Michel Fribourg


Michel P. Fribourg was a Belgian-born Jewish-American billionaire businessman, the chairman and CEO of Continental Grain, a global agribusiness and food company founded by Simon Fribourg in Arlon, Belgium in 1813. In his New York Times obituary, he was called "certainly the premier figure in world trade in food of the 20th century".

Early life

Fribourg was born in Antwerp and educated in France.

Career

He worked all of his life for Continental Grain a company owned by his family, rising to chairman and CEO.
In 1944, following the death of his father, he became the fifth generation of Fribourgs to lead Continental Grain.
In 1998, Forbes estimated his net worth at $2.4 billion, based on his ownership of Continental Grain and 75% of ContiFinancial.

Personal life

He was married to Mary Ann.
They had five children, sons Robert Fribourg, Paul J. Fribourg, Charles Fribourg, Nadine Newman and Caroline Rosen.
He died in New York on 10 April 2001.