Moise Safra

Moise Yacoub Safra was a Lebanese-Brazilian businessman and philanthropist of Syrian descent. He co-founded Banco Safra with his brothers Edmond Safra and Joseph Safra.

Early life

Moise Safra was born on April 5, 1934, in Beirut, Lebanon, into a family of Sephardic Jewish background originally from Aleppo, in modern Syria, and was the son of Jacob Safra.
The family's history in banking originated with caravan trade between Alexandria and Constantinople during the Ottoman Empire. The family relocated from Aleppo to Beirut after World War I as Beirut was home to an already thriving Jewish community. Eventually, the Safras decided to move to Brazil in 1952. In 1955, Moise's 23-year-old brother, Edmond Safra, and their father, Jacob, started working in Brazil by financing letters of credit for trade in São Paulo.

Career

He established himself in Brazil where he acquired citizenship and founded Banco Safra with his brothers Edmond and Joseph Safra. He was also a prominent Jewish philanthropist.

Death

He died on June 14, 2014, reportedly from heart failure, at the age of 80. He was buried at the in São Paulo, Brazil. He was survived by his wife Chella Cohen Safra and five children: Jacob Moise Safra, Azuri "Ezra" Moise Safra, Edmundo "Edmond" Moise Safra, Esther Safra Szajman, and Olga Safra.