Business and technologyבני שטיינמץ

Beny Steinmetz

Beny Steinmetz is an Israeli businessman active in diamonds, mining, energy and real estate, who was convicted in Switzerland of bribery linked to mining rights in Guinea.

born 1956Diamond and mining businessesFounding the BSGR groupThe Simandou bribery case

Born: 2 April 1956, Netanya
Occupation: entrepreneur, businessperson

Beny Steinmetz was born in 1956 in Netanya

Beny Steinmetz was born in Netanya in 1956. His father, Rubin Steinmetz, was a diamond trader. He also holds French citizenship.

After 3 years in the IDF, he moved to Antwerp, Belgium, and worked in the diamond trade. In 1988 he bought a diamond factory in South Africa and later expanded to Angola and Botswana. He returned to Israel in 1997.

His group, BSGR, invested in mining, metals, energy and real estate, and he described his role there as an adviser. In 1997 he founded STI Ventures, which invests in Israeli start-ups. In November 2019 Forbes estimated his wealth at $1.1 billion.

He left Israel in 2012 amid disputes with the tax authorities. Swiss prosecutors charged him with bribing officials in Guinea over the Simandou deposit. In January 2021 he was convicted and sentenced to 5 years, later reduced on appeal to 3 years.