Business History Uncovered - Daily

Daily discoveries in business history


Capitalists -
(Rupert), W.P. Esterhuyse ; [translated by E.P. Hees] (1986). Anton Rupert: Advocate of Hope. (Cape Town, SA: Tafelberg. Rupert, Anton; Industrialists--South Africa--Biography; Social ethics.

(Rupert), Ebbe Dommisse with the cooperation of Willie Esterhuyse (2005). Anton Rupert A Biography. (Cape Town, SA: Tafelberg, 463 p.). Rupert, Anton; Industrialists--South Africa--Biography. South Africa's most successful entrepreneur.

Mining:
February 1887 - Cecil Rhodes and Charles Rudd formed Gold Fields of South Africa Ltd. to hold properties acquired on Transvaal, Witwatersrand gold fields; 1892 - renamed The Gold Fields of South Africa; became second largest gold producing group after Anglo American; 1989 - acquired by Hanson plc.

May 13, 1909 - London and Rhodesian Mining Company Limited incorporated (Lonrho plc); 1961 - Roland "Tiny" Rowland joined company; sales (over 34 years) increased 787-fold, profits rose 1,365 times; January 1993 - Dieter Bock, German financier, became largest shareholder; shared chief executive's position with Rowland; October 1993 - forced to step down as Chairman; November 3, 1994 - Rowland ousted from chief executive position; January 1997 - Anglo American Corporation of South Africa Ltd., South Africa's largest company, acquired 26% controlling interest in Lonrho; changed focus to mining (platinum, gold, coal) in Africa; 1997 - Bock gone; 1999 - renamed Lonmin plc to symbolize return to mining roots.

Tobacco:
1941 - Anton Rupert (South Africa) established Voorbrand Tobacco Company; renamed Rembrandt Tobacco Corporation; 1948 - manufactured first cigarettes; 1954 - acquired controlling interest in Rothmans of Pall Mall; 1972 - overseas tobacco interests consolidated into Rothmans; 1988 - Rembrandt Group restructured international activities, formed Swiss holding company, Compagnie Financier Richemont (CFR); held 33 percent of Rothmans International plc; 1993 - separated tobacco, luxury goods operations into Rothmans International BV/PLC, Vendôme Luxury Group SA/PLC; 1995 - consolidated tobacco interests into Rothmans International (world's 4th-largest cigarette manufacturer); operated as wholly-owned subsidiary of Richemont; June 1999 - Rothmans International merged with British American Tobacco (BAT), world's 2nd-largest cigarette producer.