Nicky Oppenheimer
Encyclopedia
Nicholas "Nicky" F. Oppenheimer (born 8 June 1945) is a South Africa
n businessman, the chairman of the De Beers
diamond
mining company and its subsidiary, the Diamond Trading Company
. He also has a large financial interest in the diversified mining
company Anglo American
. In November 2011 the Oppenheimer family sold the entirety of their 40% stake in De Beers to Anglo American. He and his family control the Tswalu game reserve
in the Kalahari, set up by his friend Stephen Boler
.
, and grandson of Ernest Oppenheimer
, the first generation of the family to chair (from 1929) the De Beers
diamond mining company in South Africa
, founded by Cecil John Rhodes
in 1888. He is of German Jewish
descent on his father's side.
He was educated in England
at Harrow School
and Christ Church
, Oxford
where he graduated with a degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
, and later took the Oxford MA
.
Forbes
"World's Richest People" List of billionaires (2008) estimated his net worth
at £2.8 billion in 2008.
In 1968 he married Orcillia "Strilli" Lasch, daughter of industrial tycoon Helli Lasch. He lives mainly in Johannesburg
on the Brenthurst Gardens
estate. He and his wife are members of the St George's Anglican Church, Parktown, Johannesburg. The Brenthurst Garden is affiliated to The Quiet Garden Trust, a Christian organisation providing places for prayer, silence and reflection. He also has a country estate in England, Waltham Place (with gardens open to the public and an associated organic Farm), at White Waltham
in Berkshire
.
to commute within the one square mile of the city by helicopter.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n businessman, the chairman of the De Beers
De Beers
De Beers is a family of companies that dominate the diamond, diamond mining, diamond trading and industrial diamond manufacturing sectors. De Beers is active in every category of industrial diamond mining: open-pit, underground, large-scale alluvial, coastal and deep sea...
diamond
Diamond
In mineralogy, diamond is an allotrope of carbon, where the carbon atoms are arranged in a variation of the face-centered cubic crystal structure called a diamond lattice. Diamond is less stable than graphite, but the conversion rate from diamond to graphite is negligible at ambient conditions...
mining company and its subsidiary, the Diamond Trading Company
Diamond Trading Company
The Diamond Trading Company is the rough diamond sales and distribution arm of the De Beers Family of Companies. The DTC sorts, values and sells approximately 75% of the world’s rough diamonds by value...
. He also has a large financial interest in the diversified mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
company Anglo American
Anglo American (mining)
Anglo American plc is a global mining company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is a major producer of diamonds, copper, nickel, iron ore and metallurgical and thermal coal and the world's largest producer of platinum, with around 40% of world output...
. In November 2011 the Oppenheimer family sold the entirety of their 40% stake in De Beers to Anglo American. He and his family control the Tswalu game reserve
Game reserve
A game reserve is an area of land set aside for maintenance of wildlife for tourism or hunting purposes. Many game reserves are located in Africa. Most are open to the public, and tourists commonly take sightseeing safaris or hunt wild game....
in the Kalahari, set up by his friend Stephen Boler
Stephen Boler
Stephen Boler was a British entrepreneur who founded a business dynasty and in later life became a conservationist in South Africa.Boler started as a 16 year old trainee at the multinational Unilever. He made his first fortune in the 1970s, selling cut-price tyre and exhaust systems together with...
.
Early life
Nicholas is the son of Bridget (née McCall) and Harry OppenheimerHarry Oppenheimer
Harry Frederick Oppenheimer was a prominent South African businessman and one of the world's richest men...
, and grandson of Ernest Oppenheimer
Ernest Oppenheimer
Sir Ernest Oppenheimer was a diamond and gold mining entrepreneur, financier and philanthropist, who controlled De Beers and founded the Anglo American Corporation of South Africa.-Career:...
, the first generation of the family to chair (from 1929) the De Beers
De Beers
De Beers is a family of companies that dominate the diamond, diamond mining, diamond trading and industrial diamond manufacturing sectors. De Beers is active in every category of industrial diamond mining: open-pit, underground, large-scale alluvial, coastal and deep sea...
diamond mining company in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, founded by Cecil John Rhodes
Cecil John Rhodes
Cecil John Rhodes PC, DCL was an English-born South African businessman, mining magnate, and politician. He was the founder of the diamond company De Beers, which today markets 40% of the world's rough diamonds and at one time marketed 90%...
in 1888. He is of German Jewish
History of the Jews in Germany
The presence of Jews in Germany has been established since the early 4th century. The community prospered under Charlemagne, but suffered during the Crusades...
descent on his father's side.
He was educated in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
at Harrow School
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
and Christ Church
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
, Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
where he graduated with a degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
Philosophy, politics, and economics is a popular interdisciplinary undergraduate/graduate degree which combines study from the three disciplines...
, and later took the Oxford MA
Master of Arts (Oxbridge)
In the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Dublin, Bachelors of Arts of these universities are admitted to the degree of Master of Arts or Master in Arts on application after six or seven years' seniority as members of the university .There is no examination or study required for the degree...
.
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 of billionaires (2008) estimated his net worth
Net worth
In business, net worth is the total assets minus total outside liabilities of an individual or a company. For a company, this is called shareholders' preference and may be referred to as book value. Net worth is stated as at a particular year in time...
at £2.8 billion in 2008.
In 1968 he married Orcillia "Strilli" Lasch, daughter of industrial tycoon Helli Lasch. He lives mainly in Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
on the Brenthurst Gardens
Brenthurst Gardens
Brenthurst Gardens is a private garden in Johannesburg, South Africa attached to Brenthurst Estate, the residence of the Oppenheimer family.-External links:* * from De Beers...
estate. He and his wife are members of the St George's Anglican Church, Parktown, Johannesburg. The Brenthurst Garden is affiliated to The Quiet Garden Trust, a Christian organisation providing places for prayer, silence and reflection. He also has a country estate in England, Waltham Place (with gardens open to the public and an associated organic Farm), at White Waltham
White Waltham
White Waltham is a village and civil parish, west of Maidenhead, in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in the English county of Berkshire. It has a population of 2,875, and is the location of White Waltham Airfield.-Extent:...
in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
.
Controversy
He commented in 2005 that the Live8 concert was misguided, and that Africa is suffering from "donation fatigue". He is the only private person granted permission by the City of LondonCity of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
to commute within the one square mile of the city by helicopter.
Publications
- Luke Over, Nicky Oppenheimer, and Chris Tyrell (Illustrator) - Waltham Place: and its Surrounding Parish (2001) ISBN 0-9541669-0-6