The Richest in Real Estate Top 100
The Basics
Location: New York City | Net Worth: $1.47 B
Location: New York City | Net Worth: $1.47 B
Growing up in the Soviet territory of Carpathia, Alexander Rovt attended—and eventually received a Ph.D in international economics from—the Lvov State University of Trade and Economics.
Alexander managed a high-end resort in the USSR before coming to the US, and he soon found himself running a deli and selling jewelry and gaining his fortune as a fertilizer tycoon. In 2011, Alexander sold his two Eastern European fertilizer factories for $500M. Despite the sale, Alexander’s IBE Trade is still one of the world's largest traders of ammonium-based fertilizer.
Since then, however, Alexander has invested millions into real estate, now owning more than 30 investment properties—mostly apartment buildings—across NYC. In fact, Alexander claims to have never invested money in a stock or bond, instead putting his money only in hard assets like housing. In 2011, he acquired the Sloane Mansion out of foreclosure an hour before auction for $34M. In 2012, Alexander doled out $303M in cash for a majority stake in 14 Wall Street, a 1M SF office building.
