Iris Balbina Fontbona González (born October 2, 1944) is a Chilean mining magnate,

media proprietor A media proprietor, also called a media executive, media mogul, media tycoon, or press baron is an entrepreneur who controls any means of public or commercial mass media, through the personal ownership or holding of a dominant position within a ...

billionaire A billionaire is a person with a net worth of at least 1,000,000,000, one billion units of a given currency, usually of a major currency such as the United States dollar, euro, or pound sterling. It is a sub-category of the concept of the ultr ...

businesswoman, and the widow of Andrónico Luksic Abaroa, from whom she inherited

Antofagasta PLC Antofagasta plc is a London-based Chilean multinational. It is one of the most important conglomerates of Chile with equity participation in Antofagasta Minerals, the railroad from Antofagasta to Bolivia, Twin Metals in Minnesota, and other e ...

. As of February 2025, ''

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'' estimated her net worth at US$25.8 billion. She is the wealthiest person in Chile, the third wealthiest in Latin America, and the ninth wealthiest woman worldwide in 2022 according to Forbes.

Fortune

Fontbona acquired her wealth following the death of her husband, Andrónico Luksic Abaroa, in 2005 from cancer. The bulk of her husband's business went to their three sons, Guillermo, Jean Paul and Andrónico. Jean Paul manages Antofagasta, Luksic Group's copper mining group and one of the largest mining companies in the world.

Business

Fontbona and her family control

Antofagasta Antofagasta () is a port city in northern Chile, about north of Santiago. It is the capital of Antofagasta Province and Antofagasta Region. According to the 2015 census, the city has a population of 402,669. Once claimed by Bolivia follo ...

, the Santiago-based mining company. Through the publicly traded company Quiñenco, they control

Banco de Chile Banco de Chile () is a Chilean bank and financial services company with headquarters in the city of Santiago de Chile. It's a commercial bank that provides a range of financial services to clients. As of December 31, 2012, Banco de Chile has a ...

, Madeco, a copper products manufacturer, the country's largest brewer,

CCU CCU may refer to: Hospitals * Coronary care unit, a hospital wing meant for monitoring patients with heart problems * Critical care unit, in a hospital (UK terminology), similar to intensive care unit (ICU) in other countries; or, a unit that prov ...

, and a shipping company, CSAV. CSAV is the world's 16th largest shipping company as measured by TEUs. In 2013, she controlled 65% of Antofagasta. Following the death of her husband, business of her husband under her control, "Fontbona managed to make their family business grow and reach its new heights of success". This included turning the business in the second biggest bank in Chile, the biggest brewer in the world, manager of the largest copper mines in the world and controlling the world's largest shipping company. Another one of her businesses is a pair of luxury hotel chains and a luxury resort in Croatia. One of her first major actions following her husband's death was to acquire a 70% stake in Chilean television station, Canal 13. Much of her power in the company appears to be indirect. Major business decisions impacting the company largely run by her son, Andrónico Luksic Craig, need to be approved of by Fontbona.

Philanthropy

In 2015, Fontbona donated a record CL$3.1 billion (approximately US$3.9 million) to the annual Chilean Telethon, which seeks to help children with physical disabilities. She appeared on television for a telethon, which also takes place before a live audience. In 2016, she donated CL$4.4 billion (approximately US$5.5 million), which assisted in setting a record for the charity event in terms of funds raised.

Background

Fontbona was born in 1942 and attended a Catholic high school. When she was 17 she met Andrónico Luksic Abaroa, who was 15 years older than her, and who married him by the time she was 20. Luksic had five children by his first wife, Patricia Lederer, who died before he did. Fontbona became the step-mother of Andrónico Luksic Craig when he was a 7-year-old. Another of her sons was Guillermo Luksic, who died of lung cancer in 2013. The couple had three children of their own. Fontbona spends time in three primary residences, including Vitacura, Santiago, Chile,

Belgravia Belgravia () is a district in Central London, covering parts of the areas of the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Belgravia was known as the 'Five Fields' during the Tudor Period, and became a dangerous pla ...

in London, and Liechtenstein. She is a devout Roman Catholic. She keeps a low profile but garners much media attention annually during the Chilean Telethon. She does not grant interviews.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fontbona, Iris 1940s births Date of birth missing (living people) Living people Chilean businesspeople in mining Chilean billionaires Female billionaires Businesspeople from Santiago, Chile Women in mining Mass media owners in Latin America