Alicia Koplowitz, marquise of Bellavista
Encyclopedia
Doña Alicia Koplowitz y Romero de Juseu, 7th Marquise of Bellavista, is a Spanish
business magnate
. She is former chairwoman of the construction group Dragados (now part of Grupo ACS
), ranking Spain's richest woman in Forbes
World's Richest People list (512 in the world).
Alicia was born in Madrid
(Spain) in 1952, second daughter (after Esther, born in 1950) of Ernesto Koplowitz Sternberg, a Jewish businessman from Upper Silesia
(Poland
) who settled down in Spain to escape the increasing German
Nazi persecution in the early-1930s, and Esther Romero de Juseu y Armenteros, a Cuba
n aristocrat
.
Her father died in 1962 and after finishing her studies at the Lycée Français of Madrid she and her sister Esther, helped by Ramón Areces
, took the reins of Construcciones y Contratas (Conycon), the company their father had founded. Alicia's sister Esther married Alberto Alcocer
in 1969 and Alicia herself married Alberto Alcocer's cousin Alberto Cortina
six months later. "The Albertos", as they were known, made the firm grow spectacularly from 1973 onwards.
Both marriages broke up by the beginning of the 1990s after Alberto Cortina (Alicia's husband) and Marta Chávarri (then wife of Fernando Falcó, who would later marry Esther) were photographed
together in Vienna
in 1989.
Alicia subsequently sold her 28,26% stake of the firm (now Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas
) to her sister Esther for 871 million euro.
Since then Alicia has actively diversified her investments, mainly through blue chip companies in the stock exchange
, oil
and real estate
, advised by Oscar Fanjul (a former president of Repsol). She has an estimated fortune of 3,000 million euro.
She has created two foundations: Fundación Vida y Esperanza (in 1994), that helps patients with multiple sclerosis
, and Fundación Alicia Koplovitz, (created in 2003) that includes the other one and gives scholarships for phycisians specialising in children's psychiatry
. In May 2003 she was awarded the Gran Cruz de la Orden del Mérito Civil. She's also an art collector, her favourite pieces are by Goya, Picasso, Modigliani
and Barceló
.
Alicia has three sons with Alberto Cortina (Alberto, Pedro and Pelayo). The elder one is the present Marquis of Real Socorro, a title Alicia relinquished to him. She currently lives in a mansion in La Moraleja (Madrid).
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
business magnate
Business magnate
A business magnate, sometimes referred to as a capitalist, czar, mogul, tycoon, baron, oligarch, or industrialist, is an informal term used to refer to an entrepreneur who has reached prominence and derived a notable amount of wealth from a particular industry .-Etymology:The word magnate itself...
. She is former chairwoman of the construction group Dragados (now part of Grupo ACS
Grupo ACS
Actividades de Construcción y Servicios, S.A. is a Spanish company dedicated to civil and engineering construction, all types services and telecommunications. It is one of the leading construction companies in the world, with projects in many countries around the world...
), ranking Spain's richest woman in Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
World's Richest People list (512 in the world).
Alicia was born in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
(Spain) in 1952, second daughter (after Esther, born in 1950) of Ernesto Koplowitz Sternberg, a Jewish businessman from Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia. Since the 9th century, Upper Silesia has been part of Greater Moravia, the Duchy of Bohemia, the Piast Kingdom of Poland, again of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown and the Holy Roman Empire, as well as of...
(Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
) who settled down in Spain to escape the increasing German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Nazi persecution in the early-1930s, and Esther Romero de Juseu y Armenteros, a Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n aristocrat
Aristocracy (class)
The aristocracy are people considered to be in the highest social class in a society which has or once had a political system of Aristocracy. Aristocrats possess hereditary titles granted by a monarch, which once granted them feudal or legal privileges, or deriving, as in Ancient Greece and India,...
.
Her father died in 1962 and after finishing her studies at the Lycée Français of Madrid she and her sister Esther, helped by Ramón Areces
Ramón Areces
Ramón Areces Rodríguez. Born in La Mata, Asturias , in 1904. Died in Madrid , in 1989.At fifteen, Areces emigrated to Havana, Cuba. There he learned the basics of the business working at EL ENCANTO Department Store. He later traveled through the United States and Canada, before returning to Spain...
, took the reins of Construcciones y Contratas (Conycon), the company their father had founded. Alicia's sister Esther married Alberto Alcocer
Alberto Alcocer
Alberto Alcocer Torra is a Spanish businessman. Owner -together with his cousin Alberto Cortina- of Alcor Holding, a patrimonial society owner of 12,5 % of Grupo ACS, the major Spanish construction company, and of 21 % of the wastebasket company, Ence...
in 1969 and Alicia herself married Alberto Alcocer's cousin Alberto Cortina
Alberto Cortina
Alberto Cortina is a Spanish businessman. Owner -together with his cousin Alberto Alcocer- of Alcor Holding, a patrimonial society owner of 12,5 % of Grupo ACS, the major Spanish construction company, and of 21 % of the wastebasket company, Ence.- Biography :Cortina studied Law in the Universidad...
six months later. "The Albertos", as they were known, made the firm grow spectacularly from 1973 onwards.
Both marriages broke up by the beginning of the 1990s after Alberto Cortina (Alicia's husband) and Marta Chávarri (then wife of Fernando Falcó, who would later marry Esther) were photographed
Paparazzi
Paparazzi is an Italian term used to refer to photojournalists who specialize in candid photography of celebrities, politicians, and other prominent people...
together in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
in 1989.
Alicia subsequently sold her 28,26% stake of the firm (now Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas
Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas
Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas is a leading Spanish construction company based in Barcelona. It is publicly traded and is part of the IBEX 35.Over 50% of the shares are owned by a company controlled by Esther Koplowitz and others.-History:...
) to her sister Esther for 871 million euro.
Since then Alicia has actively diversified her investments, mainly through blue chip companies in the stock exchange
Stock exchange
A stock exchange is an entity that provides services for stock brokers and traders to trade stocks, bonds, and other securities. Stock exchanges also provide facilities for issue and redemption of securities and other financial instruments, and capital events including the payment of income and...
, oil
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
and real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
, advised by Oscar Fanjul (a former president of Repsol). She has an estimated fortune of 3,000 million euro.
She has created two foundations: Fundación Vida y Esperanza (in 1994), that helps patients with multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
, and Fundación Alicia Koplovitz, (created in 2003) that includes the other one and gives scholarships for phycisians specialising in children's psychiatry
Psychiatry
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the study and treatment of mental disorders. These mental disorders include various affective, behavioural, cognitive and perceptual abnormalities...
. In May 2003 she was awarded the Gran Cruz de la Orden del Mérito Civil. She's also an art collector, her favourite pieces are by Goya, Picasso, Modigliani
Amedeo Modigliani
Amedeo Clemente Modigliani was an Italian painter and sculptor who worked mainly in France. Primarily a figurative artist, he became known for paintings and sculptures in a modern style characterized by mask-like faces and elongation of form...
and Barceló
Miquel Barcelo
Miquel Barceló is a Spanish painter from Felanitx, Majorca.-Career:After having studied at the Arts and Crafts School of Palma for two years, he enrolled at the Fine Arts School of Barcelona in 1974. A year later he returned to Mallorca to participate in the happenings and actions of protest of...
.
Alicia has three sons with Alberto Cortina (Alberto, Pedro and Pelayo). The elder one is the present Marquis of Real Socorro, a title Alicia relinquished to him. She currently lives in a mansion in La Moraleja (Madrid).