Carlos Slim Helú

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Carlos Slim Helú

Age: 69
Residence: Mexico City
What keeps him busy: Chairman of Grupo Carso Global Telecom, America Telecom, Teléfonos de México, Grupo Financiero Ibursa, Grupo Carso, and Telcel; Chairman Emeritus of America Movil; Co-Chairman of Impulsora del Delsarrollo Econ, Member of Chairman's Council of Alcatel-Lucent

With a fortune estimated at $35 billion, Slim is Mexico's richest man and one of the wealthiest in the world. AsBusinessWeek reported in 2007: "Slim is the most visible of Mexico's monopolists, controlling more than 70% of the country's wireless telephones and 90% of landlines" through his control of the national carrier, Telmex (TII), as well as through Telcel and América Móvil companies. Like another savvy senior, Warren Buffett, Slim showed an early aptitude for business. Also like Buffett, he is a confirmed value investor known for his relatively modest lifestyle. Today his sons run his various companies, but he remains an Honorary Life Chairman. In late 2008 Slim took a 6.4% stake in the New York Times Co.