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Participant Info
- Photo
- First Name
- Billy
- Last Name
- Rautenbach
- City
- Harare
- Province
- Country
- Zimbabwe
- Current Job/Career
- Businessman and Entrepreneur
- A Little About..
Billy Rautenbach – The Billionaire Who Refused to Fade Away
Billy Rautenbach, often dubbed “The Napoleon of African business”, is one of Zimbabwe’s most controversial yet enduring tycoons. Known for his vast fortune, ambitious ventures, and knack for surviving political storms, Rautenbach’s name has long been synonymous with high-stakes deals, fast cars, and a never-ending dance with power.
Born in 1959 into a wealthy Bulawayo business family, Rautenbach took over his father’s trucking company, Wober Transport, and turned it into one of the largest logistics empires in southern Africa. His empire quickly expanded across Zimbabwe, South Africa, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where he made millions in mining, fuel, and transport through his conglomerate, UniFreight Africa and later Green Fuel Zimbabwe — the ethanol-producing giant that became central to Zimbabwe’s renewable energy push.
Rautenbach’s business brilliance has always been matched by controversy. In the late 1990s, he became a key figure in DRC’s mining sector, appointed by then-President Laurent Kabila to manage Gécamines, the state-owned mining company — a move that sparked diplomatic tensions and accusations of profiteering during wartime. Over the years, he has faced allegations of sanctions violations, political favoritism, and business irregularities, yet he has never been convicted of wrongdoing.
Today, Green Fuel remains his flagship project — a multi-million-dollar bioethanol operation in Chisumbanje that provides jobs to thousands while supplying Zimbabwe’s fuel blending program. His influence stretches across energy, agriculture, and logistics, making him one of the few Zimbabwean businessmen with serious regional clout.
Rautenbach is known for keeping a low public profile, preferring to let his empire speak for itself. But behind the scenes, he’s believed to wield significant political influence, often linked to ZANU–PF circles. Admirers call him a “visionary industrialist,” critics call him “untouchable” — yet both agree, Billy Rautenbach is a man who always lands on his feet.
Bio last updated on: October 19, 2025
- Website, Blog or Social Media Link
- Unifreight Zimbabwe