Pérez Companc declined 3% to US$1.27 billion. The family also sold their 19% stake in Banco Río de la Plata during 1999. In a year that saw the Argentine economy shaken by the worst economic turmoil in over a century, Pérez Companc continued to oversee growth in the family's business concerns: the value of the group's consolidated energy, food processing and financial services portfolio grew a healthy 20% during 2001. He scored a big coup in October 2002 when he announced the sale of the family's 60% share of Petrolera Pérez Companc to Brazilian oil giant Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras) for a reported US$1 billion in cash and bonds. Personal life Gregorio Pérez Companc and his wife, María del Carmen Sundblad Beccar Varela, have eight children Margarita, Jorge, Luis, Rosario, Pilar, Cecilia, Pablo and Catalina, with sons Luís and Jorge helping their parents run Molinos Río de la Plata. The family is deeply religious and have donated generously to Catholic Charities over the years. Gregorio and his wife raise Jersey dairy cows and operate Munchi's, a small chain of ice cream parlors. Long known for his love of modern and vintage cars, he reportedly owns a Bugatti, a Maserati, a limited-edition Ferrari F50, and the unique Ferrari 330 TRI/LM racing car. See also Eduardo Eurnekian Ernestina Herrera de Noble María Amalia Lacroze de Fortabat Roberto Rocca Notes 1934 births Living people Argentine businesspeople Argentine people of Spanish descent People from Buenos Aires Argentine Roman Catholics Argentine billionaires Adoptees