Iris Fontbona
Iris Fontbona | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 2, 1944 Chile |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, mining executive, media owner |
| Known for | Ownership of Antofagasta PLC and Luksic Group businesses |
Iris Balbina Fontbona González (born October 2, 1944) is a Chilean billionaire entrepreneur, prominent mining executive, and media owner. She came into possession of Antofagasta PLC following the passing of her spouse, Andrónico Luksic Abaroa.
By February 2025, Forbes valued her fortune at US$25.8 billion, ranking her as Chile’s most affluent individual, the third wealthiest across Latin America, and the ninth richest woman worldwide as of 2022.
Fortune
Fontbona's financial standing experienced considerable growth after her husband's demise in 2005. The majority of his business holdings were transferred to their three sons: Guillermo, Jean Paul, and Andrónico. Jean Paul is responsible for managing Antofagasta, the copper mining arm of the Luksic Group and one of the leading mining enterprises globally.
Business
Together with her family, Fontbona exercises control over Antofagasta, a mining corporation headquartered in Santiago. Their influence extends through the publicly listed company Quiñenco, which governs Banco de Chile, Madeco—a producer of copper goods—Chile’s top brewing company CCU, and the shipping firm CSAV. CSAV ranks as the 16th largest shipping company worldwide by TEU capacity. In 2013, she held a 65% ownership stake in Antofagasta.
Following her husband's death, Fontbona significantly expanded the family enterprise. She developed it into Chile’s second-largest banking institution, the world’s largest brewer, an operator of some of the largest copper mines internationally, and a major shareholder in one of the biggest global shipping companies. Her business interests also encompass luxury hotel chains and a Croatian resort. Early in her tenure, she acquired a controlling 70% share in Chilean broadcaster Canal 13. While many operational responsibilities are managed by her son Andrónico Luksic Craig, critical corporate decisions require her authorization.
Philanthropy
In 2015, Fontbona made a record-breaking contribution of CL$3.1 billion (approximately US$3.9 million) to the annual Chilean Telethon dedicated to children with physical disabilities. She participated on live television during the event's broadcast. The following year, her donation rose to CL$4.4 billion (around US$5.5 million), helping establish a new fundraising milestone for the charity.
Background
Born in 1942, Fontbona attended a Catholic secondary school. At age 17, she met Andrónico Luksic Abaroa, who was fifteen years older, and they married when she was twenty. Luksic had five children from a previous marriage; Fontbona became stepmother to Andrónico Luksic Craig at seven years old. Together they had three children, including Guillermo Luksic, who passed away from lung cancer in 2013.
Fontbona resides in Vitacura in Santiago as well as Belgravia in London and Liechtenstein. A committed Roman Catholic, she maintains a discreet public presence but is regularly featured during the Chilean Telethon broadcast and refrains from granting interviews.