20, 2007 in the Handelsblatt
  8. ↑ In 2004 she bought the share back: 2004 results 3rd quarter
  9. ^ Esther Koplowitz se casa con el marqués de Cubas. Article of June 19, 2003 in El Mundo
  10. ↑ On the title of nobility cf. Marquesado de Cubas
  11. ↑ Bill Gates joins FCC. n-tv , October 22, 2013, accessed October 22, 2013 .
  12. ^ El financiero George Soros sigue los pasos de Bill Gates y entra en FCC on LaVanguardia.com
  13. ^ Carlos Slim buys Spanish real estate on the cheap. Article dated March 5, 2015 on Reuters.com
  14. ↑ Bylaws of the FCC from June 28, 2016 (Spanish)
  15. ^ Board of Directors
  16. ↑ Stefanie Müller: The many facets of Esther K. Article from August 8, 2008 in the Handelsblatt, viewed on September 11, 2011
  17. ^ Esther Koplowitz distinguée de la Légion d'Honneur
personal data
SURNAME Koplowitz, Esther
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Koplowitz y Romero de Juseu, Esther Maria; Marquesa de Casa Peñalver
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Spanish entrepreneur
DATE OF BIRTH August 10, 1950
PLACE OF BIRTH Madrid