Rank 53
Rafaela Aponte-Diamant
28B
Shipping
Geneva
Switzerland
- The second ship that the Apontes bought was named after Rafaela.
- In December 2022, MSC bought Bolloré Africa Logistics, the African transport and logistics arm of the Bolloré Group, for $6 billion.
- Rafaela Aponte-Diamant and her husband Gianluigi each own a 50% stake in MSC, the world's largest shipping line.
- Rafaela first met Gianluigi on a trip to the Italian island of Capri in the 1960s, when Gianluigi was a ship captain.
- They entered the shipping industry together in 1970, when they purchased a ship with a $200,000 loan.
- MSC also operates in holiday cruises (MSC Cruises), inland logistics (Medlog) and port operations (Terminal Investment Limited.)
- Rafaela is responsible for decorating ships for MSC Cruises; Gianluigi is MSC's executive chairman and their son, Diego, is MSC's president.