Ricardo Salinas Pliego & family

$3.62 B

Ranked #1154 in World

About Ricardo Salinas Pliego & family

Ricardo Benjamín Salinas Pliego, the Mexican businessman and founder of Grupo Salinas, has made significant contributions to various industries including telecommunications, media, financial services, and retail. With a net worth of $13.6 billion, he is considered the third richest person in Mexico and the 172nd richest in the world as of February 2021. Salinas Pliego's career began with a CPA degree from Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM) and an MBA from Tulane University. He joined Elektra, eventually becoming CEO and refocusing the company on basic products. Through credit sales and diverse financial services, he developed a vast consumer market among Mexico's lower middle-income consumers. The success of Grupo Elektra led it to become Mexico's largest consumer-finance company. Salinas Pliego made significant acquisitions and mergers in the telecommunications industry, including Iusacell and Totalplay. He also has a philanthropic side, with the creation of Fundación Azteca to address social problems. However, Salinas Pliego has faced controversies, including involvement in political and financial scandals and investigations by regulatory authorities. He has also been linked to ex-President Carlos Salinas de Gortari. Despite these controversies, Salinas Pliego remains a prominent figure in the finance industry.

Born

October 19, 1955

Age

70 years

Source Of Wealth

Retail, Media

Industries

Fashion & Retail

Citizenship

Mexico

Residence

Mexico City

Education

Master of Business Administration, A. B. Freeman School of Business; Bachelor of Arts/Science, Tecnológico de Monterrey

Ricardo Benjamín Salinas Pliego was born on October 19, 1955, in Mexico City, Mexico. He is the son of Ricardo Salinas Lozano, a prominent Mexican businessman, and Margarita Pliego de Salinas. Salinas Pliego grew up in a wealthy family and attended prestigious schools in Mexico City.

Ricardo Salinas Pliego & family: Family

Ricardo Salinas Pliego is married to María Laura Medina de Salinas, and they have five children together. His daughter, Ninfa Salinas Sada, is a politician and member of the Green Ecologist Party of Mexico (PVEM). Salinas Pliego is also the uncle of Emiliano Salinas Occelli, a former Mexican politician and businessman.

Ricardo Salinas Pliego & family: Career Highlights

Salinas Pliego began his career in 1981 as an import manager at Elektra, a Mexican retailer founded by his father. He quickly rose through the ranks and became CEO of Grupo Elektra in 1987. Under his leadership, Elektra became Mexico's largest consumer-finance company and expanded its operations into other countries in Latin America.

In addition to his work at Elektra, Salinas Pliego has also been involved in other business ventures. He is the founder and chairman of Grupo Salinas, a Mexican conglomerate with interests in telecommunications, media, financial services, and retail. He is also the chairman of TV Azteca, one of the world's largest producers of Spanish-language television programming.

Ricardo Salinas Pliego & family: Companies

Salinas Pliego is the founder and chairman of Grupo Salinas, a Mexican conglomerate with interests in various industries, including:

Grupo Elektra: A leading retailer of consumer electronics, appliances, and furniture in Mexico and Latin America.
Purpose Financial: A provider of short-term non-bank loans in the United States.
Punto Casa de Bolsa: A financial services company with operations in Mexico, the United States, and several Latin American countries.
Banco Azteca: A Mexican bank with operations in Mexico, Panama, Guatemala, and Honduras.
Seguros Azteca: An insurance company in Mexico.

Afore Azteca: A retirement savings fund administrator in Mexico.
Tiendas Neto: A chain of discount grocery stores in Mexico.
TV Azteca: One of the largest producers of Spanish-language television programming in the world.
Azteca Guatemala: A television network in Guatemala.
Azteca Honduras: A television network in Honduras.
Totalplay: A provider of internet, television, and telephony services in Mexico.
Totalplay Empresarial: A provider of broadband internet access, video surveillance, and other services to businesses in Mexico.
Italika: A manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters in Mexico.
Upax: A provider of logistics and transportation services in Mexico.
Agencia i: An advertising agency in Mexico.
Promo Espacio: A company that specializes in event planning and management in Mexico.
Grupo Dragón: A real estate development company in Mexico.
Totalsec: A security company in Mexico.

Ricardo Salinas Pliego & family: Major Achievements

Salinas Pliego is a successful businessman and entrepreneur who has built a vast business empire. He is credited with transforming Elektra from a small retailer into Mexico's largest consumer-finance company. He has also played a significant role in the development of Mexico's telecommunications and media industries.

Ricardo Salinas Pliego & family: Awards & Achievements

Salinas Pliego has received numerous awards and recognitions for his business achievements. Some of his notable awards include:

The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 1993.
The Mexican Businessman of the Year Award in 1995.
The Latin American Businessman of the Year Award in 2001.
The World Economic Forum's Global Leader for Tomorrow Award in 2002.
The Aspen Institute's Henry Crown Fellowship in 2003.

Ricardo Salinas Pliego & family: Personal Life & Legacy

Salinas Pliego is a controversial figure in Mexico. He has been involved in several political and financial scandals, and he has been accused of using his wealth and influence to manipulate the media and the political system. Despite these controversies, Salinas Pliego remains one of the most powerful and influential businessmen in Mexico.

Ricardo Salinas Pliego & family: Trivia

Salinas Pliego is a passionate soccer fan and owns the Mexican soccer club Mazatlán F.C.

He is also an avid art collector and has a large collection of Mexican and Latin American art.
Salinas Pliego is a frequent speaker at business and economic forums around the world.
He is also a philanthropist and has donated millions of dollars to various charitable causes.
In 2020, Salinas Pliego invested 10% of his liquid portfolio in Bitcoin.

Wealth History

Timeline

1981

Joined Elektra as import manager.

1987

Became CEO of Grupo Elektra.

1997

Formed Fundación Azteca to address social problems in healthcare, nutrition, education, and the environment.

2001

Launched Azteca America, a Spanish-language broadcasting network aimed at the Hispanic population of the United States.

2002

Grupo Elektra became Mexico's biggest consumer-finance company after winning the first banking license granted to any Mexican institution in nearly a decade.

2003

Bought Iusacell (first cell phone company in Mexico).

2005

Charged by the SEC with concealing his role in transactions that personally profited him by $109 million.

2006

Settled with the SEC, paying $7.5M without admitting guilt.

2007

Merged Iusacell with Unefon.

2009

Daughter, Ninfa, entered the PVEM party.

2012

Aired the 2011–12 quarter final game between Tigres de la UANL and Monarcas Morelia during the 2012 Mexican general elections presidential debate.

2015

Sold Iusacell to AT&T.

2017

Sold Azteca America to HC2 Holdings.

2020

Invested 10% of his liquid portfolio in Bitcoin.

2021

Ricardo B. Salinas Pliego Center inaugurated to promote the development of ideas for Mexico's transformation.

Ricardo Salinas Pliego & family : FAQs

What is Ricardo Salinas Pliego's current net worth?

Ricardo Salinas Pliego's current net worth is $3.62 billion.

What is Ricardo Salinas Pliego's current global rank among billionaires?

Ricardo Salinas Pliego holds the 1154th position globally among billionaires.

What is Ricardo Salinas Pliego's current ranking within the Mexico?

Ricardo Salinas Pliego holds the 7th position in Mexico.

What was the change in Ricardo Salinas Pliego's net worth compared to the previous year?

Ricardo Salinas Pliego's net worth decreased by 2 billion dollars compared to the previous year 2025, when his net worth was 5.62 billion dollars.

What are Ricardo Salinas Pliego's main sources of wealth?

Ricardo Salinas Pliego's main source of income comes from Retail, Media.

In which industry does Ricardo Salinas Pliego primarily operate?

Ricardo Salinas Pliego is primarily involved in the Fashion & Retail industry.

What is Ricardo Salinas Pliego educational background?

Ricardo Salinas Pliego holds a Master of Business Administration from A. B. Freeman School of Business and a Bachelor of Arts/Science from Tecnológico de Monterrey.

How old is Ricardo Salinas Pliego?

Ricardo Salinas Pliego is 70 years old.

How many children does Ricardo Salinas Pliego have?

Ricardo Salinas Pliego has 6 children.

Who is Ricardo Benjamín Salinas Pliego?

Ricardo Benjamín Salinas Pliego is a Mexican businessman, founder, and chairman of Grupo Salinas.

What are Ricardo Benjamín Salinas Pliego's interests?

Ricardo Benjamín Salinas Pliego has interests in telecommunications, media, financial services, and retail.

How rich is Ricardo Benjamín Salinas Pliego?

Ricardo Benjamín Salinas Pliego is the third richest person in Mexico and the 172nd richest in the world, with a net worth of US$13.6 billion (February 2021).

What is Grupo Elektra?

Grupo Elektra is a company of which Ricardo Benjamín Salinas Pliego is the CEO. It is Mexico's biggest consumer-finance company and focuses on selling appliances, electronics, and furniture.

What is the purpose of Fundación Azteca?

Fundación Azteca, founded by Ricardo Benjamín Salinas Pliego in 1997, addresses social problems in healthcare, nutrition, education, and the environment and supports other foundations.