Rosely Schweizer
$2.1 B
The Oetker fortune — of which Rosely Schweizer is one of eight billionaire beneficiaries — was built on baking and pudding powder. Now broadly diversified, Dr August Oetker KG — a holding company whose subsidiaries employ some 26,000 people and generate around $15 billion in annual revenue — traces its roots to 1891, when August Oetker, a pharmacist, started selling non-perishable baking powder. After World War II, his grandson Rudolf August Oetker, a former Nazi SS officer, quickly rose to prominence as the driving force behind one of Germany’s most recognizable brands. In 1950, according to the family history “Die Oetkers,” Oetker produced more than 750 million packages of baking and pudding powder. Personifying Germany’s Wirtschaftswunder, or economic miracle, he developed additional food products and expanded into beverages, container shipping, financial services and luxury hotels. He died in 2007, at age 90, leaving eight children from three marriages. The heirs, who along with their families each own 12.5% percent of the conglomerate, have disagreed over the management and future direction of Oetker, however. Split into two camps, the rivalry is between the children from Rudolf August’s first two marriages — Rosely Schweizer and Bergit Graefin Douglas, plus Richard, Christian and August Oetker — and the siblings from the third marriage: Alfred, Carl Ferdinand and Julia Oetker. Alfred was expected to take over as general partner from his half-brother August in 2010, but he was blocked by the older siblings, who instead crowned Richard Oetker. In January 2015, with a proxy fight pending before an arbitration tribunal, the groups agreed to recruit an outside CEO when Richard retires in 2017. Rosely Schweizer studied economics in Innsbruck, Austria, worked at the family’s sparkling wine and spirits company Henkell & Soehnlein, and served as the conglomerate’s advisory board chairwoman until 2010. She’s also been been active in politics for Germany’s Christian Democratic Union. In 2001, she joined with the German Society of Female Entrepreneurs to found the Kaete-Ahlmann-Foundation, named after her grandmother. The foundation provides mentoring to young female entrepreneurs.
Rosely Schweizer Net Worth: Rosely Schweizer is a German businesswoman who has a net worth of $1.7 billion. Rosely Schweizer is the oldest of the eight billionaire heirs to the Oetker fortune that was accumulated on baking and pudding powder. Currently widely diversified, Dr Oetker has added new food products and expanded into beverages, as well as container shipping, financial services and luxury hotels. Expressed in figures, the company has some 26,000 employees and generates approximately $15 billion in annual revenue. Set up back in 1891 by August Oetker, the company was later led by his grandson Rudolf August Oetker, who was succeeded by his son Richard Oetker after his death in 2007. Aside from taking the helm of the family conglomerate Richard also received12.5% percent of the Bielefeld-based Dr. Oetker, same as Rosely and the other six siblings. But the eight heirs, who are children from three marriages, have been still quarreling on who is going to succeed Richard upon his late 2017 retirement. Aside from being involved in the ongoing family dispute, Rosely Schweizer served as the conglomerate’s advisory board chairwoman until 2010. Previously, she also worked at the family’s sparkling wine and spirits company Henkell & Söhnlein. Since 2001, Schweizer is providing tuition to young female entrepreneurs through the Käte-Ahlmann-Foundation, named after her grandmother.
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