Ilson Mateus & family

A former gold miner, Ilson Mateus built up supermarket chain Grupo Mateus and took it public in October 2020.

The company is controlled by Mateus and his ex-wife, Maria Barros Pinheiro, who is a former billionaire.

Now Brazil's fourth-biggest food retailer, Grupo Mateus operates more than 200 stores throughout the country's northern and northeastern regions.

Grupo Mateus operates in 90 cities across Brazil and had revenues of $4.4 billion in 2023.

His fortune includes his two sons' stakes in Grupo Mateus.