Carlos Ardila Lülle
Overview
- Source of Wealth
- soft drinks, diversified
- Industry
- Food & Beverage
- Residence
- Education
- Universidad Nacional de Colombia (Bachelor of Engineering)
Biography
Carlos Ardila Lülle built a fortune selling soda and got even richer by investing in bottling companies, radio and TV stations, and sugar refineries.
He started his career working for his father-in-law's soda company, where he created an apple-flavored drink that quickly became a top seller.
In 1973 he bought his first radio station and built Radio Canal Nacional by acquiring smaller stations.
When the Colombian government privatized television in 1998, he started RCN TV, now worth significantly more than his radio properties.
In 2012 he partnered with Rupert Murdoch to create MundoFox, a Spanish-language channel targeted at U.S. Hispanics; it shut down in 2016.
About
Ardila Lülle had a brief stint in politics between 1970 and 1974 as a state senator from the Colombian Conservative Party.
He owns Colombian soccer team Atletico Nacional, which has won more championship titles in the Colombian soccer league (16) than any other team.