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Has $2.9 billion but doesn’t buy or rent a house, only has a few shirts, wears it until it’s worn out

Nicolas Berggruen is an American investor and philanthropist. Currently, he owns a fortune of $ 2.9 billion. With that money, Nicolas can buy any real estate or supercars, luxury items he wants. However, he did not do so.

It is a fact that not everyone knows that he does not own or rent a house, do not have an expensive car, yacht or watch. His personal belongings were only encapsulated in a large paper bag.

Even the 60-year-old billionaire once shared that a luxurious life has become a burden and makes him feel unhappy. In 2000, he sold a home on Fifth Avenue (New York) and a private island off the coast of Miami. His art collection is kept in storage while other possessions (including cars) are sold or given away by him.

Homeless billionaire: Has $2.9 billion but doesn't buy or rent a house, only has a few shirts, wears it until it's worn out - Photo 1.

Portrait of billionaire Nicolas Berggruen (Photo: Internet).

Since then, Nicolas started a “homeless” life. He lives in luxury hotels on business trips around the world. One of his most valuable possessions is his BlackBerry. This is what keeps him updated on the companies that have helped him reach the top richest billionaires in the world.

At one point, the “homeless” billionaire was present in 14 different cities in just 1 month. He commutes on his Gulfstream IV private jet.

In an interview, Nicolas shared about the “vacational” life in hotels: “I find it easier and happier to live in hotels. Now, I am no longer bound by wealth. As a man, I don’t need to carry too many things with me. For me, a few important papers, some books, a shirt, a coat and a comfy bed to sleep. is enough”.

The Mirror reports that Nicolas usually wears the shirts until they are crumpled before leaving. Another fact that few people know is that Nicolas comes from a wealthy family.

Heinz – his father emigrated from Germany to France and befriended the painter Pablo Picasso. Later, Heinz became one of the world’s greatest collectors of Picasso’s works.

Young Nicolas soon revealed a wild personality. This rebellion led to his expulsion from school for not following the rules of a boarding school in Switzerland. He then returned to Paris to complete his studies. He eventually moved to London and New York to major in finance.

Not wanting to depend on his family, Nicolas borrowed $200,000 from his father to build his own career. In 1988, he and the eldest son of a Colombian tycoon founded the hedge fund Alpha Investment Management. The fund was later sold by them for an undisclosed price.

After that deal, Nicolas founded Berggruen Holdings. This is a company that has bought shares in many businesses around the world, including the German department store Karstadt for 1 euro (about 1.2 USD). When he took over, Nicolas invested $55 million here and created jobs for 25,000 people.

In 2012, he spent $1.2 billion to acquire a stake in Burger King through the British company Justice Holdings.

Homeless billionaire: Has $2.9 billion but doesn't buy or rent a house, his personal belongings only have a few shirts, wear them until they're worn out and then leave - Photo 2.

In an interview years ago, Nicolas confessed he was bored with making billions of dollars. Instead, he is looking to give away most of his fortune. Nicolas is one of the billionaires who have signed a pledge to give away at least half of their wealth under the Giving Pledge initiated by Warren Buffett and Bill Gates.

“People buy expensive things to make themselves more valuable. As for me, they are not interesting. Living just to prove yourself rich is not attractive at all. What I own is just is temporary. What I can do is the real value and last forever”, he confided.

However, in 2016, after 16 years of living without a permanent home, Nicolas bought an apartment in Los Angeles to live with his two newborn children.

Source: Mirror, CNBC

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