Jean Claude Gandur

$2.10 B

Ranked #894 in World

About Jean Claude Gandur

French-born tycoon Jean Claude Gandur, with an illustrious career spanning decades in the raw materials and oil production sectors, has been a pivotal figure in the industry. Born in 1949 in Grasse, France, and having spent his early years in Alexandria, Egypt, Gandur moved to Switzerland where he later founded Addax and Oryx Group (AOG) in 1987, focusing on oil production in Africa, with significant operations in Nigeria. His leadership led to the sale of Addax Petroleum to Sinopec Group in 2009 for a staggering $7.3 billion. Apart from his business enterprises, Gandur's commitment to cultural preservation is evident through his substantial contributions to safeguarding heritage sites in Iraq and Mali, and his vast collection of Egyptian antiquities managed by the Gandur Art Foundation. Additionally, Gandur's personal life, marked by his relocation to Malta in 2015, and his legal battles, including a significant victory for reputation protection against a newspaper in 2021, paint a picture of a multifaceted individual whose impact spans beyond the business world into art and legal spheres. As of March 2015, Gandur's net worth was estimated at $2.1 billion, cementing his status as one of the wealthiest individuals in the global financial landscape, appealing to readers keen on financial success stories.

Born

January 01, 1949 in Grasse, France

Age

77 years

Source Of Wealth

Oil Trading, Exploration

Industries

Energy

Citizenship

Switzerland

Residence

London

Jean Claude Gandur was born in Grasse, France, in 1949. He spent his childhood in Alexandria, Egypt, until the age of 12 when his family moved to Switzerland. Gandur studied law and political science at the University of Lausanne and later studied history at Pantheon-Sorbonne University.

Jean Claude Gandur: Family

Gandur is divorced and has a son and three grandchildren.

Jean Claude Gandur: Career Highlights

Gandur joined the raw materials trader Philipp Brothers in 1976 and worked for the company's Zug subsidiary for eight years. In 1987, he founded the Addax and Oryx Group (AOG), which focused on oil production in Africa, primarily in Nigeria. Gandur served as Chairman and CEO of Addax Petroleum until its takeover by the Sinopec Group in 2009 for $7.3 billion.

In 2013, Gandur launched a new Toronto-listed oil company, Oryx Petroleum, and held an IPO. He is currently developing large oilfields in Iraqi Kurdistan. As of March 2015, his net worth was estimated at $2.1 billion. However, in July 2020, he resigned from the board of directors at Oryx Petroleum.

Jean Claude Gandur: Companies

Gandur has been involved with several companies throughout his career, including:

Philipp Brothers
Addax and Oryx Group (AOG)
Addax Petroleum
Oryx Petroleum

Jean Claude Gandur: Major Achievements

Gandur's major achievements include:

Founding the Addax and Oryx Group (AOG)
Leading Addax Petroleum to become a major oil producer in Africa
Developing large oilfields in Iraqi Kurdistan
Amassing a net worth of $2.1 billion

Jean Claude Gandur: Awards & Achievements

Gandur has received numerous awards and achievements, including:

Commander of the National Order of Benin
Diplomatic passport from Senegal
Honorary consul for the Republic of Congo in Geneva for ten years

Jean Claude Gandur: Personal Life & Legacy

Gandur relocated from London to Malta in 2015. He is known for his extensive art collection, which includes Egyptian antiquities and post-war European paintings.

Gandur has also made significant contributions to the arts, including serving as part of the jury for the Marcel Duchamp Prize in 2018 and donating funds to safeguard cultural heritage sites in Iraq and Mali.

Jean Claude Gandur: Trivia

Some interesting facts about Jean Claude Gandur include:

He is a Commander of the National Order of Benin.
He holds a diplomatic passport from Senegal.
He served as the honorary consul for the Republic of Congo in Geneva for ten years.
He is an avid art collector and has donated millions of dollars to various art institutions.
He is involved in several legal battles, including a lawsuit over the construction of his villa in Tannay and a defamation case against a journalist.

Wealth History

Timeline

1949

Born in Grasse, France.

Until age 12

Spent childhood in Alexandria, Egypt.

N/A

Moved to Switzerland with family.

N/A

Studied law and political science at University of Lausanne.

N/A

Studied history at Pantheon-Sorbonne University.

1976

Joined raw materials trader Philipp Brothers.

N/A

Worked for company's Zug subsidiary for eight years.

1987

Founded Addax and Oryx Group (AOG).

N/A

Focused on oil production in Africa, primarily Nigeria.

2009

Chairman and CEO of Addax Petroleum until takeover by Sinopec Group for $7.3 billion.

2013

New Toronto-listed oil company Oryx Petroleum held IPO.

N/A

Developing large oilfields in Iraqi Kurdistan.

March 2015

Net worth estimated at $2.1 billion.

July 2020

Resigned from board of directors at Oryx Petroleum.

N/A

Commander of the National Order of Benin.

N/A

Diplomatic passport from Senegal.

N/A

Honorary consul for the Republic of Congo in Geneva for ten years.

2018

Part of jury for Marcel Duchamp Prize.

April 2018

Participated in interview on correct provenance of objects for sale.

January 2019

Donated $75.5 million with other private donors and countries for safeguarding cultural heritage sites in Iraq and Mali.

N/A

Collection of Egyptian antiquities is one of the largest in private hands.

N/A

Fondation Gandur pour l'Art manages modern art collection of post-war European paintings.

March 2010

Committed 20 million Swiss francs to renovate and expand Musée d'Art et d'Histoire de Genève.

2011

Collection of post-war European paintings exhibited at Musée Rath in Geneva and Musée Fabre in Montpellier.

February 2016

Project to enlarge Musée d'Art et d'Histoire de Genève rejected in referendum.

N/A

Gandur withdrew from project.

N/A

Started four-year contest to decide city for museum for his collection.

N/A

Pledged around 30 million euros for "architecturally outstanding building on a central urban site."

N/A

Bordeaux, Strasbourg, and Caen are finalists for the project.

2009

Lawsuit pending with architect Vincent Mangeat over construction of Villa Gandur in Tannay.

2015

Filed court proceedings for defamation and slander, and civil proceedings for breach of honor against journalist.

July 2019

Criminal complaint for defamation dropped.

N/A

Action for protection of personality pursued further.

November 2021

Federal Supreme Court confirmed newspaper damaged Gandur's reputation.

N/A

Newspaper ordered to remove article and pay almost 50,000 Swiss francs.

2022

Newspaper referred case to European Court of Human Rights.

N/A

Filed charges against unknown after discovering potentially faked provenance of Fayum mummy portrait acquired from Pierre Bergé Foundation.

2015

Relocated from London to Malta.

N/A

Divorced, has a son and three grandchildren.

2008

Appeared on Forbes list of world's wealthiest people.

2011

Ranked as seventh richest person in Switzerland.

2015

Estimated net worth of $2.1 billion.

Jean Claude Gandur : FAQs

What is Jean Claude Gandur's net worth?

As of 2015, Jean Claude Gandur's net worth was $2.10 billion.

What are Jean Claude Gandur's main sources of wealth?

Jean Claude Gandur's main source of income comes from Oil Trading, Exploration.

In which industry does Jean Claude Gandur primarily operate?

Jean Claude Gandur is primarily involved in the Energy industry.

How old is Jean Claude Gandur?

Jean Claude Gandur is 77 years old.

How many children does Jean Claude Gandur have?

Jean Claude Gandur has 1 children.

Who is Jean Claude Gandur and what is his early life background?

Jean Claude Gandur, born in Grasse, France in 1949, spent his childhood in Alexandria, Egypt until age 12 before moving to Switzerland with his family. He studied law and political science at the University of Lausanne, and history at Pantheon-Sorbonne University.

How did Jean Claude Gandur build his career in the oil industry?

Jean Claude Gandur began his career by joining raw materials trader Philipp Brothers in 1976, then founded Addax and Oryx Group (AOG) in 1987, focusing on oil production in Africa. He served as Chairman and CEO of Addax Petroleum until its takeover by Sinopec Group in 2009 for $7.3 billion.

What are Jean Claude Gandur’s contributions to the art world?

Jean Claude Gandur served on the jury for the Marcel Duchamp Prize in 2018 and has made significant philanthropic contributions to safeguard cultural heritage sites in Iraq and Mali. His Gandur Art Foundation manages one of the largest private collections of Egyptian antiquities and post-war European paintings.

What legal affairs has Jean Claude Gandur been involved in?

Gandur has been involved in various legal affairs including a lawsuit since 2009 over the construction of Villa Gandur, actions for defamation and slander, and most recently, filed charges concerning potentially faked provenance of a Fayum mummy portrait acquired from the Pierre Bergé Foundation.

What is known about Jean Claude Gandur’s personal fortune and life?

Jean Claude Gandur has been among the world's wealthiest, consistently appearing on Forbes' list since 2008. As of 2015, his net worth was estimated at $2.1 billion. He relocated from London to Malta in 2015, is divorced, and has a son and three grandchildren.