Family History

In 1914, Salim Louis and his brother Michel emigrated to South Africa, where they traded as general wholesale merchants. An event which positively changed the course of the family business occurred in 1933, when four tons of rice was ordered from a supplier. The request was processed incorrectly and an order of 40 tons was recorded. The supplier further misunderstood the order and 400 tons of rice was actually delivered. Despite the confusion, the Louis brothers chose to honour the relationship with their supplier and the dispatch was accepted. Shortly thereafter when war broke out, the company found itself in the fortunate position as the only wholesaler with rice available at a time when food had become very scarce.

By 1950, the Louis family business had grown into one of the largest wholesale merchants in South Africa. It was at this time that Colia Louis, Salim’s son, advanced the business by making the strategic transition from a wholesale concern to a property investment and brokerage business. As Colia’s five sons graduated in their various professions, they in turn all joined forces with their father in expanding the Louis Group enterprise, which continues to play a significant role in business in South Africa and its neighbouring states some 95 years later. Although property-related activities remain the primary focus of the second and third generations of the Louis family, their entrepreneurial flair has been further evidenced by their expansion into complementary business areas in several other countries, with interests spanning the property, hotel, financial services and agricultural sectors.

True to the nature of this family business, the third generation of the Louis family have been carefully groomed and mentored by their parents Colia and Elizabeth to have a high regard for the needs of others, to focus on relationship building and to be solution-orientated when faced with the business challenges of today and tomorrow. These qualities have in turn been carefully applied to form the pillars upon which Banque Louis is built.