Arpad Busson facts for kids

André Arpad Busson, born on January 27, 1963, is a French businessman and a kind-hearted person who helps others. He is known for managing large investments and for his work with charities around the world.

Arpad Busson started his career in finance in 1986 in New York City. He later founded his own company, the EIM Group, which helped manage money for big investors. He has also dedicated a lot of his time to supporting various charitable causes.

Early Life and Education

Arpad Busson grew up in France. His father, Pascal Busson, was a former French army officer who later worked in finance. His mother, Florence Harcourt-Smith, was English.

He is sometimes called "Arki," a nickname from his childhood. Arpad Busson went to school in France and then attended the Institut Le Rosey in Switzerland. After his studies, he served in the French army as a medical orderly. Friends said he liked the discipline of the army, which helped him grow.

Career in Finance

Arpad Busson began working in the world of finance in 1986. He worked with different investment companies, including Dubin Swieca and Tudor Investments.

In 1991, Busson started his own company, the EIM Group. This company helped manage large amounts of money for big organizations. In 2008, EIM Group was unfortunately affected by a large financial fraud case involving Bernie Madoff.

In 2001, the FBI asked EIM for help in tracking money related to al-Qaida. EIM cooperated fully with the investigation and was not suspected of any wrongdoing.

In 2013, Busson's EIM Group joined with a Swiss investment company called Gottex Fund Management Holdings. Busson later became the executive chairman of Gottex Fund Management in 2015.

Gottex Fund Management later changed its name to LumX. The company was removed from the Swiss Stock Exchange in 2020 after facing financial difficulties. This marked the end of Busson's time as a main manager of large investment funds.

Helping Others: Charity Work

Arpad Busson is a big supporter of "venture philanthropy." This means he tries to use smart business ideas to make charity work even more effective.

He is one of the people who started the children's charity ARK, which stands for Absolute Return for Kids. He served as the chairman of ARK's board for many years and is still a founding member. ARK collects money from people in the finance industry to help children who are victims of abuse, disability, illness, and poverty.

ARK uses the money to fund projects that improve the lives of children in places like Eastern Europe, South Africa, and the UK. These projects focus on education and healthcare.

Each year, Arpad Busson hosts a special dinner for ARK, where many famous people attend to help raise money. Past guests have included Bill Clinton and Queen Rania of Jordan. In 2011, Prince William announced that his foundation would work together with ARK.

ARK's activities include:

• Helping fund treatment for people with AIDS in Africa.
• Helping children in Bulgaria and Romania who are in difficult situations.
• Creating better education chances for children in India who need it most.
• Running several schools, called academies, mostly in London, through its ARK Academies charity.

Busson believes that by using business ideas in charity, they can make a big difference and truly change children's lives.

He also supports the Elton John AIDS Foundation. He is a founding member of Theodora Children's Trust, a charity that brings joy to children in hospitals. This charity sends performers, known as "Giggle Doctors," to visit children and bring them music, magic, and laughter.

Personal Life

Arpad Busson had a relationship with Australian supermodel Elle Macpherson starting in 1996. They had two sons together, born in 1998 and 2003. The family lived in London before they separated in 2005.

Busson then began dating American actress Uma Thurman in 2007. They announced their engagement in 2008. Although they ended their engagement briefly in 2009, they got back together. Busson and Thurman have one daughter, born in 2012. They ended their engagement for a second time in 2014. In 2017, they had a disagreement over their daughter's care, and Uma Thurman later received primary care for their daughter.

In 2012, Arpad Busson sold a famous painting by Andy Warhol called Mao for $12 million at an auction in New York.