Isabel dos Santos Defying All Odds and Establishing a Successful Business Empire
Isabel dos Santos is an Angolan entrepreneur who has worked very hard over the years to make a name for herself in the business world. She has successfully been able to put up investments in different parts of the world. Her interests span from telecommunications to media and energy among others. Other than making a mark in the entrepreneurial world, Isabel dos Santos is a role model to very many young women across the globe, especially in Africa. To all the young women, Isabel simply proves that a woman’s possibilities are limitless if she puts her all into her goals.
Isabel dos Santos was born in Baku, Azerbaijan, to Jose Eduardo dos Santos, the late former President of Angola and Tatiana Kukanova, the first wife of Mr. Jose. Isabel dos Santos studied electrical engineering at King’s College in London. Isabel’s career began at Urbana 2000 where she worked as a project manager engineer. In 1997 she opened the Miami Beach Club. This was one of the first beach restaurants in Luanda Island and her first business. From there, she continued investing and making smart decisions when it came to running her business. This allowed her to grow and expand and even start other businesses.
In 2008, Isabel dos Santos started venturing into numerous industries like telecommunications, oil, diamonds, retail, media, finance and energy in Angola and Portugal. She made several investments in these industries and has truly been able to achieve massive success in everything she puts her money in. In the telecommunications industry, for instance, Isabel is the main shareholder of ZON Multimedia. Based in Portugal, ZON Multimedia is a holding company with interest in cable and satellite operations. When it comes to oil, Isabel dos Santos has major stakes in Sonangol, the Angolan state oil firm.
Isabel dos Santos serves a beacon of hope for very many women in today’s society. A while back, during a United Nations debate in New York Isabel was very vocal about women empowerment. She clearly stated that the economic empowerment of women goes a long way in transforming society. Her encouraging messages among many other things have played a key role in inspiring many women to pursue their ambitions and dreams in business.