Origin

Born: May 22, 1880
Died: November 25, 1957

Heir: Harry Oppenheimer

Location: Friedberg, Germany

Father: Edward Oppenheimer

Mother: unknown

Religion: Born Jewish, 1935 converted to Christianity

Son: Harry Oppenheimer

Business

1917 September: Co-founded Anglo-American

1929: Using stockpile of diamonds as leverage, Ernest Oppenheimer approached De Beers Consolidated Mines and threatened to flood the diamond market if they did not name him CEO.

Banks

South African Reserve Bank: Served on the commissions that led to its creation.

Barclay's Bank: Served as a director.

Government

1924-1938: Member of the South African Party under General Jan Smuts, Oppenheimer represented Kimberley in Parliament. He kept aloof of parliamentary debates on racial issues, focusing his attention instead on financial and economic issues until his retirement from politics.