David de Pury

David de Pury, Baron de Pury was a banker, merchant, and philanthropist from the Principality of Neuchâtel, then a Prussian principality and now part of Switzerland. His involvement in Triangular trade, particularly diamond and precious wood trading between Europe and South America, earned him a vast fortune. He became a major benefactor for his home town, Neuchâtel, where he funded the construction of schools, hospitals, government buildings, and served as a patron of various local charities. De Pury has become a controversial figure in the 21st-century for his connection to the Atlantic slave trade through his business endeavors in Latin America.