Zimbabwe among other countries has managed to produce a number of individuals ranked as the richest in Zimbabwe and beyond despite the dilapidated economy.
Below is the list of Top Five Billionaires in Zimbabwe.
5. Billy Rautenbach
Net worth: $1.2 billion.
Billy is known as the Napoleon of Africa due to his business empire expanding to more than 12 countries on the continent. He is also a long time ally of Emmerson Mnangagwa, he is very close to senior politicians in Zimbabwe since the 1998 DRC war.
Billy Reutenback’s business ventures include car manufacturing, farming, mining and trucking. He was born in 1959 and took over the family business, Wheels of Africa, turning it into the largest trucking company in Africa.
Reutenback’s participation in the construction of the Green Fuel Chisumbanje plant is regarded as his biggest achievement – an eco-project that has created more jobs in Zimbabwe than any other in the last 20 years.
4. Michael Fowler
Net worth: $1.3 billion
Fowler is currently the brains between a new Gold mine, he co-founded Innscor Africa as a chicken shop in 1987.
Over time, they expanded their business into other foods and, later, the manufacture and sale of fast-moving and durable consumer goods in Zimbabwe and internationally.
In May 2016, an investigation into the Panama Papers revealed that both Fowler and Koudounaris had violated Zimbabwean law by transferring money from their salaries to offshore accounts in the British Virgin Islands.
3. Zed Koudounaris
Net worth: $1.5 billion
Zed, has served as Non-Executive Director of Innscor since 1996, which he co-founded with Michael Fowler.
In 2016, he and Fowler were discovered to have opened four companies in the British Virgin Islands and transferred money from their salaries to the firms in early 2015. Zed has interests in mining, farming, tourism and real estate.
2. Strive Masiyiwa
Net worth: $2.2 billion
Masiyiwa is the founder and executive chairman of Econet Wireless, a diversified telecommunications group. The company was set up 1993 and is now one of the largest business empires in the world. The only listed entity on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE).
He is considered one of Africa’s most generous humanitarians, using his wealth to provide scholarships to more than 100,000 young Africans over the past 20 years, as well as sponsoring students at universities in China, the UK and US.
1. Kudakwashe Tagwirei
Net worth $3.5 Billion
Foounder and director of Trek Petroleum, Sakunda Holdings, Puma Zimbabwe, he recently bought shares on the Great Dyke investments platinum projects through the landela mining venture following the departure of the Zimbabwe national army.
Tagwirei founded Sakunda in 2005. He has stakes in Puma Zimbabwe which acquired Sakunda Petroleum and Redan assets. CEO and Director at Sakunda Holdings Group and a businessman with vast interests in the energy sector, transport and mining.
It is widely believed that Tagwirei has strong ties to prominent politicians including Vice President Constantine Chiwenga, Joram Gumbo and John Mangudya.
Tagwirei is credited for mobilizing finance for government’s Command Agriculture in 2016. He recently acquired Trek Petroleum assets and leases them to the new brand owners.
