Early Life
Andrej Babiš was born on September 2, 1954, in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia). His father was a diplomat, and Babiš spent parts of his childhood in Paris and Geneva. He studied international trade at the University of Economics in Bratislava, graduating in 1978. In the 1980s, he was listed as an agent for the StB, the Czechoslovak secret police, a matter of ongoing controversy.
Rise to Success
After graduating, Babiš worked in foreign trade before moving to the Czech Republic after the Velvet Revolution. In 1993, he founded Agrofert, which grew to become one of the largest companies in the country, with interests in agriculture, food processing, chemicals, and media.
Key Business Strategies
Babiš's strategy involved diversifying Agrofert's portfolio across various industries, including media and chemicals, which contributed to his wealth and influence. The Agrofert group consists of more than 200 companies. Babiš has held a significant share in Agrofert. To comply with a Czech conflict-of-interest law, he was required to place Agrofert into trusts.
Philanthropy
Babiš's wife, Monika Babišová, oversees the Agrofert Foundation, which supports educational and healthcare endeavors.