Douw Steyn


Douw Gerbrand Steyn, is a South African billionaire businessman, the founder of BGL Group, a UK-based insurance and financial services company, and the parent of Comparethemarket.com.
Steyn has links to South African politics, having housed former South African president Nelson Mandela at the Southern Sun Estate before reportedly purchasing the Houghton Estate for him.
According to The Sunday Times Rich List in 2020, Steyn has an estimated net worth of £950 million, an increase of £50 million from 2019.

Early life

Douw Gerbrand Steyn was born in December 1952. He went to school in Linden, Johannesburg. He received a bachelor's degree in 1978 from Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education.

Career

Steyn began his career as a quantity surveyor at Eskom Mega Watt Park.
Steyn founded BGL Group, a UK-based insurance and financial services company, and the parent of Comparethemarket.com.
In 2015, Steyn launched the development of a luxury private estate, Steyn City, on a 900 hectare site between Fourways and Lanseria in Johannesburg. The project initially drew R6.5 billion in investment, with a further R5.5 billion invested in 2019.
In April 2020, Steyn pledged R320 million to assist the coronavirus relief efforts in South Africa through the Douw Steyn Family Trust and the companies he founded.

Personal life

In February 2013, he married Carolyn at the Saxon Boutique Hotel, where guests included Graça Machel, Timothy Moloi, and Michael de Pinna.