Dan Gertler (born December 1973) is an Israeli billionaire businessman in natural resources and the founder and President of the DGI (Dan Gertler International) Group of Companies. He has diamond and copper mining interests in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and has invested in iron ore, gold, cobalt, oil, agriculture, and banking. As of 2015 his fortune was estimated at 1,26 billion by Forbes.
Gertler’s deals have been under scrutiny by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank since 2012. He has been described as controversial and says of himself, he should be awarded a Nobel Prize for his “work developing the Democratic Republic of the Congo”. The Panama papers revealed deals carried out through Mossack Fonseca shell companies, among his many offshore companies.
Early life and education
Dan Gertler was born in December 1973, a grandson of Moshe Schnitzer, first President and co-founder of the Israel Diamond Exchange in 1947, who won the Israel Prize in 2004. His family was traditionally involved in cutting and merchandising diamonds. While growing up, Gertler spent as much time as he could learning about the diamond trade from his father and grandfather. As soon as he had completed his 3-year mandatory service in the Israeli Defense Forces he opened his own diamond business.
Dan Gertler
REAL TIME NET WORTH — as of 5/11/17
$1.22 B
Israeli-born Dan Gertler built a fortune through mining ventures in Africa’s developing economies — primarily in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In February 2017, he sold his stakes in Congo’s Mutanda and Katanga mines to commodities giant Glencore in a $960 million deal; Gertler’s take is an estimated $534 million before taxes. His time in Congo has been dogged by accusations from NGOs that he snapped up mining assets on the cheap by cozying up to politicians. He vigorously denies the claims and has taken steps to show he’s a good faith actor. In 2013, his Gibraltar-based firm Fleurette joined the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and reconfirmed its commitment in early 2016. Gertler’s grandfather was the first president of the Israeli Diamond Exchange; Gertler sold off those diamond assets to fund purchases in copper, gold and oil mining. He bought his first mine in the DRC in 1997 and soon became friends with DRC President Joseph Kabila. Gertler plans to drill for oil in the DRC’s Lake Albert, where early seismic tests have revealed as many as 3 billion barrels of oil. He has also developed a 1,482-acre kibbutz-style farm in the DRC, designed as a model to help address food insecurity. His charitable foundation, also operating in the DRC, supports teenage women who become mothers after being raped, among other initiatives.
