Carlos Slim

Carlos Slim is a man from Mexico.

He learned about money from his father. He even kept a book of all his business deals. He used math to help him make good choices.

Carlos owns many different kinds of businesses. He owns companies that make soft drinks and hotels. He also owns many stores.

Most of his money comes from phones. He owns companies that help people talk on phones. This helps him stay very rich.

He was once the richest person in the world.

Carlos works hard to help his country.

Carlos Slim is a very successful businessman from Mexico.

He learned about money from his father. His father taught him how to manage business and keep good records. Carlos even kept a personal book of every deal he made. He studied civil engineering at a university. He also used math to help him make smart choices in business.

Carlos owns a large group of companies called Grupo Carso. This group owns many different kinds of businesses. He owns companies for mining, hotels, and making soft drinks. He also owns stores and airlines. Much of his wealth comes from telecommunications. This is the field of phones and internet services. He owns América Móvil, which works in many countries. He also owns Telcel and Telmex.

In the 1980s, the Mexican economy had hard times. During this time, Carlos bought many companies for low prices. He used a simple plan. He would buy a business and keep it to make money. Later, he might sell it for a bigger profit. This helped him grow very large. He was once the richest person in the world.

Carlos Slim Helú is a famous businessman from Mexico.

He is known for being an investor and a philanthropist. For a few years, he was the richest person on Earth. From 2010 to 2013, Forbes magazine gave him that title. Today, he is still very wealthy. The Bloomberg Billionaires Index says he is the 18th-richest person in the world. He is also the richest person in Latin America.

His business works like a huge web of different companies. This large group is called Grupo Carso. It covers almost every part of the Mexican economy. He owns businesses for mining, energy, and even sports. He has companies for making clothes, food, and building things. His group also includes banks and hotels. This wide variety helps his business stay strong. If one industry has a hard time, others can still do well.

Slim learned how to manage money at a very young age. His father taught him how to read financial statements. He also learned how to keep very accurate records. Carlos even kept a personal ledger book for every deal. At age 11, he learned about compound interest through a savings bond. By age 12, he bought his first stock in a bank. He later studied civil engineering at a university in Mexico. He used math and engineering skills to make smart business choices.

His big rise happened during a difficult time for Mexico. In the 1980s, the Mexican economy struggled quite a bit. Many businesses were worth very little money during this time. Slim used a simple strategy to grow his wealth. He would buy companies when they were cheap. He would then keep them to earn steady cash. Sometimes, he would sell them later for a much higher price. This helped him buy many famous Mexican brands.

Most of his wealth comes from the world of telecommunications. This is the business of phones and the internet. He owns a company called América Móvil that works in many countries. He also owns Telmex, which provides internet and phone services. In Mexico, his company Telcel runs almost 80 percent of all cellphones. He even owned a large part of the New York Times Company once. His business reaches many people across the whole world.

Carlos Slim Helú is a prominent Mexican businessman, investor, and philanthropist.

He gained international fame for his immense wealth and corporate influence. From 2010 to 2013, Forbes magazine ranked him as the richest person in the world. His financial power is managed through a massive conglomerate known as Grupo Carso. This organization acts as a central hub for a vast network of companies. As of July 2025, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index ranked him as the 18th-richest person globally. His net worth reached approximately US$99.1 billion. This makes him the wealthiest individual in Latin America.

Slim's business empire is incredibly diverse, spanning almost every sector of the Mexican economy. His holdings include industries like mining, energy, and industrial manufacturing. He also has significant interests in transportation, real estate, and mass media. His reach extends to healthcare, education, and even professional sports. This variety is a deliberate strategy to ensure stability. If one industry faces a decline, others can provide support. This structure makes his conglomerate nearly recession-proof.

The core of his vast fortune is built upon the telecommunications industry. This sector involves the technology used for phone calls and internet access. Slim owns América Móvil, which operates across much of Latin America. He also owns Telmex, a major internet and landline provider in Mexico. For many years, Telmex held a virtual monopoly after being privatized. Additionally, his company Telcel manages nearly 80 percent of all cellphones in Mexico. These telecommunications assets provide massive, steady cash flows. These funds allow him to invest in even more businesses.

Slim's success began with a foundation of mathematical and financial discipline. He was born in Mexico City in 1940 to Lebanese parents. His father, Julián Slim Haddad, provided early lessons in business management. He taught Carlos how to interpret financial statements and maintain accurate records. Carlos even kept a personal ledger book for every transaction. At age 11, he learned about compound interest through a government savings bond. By age 12, he made his first stock investment in a bank. He later studied civil engineering at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. He used his expertise in linear programming to gain a competitive edge. This mathematical background helped him analyze prospective company acquisitions.

His rapid expansion occurred largely during the economic challenges of the 1980s. In 1982, the Mexican economy contracted sharply. Many banks struggled, and foreign investors began to withdraw their money. Slim used this downturn to his advantage by purchasing flagship companies at low valuations. He often bought businesses for "pennies on the dollar." His strategy involved acquiring companies for their steady cash flow. He would then reinvest that capital into new ventures. He also sought to sell certain stakes later for significant capital gains. This period saw him acquire brands like the hotel chain Bimex. He also bought interests in companies like Reynolds Aluminio and Nacobre.

In the 1990s, Slim capitalized on the privatization of Mexico's telecommunications industry. He partnered with France Télécom and Southwestern Bell to acquire Telmex from the government. This move proved to be one of his most profitable decisions. By 2006, Telmex controlled 90 percent of the telephone lines in Mexico. Following this success, Slim began looking toward international markets. In 1999, he started exploring investment opportunities in the United States. By 2003, he had purchased stakes in several major American retailers. These included Barnes & Noble, OfficeMax, and Office Depot. This expansion helped diversify his wealth beyond the Mexican borders.

Slim's influence also extends into the global financial and media landscapes. In 2016, he was the largest single shareholder of non-voting shares in the New York Times Company. He later sold half of those shares in 2017. His financial group, Grupo Financiero Inbursa, manages pension plans and insurance for millions. This group was formed from several different companies he acquired, including Seguros de México. The value of his stake in Seguros grew from US$13 million to US$1.5 billion by 2007. Today, his companies account for 40 percent of all listings on the Mexican Stock Exchange. His career demonstrates how mathematical precision and strategic timing can build a global empire.