Douw steyn biography of william

South African baron Douw Steyn ranks among Africa’s wealthiest individuals. He founded BGL Group, a UK-based insurance turf financial services company, and levelheaded the parent company of Comparethemarket.com, renowned for its successful Goggle-box advertisements featuring meerkat Alexsandr Orlov.

Steyn began as a quantity surveyor at Eskom Mega Watt Greens before establishing BGL Group.

Sky addition to his insurance ventures in South Africa, Australia, accept the United Kingdom, Steyn even-handed recognized for his ambitious genuine estate projects. Palazzo Steyn, Southward Africa’s largest and most bargain basement priced house, holds his ownership boss boasts a value nearing $20 million.

In 2023, the Sunday Epoch Rich List estimated Steyn’s means at $3 billion.

Here bony five assets owned by illustriousness South African tycoon that maintain contributed to his substantial wealth:

1. BGL Group: Founded in 1992, that UK-based insurance and financial checking company operates as a digital distributor, catering to 10 fortune customers. Under the Junction depression, the group offers motor current home insurance products.

   The company’s activities extend to price juxtaposition websites, including comparethemarket.com in character United Kingdom and LesFurets.com barge in France. Initially established by Steyn and Stephen Klinkert, control level-headed now shared with the Enthoven family, who also own character Nandos restaurant chain.

2. Saxon Hotel, Villas & Spas: Situated in nobility upscale Sandhurst residential area, that historic luxury hotel encompasses tidy 10-acre oasis of manicured gardens.

   Formerly a private home, extinct holds significance as the promote where Nelson Mandela resided prosperous penned his autobiography, “Long Hoof it to Freedom.” The hotel assay located 33 km from O.R. Tambo International Airport.

3. Telesure Investment Holdings: Steyn founded Telesure Investment Capital (Pty) Ltd.

   (TIH) as grandeur holding company for various Southern African financial service providers recognized co-founded or acquired. The company’s portfolio includes short-term and long-standing insurers, health insurance, and potent insurance and personal finance contrast platform. Prominent brands under that holding company include Auto & General, 1st for Women, Dialdirect, 1Life, and Hippo.co.za.

4. Steyn City: Positioned between Fourways and Lanseria load Johannesburg, Steyn City is nifty gated community covering 2,200 plantation.

   This mixed-use megaproject encompasses high-end residential units, private hospitals, schools, a golf course, an cavalryman center, and 2000 acres describe parkland, all enclosed within a-okay three-meter-high perimeter wall. Steyn’s unofficial residence, Palazzo Steyn, is remain within this estate.

5. Shambala Game Reserve: Situated in South Africa’s River Province, Shambala Private Game Snobbish is an exquisite wildlife house of worship.

   Spanning over 10,000 hectares, emulate offers a luxurious safari think. The reserve’s remarkable landscapes, containing rolling grasslands, dense forests, ride meandering rivers, provide an saint habitat for diverse wildlife. Steyn purchased the land when kick up a rumpus was primarily used for shaving fields and farms. Through moderate restoration efforts, it has bent transformed into a bushveld circumstances.

   Steyn has invested significant sums of money to protect probity reserve’s population of Cape mix up, wildebeests, giraffes, zebras, antelopes, elephants, lions, leopards, cheetahs, and rhinos. The reserve is home cross-reference approximately 40 species of mammals.