Famous Austrian Business People

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 1 
Ferdinand Porsche
(Automotive Engineer and Founder of the ‘Porsche AG’)
Ferdinand Porsche
4
Birthdate: September 3, 1875
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: ratislavice nad Nisou, Liberec, Czechia
Died: January 30, 1951

Ferdinand Porsche was an Austrian-German automotive engineer. He is credited with founding one of the most popular car companies in the world, Porsche AG. He is also credited with creating the Lohner-Porsche mixed hybrid, the first gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle. During World War II, Porsche was a prominent contributor to the German war effort.

 2 
Dietrich Mateschitz
(Businessman and Co-founder of 'Red Bull')
Dietrich Mateschitz
3
Birthdate: May 20, 1944
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Sankt Marein im Mürztal, Austria
Self-made business magnate and Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz took 10 years to complete his marketing degree. He was also one of the pioneers of content marketing, and rather than depending on paid ad agencies, marketed his brand through numerous media tools, such as the Red Bulletin magazine.
 3 
Toto Wolff
(Austrian Former Racing Driver, Investor and CEO of ‘Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team’)
Toto Wolff
0
Birthdate: January 12, 1972
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Vienna, Austria
Former racing driver Toto Wolff is the CEO and 30% stakeholder of the Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport Formula One Team. He has been part of the Austrian and German Formula Ford championships. He later established the investment firms Marchfifteen and Marchsixteen. He supports underprivileged children through the Mary Bendet Foundation.
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 4 
Christine Kaufmann
(First German Actress to Win the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year)
Christine Kaufmann
3
Birthdate: January 11, 1945
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Lengdorf, Styria, Austria
Died: March 28, 2017

German-Austrian actress, author, and businesswoman Christine Kaufmann gained attention of post-war German movie audiences with her performances in films like Rosen-Resli, Der schweigende Engel and Ein Herz schlägt für Erika. She became the first German to be honoured with Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress for her performance in the drama film Town Without Pity.

 5 
Albert Göring
(Mechanical engineer)
Albert Göring
3
Birthdate: March 9, 1895
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Friedenau
Died: December 20, 1966
Apart from being an engineer who worked for the German army during World War I, Albert Göring is also remembered as the brother of infamous Nazi Party figure and military leader Hermann Göring. Surprisingly, he was anti-Nazi and had helped many Jews, though he remained ostracized due to his family name, post-war.
 6 
Robert Bosch
(Entrepreneur, Inventor, Artisan)
Robert Bosch
2
Birthdate: September 23, 1861
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Felkirchen
Died: March 12, 1942

The founder of the German engineering and technological MNC Bosch, Robert Bosch was born to a farmer in a south Germany village. He is also remembered as one of the first Germans to introduce 8-hour work days. He also invented the high-voltage spark plug and magneto for automobiles.

 7 
Ferdinand Piëch
(Austrian Business Magnate and Former Chairman of Volkswagen Group (1993 - 2015))
Ferdinand Piëch
3
Birthdate: April 17, 1937
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Vienna, Austria
Died: August 25, 2019

Remembered widely as the grandson of Porsche founder Ferdinand Porsche, Ferdinand Piech later joined Audi. He is also known for converting Volkswagen from a loss-making firm to one of the world leaders in the global automobile scene. He had apparently fathered 12 children with several women.

 8 
Friedrich Mandl
(entrepreneur)
Friedrich Mandl
3
Birthdate: February 9, 1900
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Vienna
Died: September 8, 1977

Friedrich Mandl, also known as Fritz Mandl, was an armament magnate and a prominent supporter of Austrian nationalism and fascism. Of the five women he was married to in his lifetime, one was actor Hedy Lamarr, who later described him as a controlling man from whom she had to escape in disguise.

 9 
Frank Stronach
(Founder of Magna International, The Stronach Group)
Frank Stronach
2
Birthdate: September 6, 1932
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Kleinsemmering, Styria, Austria

Frank Stronach grew up in Austria during World War II and later moved to Canada. The Magna International founder is also an award-winning thoroughbred horse racer and has a keen interest in football. He has also had short stint in Austrian politics and had established the now defunct Team Stronach for Austria.

 10 
Emilie Louise Flöge
(Fashion designer)
Emilie Louise Flöge
2
Birthdate: August 30, 1874
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Vienna, Austria
Died: May 26, 1952

The daughter of a pipe manufacturer, Emilie Louise Flöge initially worked as a seamstress but later found her calling in fashion designing. Also remembered as the companion of Austrian symbolist painter Gustav Klimt, she featured in many of his paintings and was a major figure of the Fin de siècle movement.

 11 
Louise Piech
(Ferdinand Porsche's daughter)
Louise Piech
2
Birthdate: August 29, 1904
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Wiener Neustadt, Austria
Died: February 10, 1999

The daughter of Porsche founder Ferdinand Porsche, Louise Piech went down in history as the woman who had saved the family brand from being confiscated by enemy forces during the War. she and her brother, Ferry Porsche, set up Porsche Konstruktionen GesmbH, declaring themselves as directors.

 12 
Nadja Swarovski
(Businessperson)
Nadja Swarovski
2
Birthdate: 1970 AD
Birthplace: Germany

An heir of the Swarovski crystal company, Nadja Swarovski has been behind a major repositioning of the Swarovski brand. She not only introduced initiatives such as the Swarovski Emerging Talent Awards but has also launched the Atelier Swarovski line. She has also been associated with the Waterschool conservation project.

 13 
Maurice de Hirsch
(Financier)
Maurice de Hirsch
1
Birthdate: December 9, 1831
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Munich, Germany
Died: April 21, 1896

German philanthropist and businessman Maurice de Hirsch was born into an affluent family of bankers and was later associated with Bischoffsheim & Goldschmidt. He is remembered for his remarkable charitable contribution to various educational initiatives and for the settlement of Jewish refugees, the most notable being the fund for Russian Jews.

 14 
Hikmet Ersek
(Businessman who is the former CEO of Western Union)
Hikmet Ersek
0
Birthdate: 1961 AD
Birthplace: Istanbul, Turkey
 15 
Horst Martin Rechelbacher
(Businessman who was the founder of the cosmetics company Aveda Corporation and Intelligent Nutrients)
Horst Martin Rechelbacher
0
Birthdate: November 11, 1941
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Klagenfurt, Austria
Died: February 15, 2014
 16 
Peter Abeles
(Magnate)
Peter Abeles
1
Birthdate: April 25, 1924
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Vienna, Austria
Died: June 25, 1999

Renowned Australian business magnate Peter Abeles went from being a refugee at a Nazi camp to a transportation pioneer. One of his initial jobs was that of a door-to-door salesman, and a push from a friend led him to start dealing in transport contracts. He eventually led the company TNT-Alltrans.

 17 
Albert Salomon Anselm von Rothschild
(Austrian Chess Player and Businesspeople)
Albert Salomon Anselm von Rothschild
0
Birthdate: October 29, 1844
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Vienna, Austria
Died: February 11, 1911

Austrian-Hungarian banker Albert Salomon Anselm von Rothschild was part of the famous Rothschild banking family. He didn’t just bring in important monetary reforms in Austria but also established himself as a chess player and patron, who even sponsored various chess tournaments. An asteroid was named in his memory.

 18 
Count Moritz von Fries
(Nobleman, banker and patron of the arts)
Count Moritz von Fries
0
Birthdate: May 6, 1777
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Vienna, Austria
Died: December 26, 1826
 19 
Cevdet Caner
(Entrepreneur)
Cevdet Caner
0
Birthdate: July 29, 1973
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: St. Pölten, Austria
 20 
Claus Josef Riedel
(Czech Glassmaker and Businessman Best Known for Creating and Producing Grape Variety-Specific Glassware)
Claus Josef Riedel
0
Birthdate: February 19, 1925
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Polaun, Czechia
Died: March 17, 2004

An heir to the Austrian glassmaking company Riedel Crystal, Claus Josef Riedel had introduced many innovations in the glassmaking industry. He brought in the world’s first gourmet glasses and also introduced a full range of wine glasses for different types of wine. He had also won several awards for his innovations

 21 
Samson Wertheimer
(Former Chief rabbi, Banker)
Samson Wertheimer
0
Birthdate: January 17, 1658
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Worms, Germany
Died: August 6, 1724