José Luis Corripio
José Luis Corripio Estrada | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 12, 1934 Arroes, Asturias, Spain |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, businessman |
| Known for | Founder of Grupo Corripio, Dominican Republic's richest individual |
José Luis ‘Pepín’ Corripio Estrada (born 12 March 1934) is a Dominican billionaire entrepreneur with Spanish roots.
Corripio Estrada entered the world in 1934 as the sole offspring of a modest family from Arroes, Spain. His family relocated to the Dominican Republic during his early years to escape the turmoil of the Spanish Civil War. His father, Manuel Corripio García, established a modest retail business that experienced significant growth; by the time dictator Rafael Trujillo died in 1961, Manuel Corripio García had become the third wealthiest individual in the Dominican Republic, ranking just behind Trujillo and Rafael Esteva Menéndez, founder of IMCA S.A. This enterprise evolved into Grupo Corripio, an extensive conglomerate generating employment for more than 12,000 people. José Luis Corripio Estrada emerged as the nation’s richest individual, with a fortune surpassing 3 billion USD.
Early life
Born in Arroes, Asturias, Spain, in 1934 to Sara Estrada and Manuel Corripio García (1908–2004), Corripio Estrada moved to the Dominican Republic in 1938 due to the Spanish Civil War.
He completed his education at Santo Domingo’s De La Salle School, where he served as editor of the school's monthly publication before graduating in 1951.
On 16 August 1963, he wed Ana María Alonso from Piloña, Asturias. The couple has four children: Manuel, José Alfredo, Lucía, and Ana.
In the 1970s, Corripio was abducted by a gang led by the Sanchez Tejada brothers and detained for several days near the San Isidro Air Force base. The kidnappers impersonated military officers while operating an auto repair shop specializing in stolen car parts.
Business career
During the early 1960s, José Luis Corripio expanded and diversified his family’s commercial activities. By 1973, he had ventured into the media industry. As of 2021, Grupo Corripio is responsible for distributing leading consumer brands throughout the Dominican Republic such as Petit, Gatorade, Lipton, Tropicana, Pepsico, Oreo, Pringles, Kellogg's, and Procter & Gamble.
Through Distribuidora Corripio, it stands as the foremost distributor of home appliances nationwide with over 21 outlets offering products from brands like Sony, Samsung, Whirlpool, Panasonic, and GE. Additionally, the group manufactures and markets Nedoca products and holds exclusive distribution rights for fashion labels including Hackett London, Yanes, and Façconable within the country.
Grupo Corripio’s subsidiary Tecnica SAS exclusively represents Peugeot and Renault automobiles locally. In 2017, it acquired a share in Isla Dominicana de Petróleo—the sole representative of Royal Dutch Shell in the Dominican Republic. In 2021, Isla Dominicana de Petróleo merged with Sol Investments (Esso), creating the largest fuel distribution network within the nation.
The conglomerate also owns Pinturas Tropical, which leads domestic paint production and sales, and maintains an ownership interest in Pinturas Popular.