Safra family

Last updated

The Safra family is a prominent Brazilian family of Syrian Jewish descent. [1] [2] [3] The Safras were bankers and gold traders originally from Aleppo. [4] [5]

Contents

History

During the time of the Ottoman Empire they were engaged in the financing of caravan trade between Beirut, Aleppo, Istanbul and Alexandria. [6] [7]

In 1914, Jacob Safra settled in Beirut, and he opened his first Bank, Banque Jacob E. Safra, in 1920. It quickly prospered, benefiting from a massive influx of Syrian businessmen and merchants who became Jacob's customer base. [8]

Presence in Europe

The Safra family maintains a significant presence in Europe primarily through their ownership of J. Safra Sarasin Group, a leading Swiss private bank headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. The bank was formed after the Safra family's acquisition of Bank Sarasin in 2011 from Rabobank, merging it with their existing Swiss operations under Banco Safra (Switzerland). This strategic move strengthened the family's position in European private banking, with J. Safra Sarasin operating across major financial hubs such as Geneva, Zurich, Luxembourg, London, and Monaco. [9]

As of 2025, J. Safra Sarasin manages over CHF 200 billion in assets, making it one of the largest privately owned banks in Switzerland and an important player in the European wealth management landscape. [10]

The Safra family also has real estate investments in Europe, notably including The Gherkin (30 St Mary Axe) in London, acquired by Safra Group in 2014. [11]

Family tree

References

  1. Romero, Simon (1999-12-08). "INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS; The Safras of Brazil: Banking, Faith and Security". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-03-22.
  2. Zenner, Walter P. (2000). A Global Community: The Jews from Aleppo, Syria. Wayne State University Press. p. 102. ISBN   0-8143-2791-5.
  3. "Celebrities in Switzerland: Edmond Safra Biography"
  4. (Page 6, 2015's version) https://www.edmondjsafra.org/book/
  5. "Edmond J. Safra: A biography on the Sephardi Jewish legend - review". The Jerusalem Post . 2022-10-31. ISSN   0792-822X . Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  6. "World's richest banker whose ancestors financed camel caravans". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2020-12-15. Retrieved 2025-01-12.
  7. "Edmond J. Safra". The Shema Yisrael Torah Network. Retrieved 2008-03-22.
  8. (Page 18) https://jsafrasarasin.com/content/dam/jsafrasarasin/company/bank-annual-report/annual_report_2015.pdf.coredownload.inline.pdf
  9. https://www.reuters.com/article/business/safra-buys-sarasin-stake-for-113-billion-idUSTRE7AO1LN/
  10. "J. Safra Sarasin Expands Footprint and Delivers Strong Growth - Asian Wealth Management and Asian Private Banking".
  11. Neate, Rupert (10 November 2014). "The Gherkin sold to Brazilian billionaire Joseph Safra". The Guardian.
  12. Bergamo, Monica (November 16, 2006). "Casamento tropical Os casamentos da família Safra seguem fazendo história em SP -pela sofisticação, pela grandiosidade e pela platéia seleta de convidados que conseguem reunir". Folha de Sao Paulo .
  13. Farhi, Alain. "Alberto Safra / Maggy Candi". farhi.org - Les Fleurs de l'Orient. Retrieved 16 October 2021.