Beda Diethelm
REAL TIME NET WORTH — as of 5/16/17
$1.22 B
Swiss hearing aid magnate Beda Diethelm is a billionaire thanks to his stake in publicly-traded Sonova Holding AG, a Swiss company that produces hearing aids, wireless devices and cochlear implants. His 10% ownership makes him the company’s largest individual shareholder. Born in the tiny village of Galgenen, Switzerland, Diethelm first dabbled in electronics as an apprentice for a radio and TV technician in Zurich. By 1962, he had worked his way up to the head of production and technical director of Bommer, a Zurich company that was a global supplier of hearing aids. Diethelm joined what would become Sonova in 1965, receiving a chunk of equity from the former owner in 1980. The company is based in Stafa, Switzerland and has factories in Vietnam and China. It employs more than 10,000 people worldwide and had 2015 sales of more than $2 billion.
Source:
1. forbes