(AFP / LOIC VENANCE)
Brazilian billionaire Abilio Diniz, second shareholder of Carrefour via his family holding Peninsula and a figure in the food distribution sector in his country, died on Sunday at the age of 87, the group announced.
“Abilio Diniz was an adventurer with a thousand lives, an exceptional entrepreneur, a top athlete, a man of media and culture,” Alexandre Bompard, CEO of Carrefour, reacted Monday on X (ex-Twitter).
“He nourished a singular passion for France and one of its flagships, Carrefour, of which he was the unwavering ally.”
Abilio Diniz had been a significant shareholder of the Carrefour group since 2015, owning 8.83% of its shares at the end of 2022. He had served on its board of directors since 2016, and co-chaired its strategic committee.
“His vitality, his dedication to work and his faith in Brazil are great life lessons,” Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin reacted Monday on X.
The Moulin family, owner of the Galeries Lafayette department stores and largest shareholder of Carrefour, spoke on Monday of the “sincere friendship” and “the common passion for the challenges of mass distribution” shared by Abilio Diniz and Philippe Houzé, vice-president of board of directors of Carrefour and chairman of the management board of Galeries Lafayette.
Abilio Diniz inherited from his father the Pão de Açúcar distribution group, which became the leader in Brazil before being sold in 2012 to Casino.
Forbes magazine estimated his fortune at $2 billion in February 2024.