Carlos Slim could be about to make a move for Polish telecommunications firms Hawe and P4 Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

The world’s richest man, Mexican businessman Carlos Slim, could be set to enter Poland’s telecommunications market by investing in Polish telecoms infrastructure firm Hawe, as well as mobile company P4.

Mr Slim’s firm, America Movil, is one of four potential investors in Hawe, Puls Biznesu reported in August, citing unnamed sources. The other investors are said to be a second telecommunications company and two private equity firms.

Hawe has stated that it plans to issue between 50 to 100 million new shares in order to raise funds to finance a takeover of state-owned rival TK Telekom, which is currently being privatized.

America Movil has recently purchased stakes in Telekom Austria and Dutch company KPN as it looks to increase its influence in European markets. The telecommunications firm is also reported to be interested in P4, Poland’s fourth-largest mobile network, which operates services under the Play brand.

If Mr Slim were to make a move into the Polish market he would be the second high-profile foreign businessman to enter the country’s telecoms market this year.

In August, Britain’s Richard Branson, who heads the Virgin Group, launched his phone service Virgin Mobile in Poland. Virgin Mobile Polska is currently offering prepaid services only, but the company has plans to extend this service in the future as it looks to gain a foothold in Poland.

Mr Slim has an estimated net worth of $69 billion, ranking him at the top of the 2012 Forbes rich list, ahead of Bill Gates and Warren Buffett. This fortune dwarfs that of Mr Branson, estimated at $4.2 billion.