Georg von Opel (born 4 May 1966) is a German-born Swiss billionaire and heir, great-grandson of Adam Opel who founded the German car manufacturer Opel AG.
Early life and education
Von Opel was born on 4 May 1966 in Kronberg im Taunus, West Germany to Georg Friedrich Karl Adam von Opel, who was the son of Carl von Opel, and grandson of Adam Opel, and his third wife Ingrid (née Revers; b. 1945). Since 1973, his family had been a resident of Switzerland and von Opel naturalized in 2014.
He studied economics and business administration at the University of Rhode Island and the American InterContinental University, London.
Career
In April 2015, the Sunday Times Rich List estimated his net worth at GBP £1.3 billion. According to the Sunday Times Rich List, this had increased to £1.654 billion in 2020. His wealth primarily comes from Hansa AG, a holding company that invests in listed equities and private-equity funds. von Opel's real estate portfolio includes properties in the south of England, Majorca and the Engadin region in the Swiss Alps.
Donations
von Opel is a major donor to the UK's Conservative Party. Through his foundation, the Georg and Emily von Opel Foundation, he has financially supported Oxford professor Sunetra Gupta who has argued against societal restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic and was one of the authors of the Great Barrington Declaration.
Personal life
Opel and his British-born wife Emily have five children, and live in London, England. Opel was born a German citizen, became a Swiss resident in 1973, and a Swiss citizen in 2014.