Alicia Koplowitz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alicia Koplowitz
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Alicia Koplowitz in 2018
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Alicia Koplowitz y Romero de Juseu
12 September 1954 Madrid, Spain
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| Occupation | Businesswoman |
| Spouse(s) | Alberto Cortina (1969-1990, divorced) |
| Children | 3 |
| Parent(s) | Ernesto Koplowitz Esther Romero de Juseu y Armenteros |
| Relatives | Esther Koplowitz (sister) |
Alicia Koplowitz y Romero de Juseu, born on September 12, 1954, is a well-known Spanish businesswoman and investor. She is famous for her success in business and for her generous charity work. She once held a noble title, but it was later given to a distant cousin after a court decision.
When her father passed away, Alicia and her sister inherited a large construction company called Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas, S.A. (CYCSA). Later, Alicia sold her share of the company to her sister. She then started her own investment company, Omega Capital, which became one of the biggest family-owned investment firms in Europe.
Contents
Early Life and Family Background
Alicia Koplowitz was born in Madrid, Spain, in 1954. She is the younger of two daughters. Her older sister, Esther, was born in 1953. Their father, Ernesto Koplowitz Sternberg, was a businessman from a region called Upper Silesia. He moved to Spain in the 1930s to escape the difficult times in Germany. Their mother, Esther Romero de Juseu y Armenteros, came from a Spanish noble family.
Alicia and her sister inherited some noble titles from their mother. Alicia was known as Marquesa de Bellavista and Marquesa del Real Socorro for a time. Her parents got married in 1950.
Family Business Beginnings
Alicia's father first worked for a German electronics company. In 1952, he borrowed money from a friend and bought a construction company. He renamed it Construcciones y Contratas S. A. (CYCSA). In the early 1960s, Spain had a big construction boom, and his company grew very quickly.
Alicia went to the Lycée Français and later studied at the University Complutense of Madrid.
Her Business Journey
In 1962, Alicia's father sadly passed away in a horse-riding accident. Her mother asked Ramón Areces, a close friend and the head of El Corte Inglés, a large department store, to manage CYCSA. This was to help Alicia and her sister. In 1968, Alicia's mother also passed away.
Taking Over the Company
In 1969, Alicia's sister Esther married Alberto Alcocer. Six months later, Alicia married Alberto Alcocer's cousin, Alberto Cortina. The two sisters then stepped down from the company's board, and their husbands, known as the "Albertos," took charge. From 1973 onwards, they helped the company grow even more. They bought real estate, a bank called Banco Zaragozano, and a large part of another construction company, Fomento de Obras y Construcciones SA (FOCSA).
In 1990, Alicia and Alberto Cortina divorced. Around the same time, her sister Esther also divorced her husband. In 1990, both sisters returned to the board of CYCSA, taking back their positions. As part of the divorce, their former husbands received ownership of Banco Zaragozano.
Growth and New Ventures
In 1992, CYCSA merged with Fomento de Obras y Construcciones, S. A. (FOCSA). This created the largest construction company in Spain, which was renamed Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas S.A. (FCC). In 1998, Alicia sold her share of FCC to her sister Esther for a large sum of money. When Alicia left FCC in 1998, it was the biggest construction and services company in Spain.
After leaving FCC, Alicia Koplowitz started to invest in many different areas. She invested in private equity, major companies on the stock market, oil, and real estate. Her real estate investments included famous places like the Ritz hotel in Madrid and the Park Hyatt in Milan, as well as office buildings in the United States. She has an estimated fortune of 3,000 million euros.
In 1998, she founded Omega Capital. This company is 100% owned by her and focuses on investing in growing businesses.
Helping Others: Philanthropy
Alicia Koplowitz has created two important foundations to help people.
Fundación Vida y Esperanza
In 1994, she started Fundación Vida y Esperanza. This foundation helps children, teenagers, and young adults who are facing social, family, or financial difficulties. It provides them with housing, education, and job support. Today, about 100 people in Spain receive full-time help from this foundation. Through another part of Vida y Esperanza, she also provides housing and support for older people and helps those with special needs.
Fundación Alicia Koplowitz
Through her charitable foundation, Fundación Alicia Koplowitz, she supports Spanish researchers in child psychiatry. These researchers go to top universities and hospitals in England and the U.S., like King's College and Stanford University. The fellowships cover their research, housing, and salary for two to four years. The foundation also helps them find jobs at leading institutions when they return to Spain.
Every year, this foundation organizes a big conference for psychiatry in Spain. Top scientists from all over the world come to give talks and hold discussions. In 2009, Alicia Koplowitz was made an honorary member of the Spanish Society of Psychiatrists. This was because of her efforts to encourage the study of child and adolescent psychiatry. Thanks to her work, the Spanish government now recognizes child and adolescent psychiatry as a separate medical specialty in Spain.
In 2004, Koplowitz also helped build and donated to Spain the largest hospital in Europe specializing in multiple sclerosis. It is called the Alicia Koplowitz Multiple Sclerosis Hospital.
Awards and Recognition
Alicia Koplowitz has received many awards for her work. These include the Gran Cruz de la Orden del Mérito Civil (a high Spanish honor) in 2003, and the Chevalier de La Légion d'honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honour) from France. She also received the Gold Medal from the Spanish State in 2009 and the Gold Medal from the Red Cross in 2013.
She is a member of the boards of several important organizations, universities, and foundations. These include Christie's Auction House, the Guggenheim Museum, the Prado Museum, and The Prince of Asturias Foundation. She is also on the board of trustees for University Charles III of Spain.
Alicia Koplowitz owns one of the most important art collections in Europe, and it is the largest in Spain. Her collection includes famous artists like Goya, Picasso, Modigliani, Van Gogh, and de Kooning.
Personal Life
Alicia Koplowitz has three sons with her former husband, Alberto Cortina:
- Alberto Cortina (born 1971): He studied law and has worked at Omega Capital. He holds the title Marquess de Real Socorro, which his mother passed to him in 2000.
- Pedro Cortina (born 1972): He started his career in hotels and later founded his own hotel company, Hospes.
- Pelayo Cortina (born 1985): He studied Industrial Engineering and Management. He has worked in finance and is on the board of directors for several companies. He holds the title Count of San Fernando de Peñalver.
Alicia Koplowitz was raised Catholic.
Trivia
- In the TV movie La duquesa, leire Martinez, the lead singer of La Oreja de Van Gogh, played the role of Alicia Koplowitz.
See also
In Spanish: Alicia Koplowitz para niños
