Dan Petrescu (businessman)
Dan Petrescu | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1953 Bucharest, Romania |
| Died | 2021-10-03 San Donato Milanese, Italy |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, businessman |
| Known for | Real estate development, automobile distribution, billionaire businessman |
Dan Petrescu (1953 – 3 October 2021) was a prominent Romanian entrepreneur and billionaire, ranking among the nation’s wealthiest individuals. Originating from Bucharest, he completed his studies at the Politehnica University of Bucharest. After marrying Regina Dorotea Petrescu Balzat and fathering a son, Dan Ștefan Petrescu, he relocated to West Germany. During his time there, he collaborated with Romanian entrepreneur Ion Țiriac on multiple business projects before returning to Romania following the Romanian Revolution.
Subsequently, Petrescu pursued independent ventures, accumulating an estimated fortune of approximately €3 billion primarily through real estate development and automobile distribution. Renowned for his discretion and modesty, he refrained from public interviews and operated his enterprises via offshore entities. On 3 October 2021, Petrescu, along with his family and close associates, perished in an aircraft accident near Milan, Italy.
Biography
Born in 1953 in Bucharest, Dan Petrescu graduated from the Politehnica University of Bucharest before emigrating to West Germany during the 1980s, where he initiated a business in the automotive sector. There, he encountered Ion Țiriac, with whom he collaborated on tennis-related enterprises and co-founded ventures such as Ion Țiriac Bank (currently known as UniCredit Bank Romania) alongside various real estate companies. After their professional separation, Petrescu concentrated on real estate and car distribution businesses, amassing considerable wealth. Ion Țiriac publicly recognized Petrescu's superior fortune; by 2020, Țiriac was listed as Romania’s third richest individual with assets totaling 6 billion Romanian lei.
Petrescu was distinguished by his exceptional secrecy, earning the moniker "shadow billionaire" (). He consistently avoided media attention and managed his business operations through offshore structures. Known for his unpretentious lifestyle—reportedly driving an Opel Vectra for many years—he possessed extensive property assets in Romania, including around 150 apartments and several villas located in Bucharest. His companies were responsible for developing numerous shopping centers that hosted retailers such as Auchan, Carrefour, Metro AG, and Real. Long-term leasing agreements played a crucial role in building his wealth.
Holding dual citizenship in Romania and Germany, Petrescu owned a private Pilatus PC-12 aircraft registered as YR-PDV, which he personally piloted after acquiring it in 2015. On 3 October 2021, shortly after taking off from Milan en route to Olbia, Italy, the plane crashed into a building undergoing renovation in San Donato Milanese. The accident resulted in the deaths of all eight occupants, including Petrescu himself, his wife Regina Dorotea Petrescu Balzat, their son Dan Ștefan Petrescu, and close family friends. Following this tragedy, entrepreneur Anca Surugiu took over management of his estate.