Jonathan Oppenheimer
Jonathan M. E. Oppenheimer (born 18 November 1969) is a South African billionaire businessman and conservationist, and the Executive Chairman of Oppenheimer Generations, a former chairman of De Beers and a former vice-president of his family's firm, Anglo American Corporation. Early life and education. Jonathan is the son of former De Beers chairman Nicky Oppenheimer; he is the great-grandson of Anglo-American founder Ernest Oppenheimer, who was the first generation of the family to chair (from 1929) the De Beers diamond mining company in South Africa, founded by Cecil Rhodes in 1888. He was educated  at Harrow School and Christ Church, Oxford. He played first-class cricket for Oxford University Cricket Club. Career. Jonathan Oppenheimer began his career working at N M Rothschild & Sons, then moved to Anglo American, where he became senior vice-president, in 1999. After leaving Anglo American in 2000, he filled numerous senior roles at De Beers diamond mining company, and became chairman, until 2012. He was the third generation of his family to lead De Beers. He was also involved in the transactions to de-list De Beers, in 2001, and to sell the Oppenheimer family stake to Anglo American , in 2012. This sale concluded 85 years of the Oppenheimer family's controlling position in the world's diamond trade.Nicky Oppenheimer & family He is currently the director of E. Oppenheimer & Son Ltd. In 2003, Jonathan and Nicky Oppenheimer published The Brenthurst Initiative, a policy paper on black economic empowerment in South Africa. Other activities. Oppenheimer has been involved in many aspects of his family’s activities, including establishing the Brenthurst Foundation, a Johannesburg-based think-tank which examines ways to drive Africa's sustainable growth, and the formation of Tana Africa Capital, a joint venture between the Oppenheimer family  and Temasek Holdings (Singapore) to pursue African consumer goods business opportunities. He has sat on boards and advisory panels, including the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Economy (Malawi), established by the Brenthurst Foundation, and Umicore, a listed specialty chemicals company, as a non-executive director. Alongside his father he founded Oppenheimer Generations, with interests in various companies and non-profits such as the Harambe Entrepreneur Alliance. Oppenheimer purchased Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, immediately ended hunting, and improved conditions for wild animals found there. World Wide Fund for Nature recognized Oppenheimer's conservation work in 2007. Personal life. Oppenheimer was married to  Jennifer Ward until her death in 2017. He has three children.