Lily Safra, Widow of Edmond Safra

Lebanese-Brazilian banker, Edmond Safra, managed his family business from Switzerland and Brazil. In 1920, his father, Jacob Safra, opened the J. E. Safra Bank in Beirut, Lebanon. When he was 16 years old, Edmond began working at his father’s bank, where he learned how to do all aspects of the business. His lawyer, Walter Weiner, later became chairman of the bank. His wife, Lily Safra, also took part in the business. Sadly, Edmond passed away in December 1999 at his Monaco home.

Lily married Edmond Safra in 1976. When the late banker founded the Republic National Bank of New York, the two divided their time among their houses in Monaco, New York City, and Geneva. Lily also has a massive art collection and owns the luxurious Villa Leopolda on the French Riviera. She was included in the World’s Billionaires list by Forbes in 2018, with her wealth listed at $1.3 billion.