Gustavo Cisneros facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gustavo Cisneros
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| Born |
Gustavo Alfredo Cisneros Rendiles
1 June 1945 Caracas, Venezuela
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| Died | 29 December 2023 (aged 78) |
| Citizenship | Venezuela Dominican Republic Spain U.S. |
| Alma mater | Babson College |
| Occupation | Media mogul |
| Spouse(s) | Patricia Phelps |
| Children | 3, including Adriana Cisneros |
Gustavo Alfredo Cisneros (born June 1, 1945 – died December 29, 2023) was a very successful Venezuelan businessman. He was the leader of Grupo Cisneros, a huge company that works in media, entertainment, and other areas. He was known as a billionaire, meaning he had a lot of money, which he used to grow his businesses around the world.
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Early Life and Education
Gustavo Cisneros was born in Caracas, Venezuela, on June 1, 1945. His parents were Diego Cisneros and Albertina Cisneros.
His father, Diego Cisneros, started many businesses in Caracas. He helped bring Pepsi to Venezuela in 1940. Later, he started Venevisión, a private TV channel, in 1961. The Cisneros family became one of the wealthiest families in South America.
Gustavo went to school in the United States. He graduated from Suffield Academy in Connecticut in 1963. He then studied at Babson College in Massachusetts, finishing in 1968.
Grupo Cisneros
Grupo Cisneros is one of the biggest privately owned media and entertainment companies in the world. This means it's owned by a family or a small group, not by many public shareholders. Since 2000, the company's main office has been in Coral Gables, Florida.
Gustavo Cisneros became the President of Grupo Cisneros when he was just 25 years old.
The company's success came from its many businesses. These include media, entertainment, phone services, and everyday products. Grupo Cisneros is especially big in Spanish-language media. For a long time, Gustavo Cisneros was a major owner of Univision, a top Spanish-language TV network in the United States.
The company also owns Venevision International, which makes and shares media around the world. It also owns Venevisión, a popular TV network in Venezuela. Since 1980, Grupo Cisneros has owned the famous Miss Venezuela beauty contest. Since 2001, they have also owned the Leones del Caracas baseball team.
Gustavo Cisneros believed in free business. He worked for many years to expand his company outside of Venezuela. He grew his businesses into countries like the U.S., Spain, and even China.
In 2013, Gustavo Cisneros chose his daughter, Adriana Cisneros, to become the new CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of Cisneros.
Before he passed away, Gustavo Cisneros was working on a large resort project called Tropicalia. This resort is being built in the Dominican Republic. It is planned to open in 2026.
Politics
Gustavo Cisneros and former Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez had a complicated relationship. Cisneros was questioned about his involvement in a political event in Venezuela in 2002.
Helping Others
Gustavo Cisneros supported two important groups that help people: Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros and Fundación Cisneros.
Fundación Cisneros runs many educational and cultural programs. These programs aim to make life better for people in Latin America. For example, they help teachers in Latin America improve their skills. They also teach about visual arts using the Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros. Another program helps school children learn to think visually. They also organize art shows to share the work of Latin American artists in North America and Europe.
Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros is a private art collection focused on Latin American art. It is based in Venezuela and New York City. Gustavo and his wife, Patricia, started collecting Latin American abstract art in 1970. Over time, their collection grew to more than 2,000 pieces. This includes old Spanish colonial objects and art from the Amazon region. The collection features works by famous artists like Joaquín Torres-García, Lygia Clark, Jesús Rafael Soto, Alejandro Otero, and Carlos Cruz-Diez.
Personal Life
Gustavo Cisneros was married to Patricia from 1970 until his death. Patricia is a big supporter of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. She has given a lot of money to the museum. She also helps many other art museums around the world.
Gustavo Cisneros lived in the Dominican Republic starting in the 1990s. Besides being a Venezuelan citizen, he also held citizenship in the United States, Spain, and the Dominican Republic.
Through his father's family, Gustavo Cisneros was related to Pablo de Hita y Salazar. He was a governor of La Florida a long time ago, from 1674 to 1680. Gustavo Cisneros even published a book about his family's history.
Death
Gustavo Cisneros passed away in New York City on December 29, 2023, at the age of 78. A Spanish newspaper reported that he died from pneumonia. This was a problem that happened after he had surgery on his spine. His company, Cisneros Media, shared the sad news. They said he was a "visionary leader" who made a big impact beyond just business.
Awards and Honors
Gustavo Cisneros received many awards and honors throughout his life for his work and contributions.
- 1979: Orden Isabel la Católica – Spain
- 1999: Orden Nacional al Mérito – Ecuador
- 1980: Caballero de la Soberana Orden de Malta – Italy
- 1982: Orden Mérito al Trabajo, Primera Clase – Venezuela
- 1983: Orden Francisco de Miranda, Primera Clase – Venezuela
- 1983: Orden Francisco de Miranda, Segunda Clase – Venezuela
- 1984: Orden Andrés Bello, Banda de Honor – Venezuela
- 1984: Orden Isabel la Católica, Grado Encomienda de Número – Spain
- 1984: Orden del Libertador, Gran Oficial, Segunda Clase – Venezuela
- 1990: Orden del Libertador, Gran Cordón – Venezuela
- 2004: Orden del Congreso de Colombia en el Grado de Oficial – Colombia
- 2004: Orden de la Democracia Simón Bolívar en el Grado de Gran Cruz – Colombia
- Orden Diego de Losada, Primera Clase – Venezuela
- Orden al Mérito del Ministerio Público, Primera Clase – Venezuela
- Key to the city of Cartagena de Indias – Colombia
Special Recognitions
- 2000: Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement
- 2001: International Emmy Directorate Award
- 2004: Smithsonian Institution, Woodrow Wilson Center, Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service
- 2005: MIPCOM, Personality of the Year
- Advertising Educational Foundation, Lifetime Achievement Award
- 2015: NATPE Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award Recipient, with his daughter, Adriana Cisneros
- 2017: University of Miami, Doctor of humane letters
Leadership Roles
Gustavo Cisneros was part of many important groups and boards. He helped guide different organizations in business, education, and international relations.
- Americas Society, Chairman's International Advisory Council
- Babson College, Board of Overseers
- Barrick Gold Corporation, Board of Directors
- Cardinal Cisneros Foundation, Board of Trustees
- Council for the Atlantic Institute of Government, Member
- Global Information Infrastructure Commission (GIIC), Commissioner
- Haiti's Presidential Advisory Council on Economic Growth and Investment
- Harvard University, David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies, Advisory Committee
- Ibero-American Council for Productivity and Competitiveness, Member
- International Center for Economic Growth, Board of Overseers
- Rockefeller University, University Council, Member
- RRE Ventures LLC, Senior Advisor
- United Nations Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Task Force, Charter Member
Past Roles
- All-American Bottling Corporation, Chairman of the Board
- Chase Manhattan Bank, International Advisory Committee
- DirecTV, Executive Committee
- Georgetown University, Board of Trustees and the Latin American Board
- Museum of Modern Art, Chairman's Council
- Panama Canal Authority, Board Member
- Panamerican Beverages, Inc., Board Member
- Power Corporation of Canada, Advisory Council
- Pueblo International, LLC, Board Member
- Queen Sofia Spanish Institute, Board of Directors
- The Nature Conservancy, Latin America Conservation Council
- United Nations Association of the United States, Member
- Univision Communications, Board Member
- World Economic Forum, Board of Governors for the Media, Communications and Entertainment Industries
See also
In Spanish: Gustavo Cisneros para niños
- Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros
- List of Venezuelan Americans
Images for kids
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Gustavo Cisneros
