May 2011
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Guillermo LeonGuillermo León recently purchased La Aurora S.A., the celebrated cigar company, from E. León Jimenes. La Aurora not only makes cigars, but is also well known for its Presidente beer brand and its banking business. Guillermo León was previously the head of La Aurora’s cigar division which he has run successfully for the past 15 years.

“I’m very happy. Very excited,” León told Cigar Aficionado regarding his acquisition. “Now we can make faster decisions. That’s an advantage. The philosophy won’t change, the philosophy of how we handle business.”

The Jimenes family has owned and controlled La Aurora for over a century. The brand was originally founded in 1903 by Eduardo León Jimenes, the grandfather of the previous owner. La Aurora got its start in cigars before branching into the banking industry, beer manufacturing, and for a while, cigarettes.

The acquisition deal includes not only La Aurora’s brands, but also its cigar factory in the Dominican Republic. It does not include the building where Aurora Preferido cigars are rolled which is located next to the Museum of the City of Santiago.

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