The Richest of the Richest

The total fortune of the richest 300 Romanians has reached almost 13 billion dollars this year, one billion dollars more than last year.

WINNER. Iosif Constantin Dragan, in image next to his wife, has succeded in remaining the richest romanian

Iosif Constantin Dragan is this year’s richest Romanian as well as last year. His fortune is still valued at approximately 800 - 850 million dollars, according to "The Richest 300 Romanians Top", made by the "Capital" weekly magazine. Dragan earns his fortune from oil products distribution, publishing houses, mass-media and transport. 100 millions back, on the second place, is Ion Tiriac, 50 million dollars richer than last year. With businesses in sport, banks, insurances and commerce, his fortune is estimated between 700 and 750 million dollars. In the third place we find the Ioan and Viorel Micula twins, with a growing fortune, valued at 750 million dollars, 50 million dollars more than in 2003. Food industry, hotels and mass-media have been the main activities of the two people from Oradea.

700,000 EMPLOYEES. Many of the businesses today are based and will be based on the same rule: the entire profit is being reinvested. For now, there are 700,000 employees, 200,000 more than in 2003, working for the companies owned by the people included in Top 300. Lately, the real estate and the capital market have been the most attractive areas for the businessmen. The rich men have invested their money lands, buildings on the capital market, and this brought them substantial profits.

55 MILLIONAIRES WENT OUT OF THE TOP. The newest information regarding the debts’ level, mortgaging some important assets at the banks, small profit or even spectacular losses led to the elimination of 55 businessmen from top 300. The examples can be Zoltan and Gabriela Prosszer, the owners of Paneuro and Romcab, Culita Tarata or the Ilinca family, the former owner of Topway.

At the opposite pole, we can talk about the ones who entered the top this year: Ioan Mihaila, with a fortune estimated at 60 million dollars. The businessman from Baia Mare who lives in the USA has all kinds of businesses, from alcohol to helicopters (he is the owner of a helicopter factory in the USA). He is followed by the Nasui family, whose main business is communications related. They have a fortune of 58 million dollars. Next is Anca Vlad, owner of Fildas (pharmaceutical products), with 50 million dollars.

BUCHAREST

115 dollar millionaires live in the capital, and their fortunes sum 8 billion dollars. The richest of them is the richest of the Romanians as well, Iosif Constantin Dragan. The second district from the millionaires’ number point of view, with a total of 18 businessmen, is Constanta. Gheorghe Bosanceanu is the leader of the millionaires here, with 65 million dollars. The third district is Timis, where Ovidiu Tender is the leader of the 15 businessmen here, with almost 170 million dollars. At the opposite pole, the "poorest" districts are: Gorj (Ion Pau, 5 million dollars), Suceava (Costel Chelariu, 6 million dollars), Salaj (the Stanca family, 13 million dollars), Calarasi (Doru Ioan and Aurica Taracila, 14 million dollars), Botosani (Gheorghe and Mioara Ciubotaru, 13-15 million dollars), Ialomita (Dumitru Bucsaru, 22 million dollars), Dambovita, Alba and Vaslui.

Topul celor mai bogati romani in anul 2004
Place	Name	Area of Activity	Fortune in 2003 (millions of dollars)	Fortune in 2004 (millions of dollars)	Evolution
1	Iosif Constantin Dragan	oil products production, publishing houses, transport	800-850	800-850	stays
2	Ion Tiriac	sport, banks, insurances	650-700	700-750	increasing
3	Ioan si Viorel Micula	food industry, hotels, mass-media	650	700	increasing
4	Paunescu Family	tourism, mass-media, real estate, industry	640-650	650-700	increasing
5	Sorin Ovidiu Vantu	financial investments	460	500	increasing
6	Ioan Niculae	insurances, agriculture, commerce	330-350	400-450	increasing
7	Dinu Patriciu	petrol	300	300-350	increasing
8	Voiculescu Family	mass-media, commerce, agriculture, industry	250-260	290-300	increasing
9	Frank Timis	industry	280-290	290	stays
10	Dan Grigore Adamescu	real estate, insurances, construction	200	280	increasing