Rank #3401
Rene Benko
Net worth $0.0B
Real estate, retail · Austria
- Born
- Mar 20, 1977
- Age
- 49
- Source
- Real estate, retail
- Residence
- Citizenship
- Austria
- Marital status
- Married
- Children
- 4
- Education
Net worth over time
Biography
- Rene Benko is the founder of Signa Holding, once one of Europe's largest real estate and retail firms until a 2023 credit crunch wiped much of Signa's equity.
- Benko fell from the billionaire ranking in December 2023 after his main holdings - Signa Prime, Signa Development and Signa Holding - declared insolvency.
- Benko's personal assets - including a yacht, art and property - were not part of the 2023 insolvency proceedings. They are not included in the net worth estimate.
- Benko worked for a real estate developer in high school, racking up so many absences that he couldn't graduate. He began his investment career at 22.
- In 2018, Benko jumped into the media industry and the following year purchased a stake in New York City's Chrysler Building.
- Former Formula One world champion Niki Lauda, who died in 2019, was a significant shareholder of Signa.
- In 2018, Signa created its own venture capital firm, Signa Innovation, which invests in startups.