Léon Lambert
[2] The family's banking history began with Samuel Lambert, Leon's great-grandfather, who, following the second marriage of his mother-in-law to Lazare Richtenberger, the Rothschild's representative[3] in Brussels, had been introduced to the world of finance.
His son Léon (1851–1919), who was nicknamed the "king's banker", continued his father's work and financed a large part of Leopold II of Belgium's colonial projects.
Subsequently, Léon's son Henri (1887–1933) succeeded his father, and it was under his leadership that Banque Lambert became independent from the Rothschilds to no longer simply be its Belgian branch.
The purpose of this company was to pool the risks that arose following the independence of sub-Saharan countries, but also to avoid the potential nationalization or confiscation of property belonging to the former colonial powers.
[8] In 1964, in the context of this considerable expansion and inspired by the financial practices of the Anglo-Saxon world, Lambert attempted what today is considered to be the first Belgian public takeover bid.
The baron hired Compagnie Lambert pour l'Industrie et la Finance, of which his bank was the main shareholder, to make a public takeover bid against Sofina.
[5]: 12–13 Indeed, Lambert financially supported many Israeli associations, which raised fears it could harm business with the Arab world, largely hostile to the State of Israel.
[13] His intervention in the American stock market was crowned with success, but criticized by part of the Belgian press accusing him of turning away from Europe and Belgium.
Faced with the crisis of the 1980s and heavy indebtedness, the Bruxelles Lambert Group found itself short of liquidity, and consequently unable to pay its shareholders their dividends.
[15] His collection included works by Alberto Giacometti, Auguste Rodin, Edgar Degas, Pierre Bonnard, René Magritte, and Paul Delvaux.
[5]: 23 At the New York ceremony, Henry Kissinger and David Rockefeller delivered a eulogy, and gay rights activist Larry Kramer was also present.
