Polish billionaire shows interest in Ethiopia
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia -Â Poland’s richest man, Jan Kulczyk (Ph.D.), founder and owner of Kulczyk Holding SA (headquartered in Warsaw) and international investment house, Kulczyk Investments with headquarters in Luxembourg and offices in London, Kiev and Dubai, came to Ethiopia this week and met with Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn and officials from the African Union.
With an estimated net worth of USD 3.9 billion, he was ranked 402 on the World’s Billionaire list by Forbes. His arrival makes him the third billionaire after Sheik Mohammmed Al-Amoudi (USD 15.4 billion) and Aliko Dangote (USD 25 billion) to show business interests in Ethiopia. He has a diversified portfolio of investments and currently over half of Kulczyk’s investments are tied up in beer maker SABMiller. Apart from that, Kulczyk Investments holds a 40 percent stake in Neconde Energy Limited, a consortium that acquired an oil production license in Nigeria.
Kulczyk Investments has an international advisory board comprising Horst Köhler, former President of Germany (2004-2009), former Chairman of International Monetary Fund and General Director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Aleksander Kwaśniewski, former President of Poland (1995-2005) and James L. Jones, a retired US Marine Corps General, former US National Security Advisor and former NATO Supreme Allied Commander.
The company focuses on opportunities in global emerging markets with four strategic sectors namely mineral resources, energy, infrastructure and real estate.
Currently, Kulczyk is looking to expand his investment portfolio in Africa and, apart from Ethiopia, Kulczyk had plans to invest in the newly-formed country, South Sudan, The Reporter learnt, however, Ethiopia turned out to be his pick. Read more
