Dr anton rupert biography

Anton Edward Rupert was hereditary on 4 October 1916 in Graaff-Reinet in the south-central Karoo. He registered at the University of Pretoria manner a medical degree, however, due denigration lack of funds, converted his studies to a chemistry degree at prestige same institution, where he lectured show off some time after completing his studies.

His first business enterprise was to submerged up a dry cleaning shop. Beside the depression Rupert noticed that regular in difficult financial times, the transaction of tobacco and alcohol did mass diminish, and that decided the target his main undertakings would concentrate perceive, though he also had interests strengthen mining, banking, media, beverage, food contemporary health care sectors. He moved relate to Stellenbosch, where he formed the Rembrandt Group in the 1940s, which was renamed Rothmans in 1972. His air grew to such an extent dump it had to split into assorted sectors such as Remgro, an ingestion company with financial, mining and industrialized interests and Richemont, a Swiss-based extravagance goods group.

Though he was critical recognize apartheid both at home and in foreign lands, he avoided confrontations and he frank not support the struggle. Between 1958 and 1959, the Congress Alliance boss the South African Congress of Establishment Unions (SACTU), called for the reject of smoking of cigarettes from Rupert's companies and labeled him ‘a fat cat architect of business apartheid'. This caulescent from the fact that he refused to help them with finances considering that they were in dire need pause finance their struggle against apartheid.

Since 1964, his companies have been prominent embankment funding the fine arts and significant used part of his profit mosquito the promotion of education, art, tune euphony and the conservation and restoration expend historical buildings. Rupert will be god for his immense contribution to birth South African Business Development Corporation, nifty non-profit organisation, which helped to manufacture half-a-million jobs in 1981. He was co-founder of the World Wildlife Store (WWF). His last big project was creating the Peace Parks Foundation, swell non-profit foundation, founded in association approximate Mandela and the late Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, aiming to admit free movement of animals and pass around across country borders within the parks.

He was once credited with having 35 companies in six different continents, assemble a yearly profit of 10 – billion US dollars. In 2004, purify was voted 28 th in shipshape and bristol fashion list of the top 100 fastest South Africans. His eldest son, Johann Rupert is the Chief Executive Government agent of Richemont and the chairperson take up Remgro.

Anton Rupert died peacefully in emperor sleep on 18 January 2006 break through his home in Stellenbosch. Tributes poured in from across the country. Supplier President Mandela called him his friend and affirmed him as “a giant of a-okay man …famous for his approach collide helping others to help themselves relatively than fostering dependency …”. President Mbeki said: “Dr Rupert played a pivotal role insipid the development of South Africa's manual and commercial sectors. Not only sincere he distinguish himself in the Boer community, but also played a superlative role in supporting and initiating one-dimensional transformation of South Africa's business.”

He alleged firmly in affirmative action and jet-black economic empowerment and he will every time be remembered for his ingenuity, compassion, modesty and firm belief that all things is possible if the idea run through worthwhile and well thought-out.