Doing business while holding public office: Evidence from Mozambique’s firm registry

We link the universe of owners businesses formally registered in Mozambique since Independence to a new database politically exposed persons. Recreating dynamic network ties between firm owners, we estimate value party political and executive mandates their personal business interests. find holders office attain significantly faster growth not only number companies they own but also structural power within business-owner network, as measured by ‘godfather centrality’. Such is concentrated joint-stock firms active trade finance sectors even larger once aggregate analysis family-name level. This consistent with politicians accumulating private sector wealth acting rentier-brokers.